The viability of food retailers to grow the African retail footprint through supplier development across the national borders of South Africa

Abstract

South African retailers have initiated expansion and internationalisation across the borders of South Africa. This internationalisation has opened new and exciting opportunities for retailers and suppliers for the country and the host countries within which they operate. However, this expansion across borders comes with many challenges as retailers battle trying to replicate the stores to look and feel the same as those in South Africa. The export and import industries have exploded with opportunities, but South African retailers are still struggling with challenges such as product availability, product quality and suppliers’ acquisitions, whilst navigating complex cross border trade regulations, to meet the required standard to ensure on-shelf availability. This qualitative research study involved retailers, suppliers, value chain and regulatory participants and sought to understand how viable role players perceived the issue of expanding across borders to be when involving South African suppliers as well as host country suppliers to grow the South African retail footprint. The research concludes that there are opportunities to grow the retail footprint through supplier development across the borders of South Africa.