Nov 30, 2015
As part of Africa’s largest retailer’s annual national Supplier Awards, the Shoprite Group of Companies this weekend awarded Connie Ferguson with the coveted Upcoming Supplier Award for her range of body lotions. Her company Koni Multinational Brands is one of more than fifty women suppliers and service providers that supply to the Group.
Listed exclusively in five Shoprite stores at the end of 2013, the collaboration has seen her footprint grow to more than 700 Checkers and Shoprite stores as well as other retail stores across South Africa. The range consisting of three variants has seen a year on year growth of more than 460% in Shoprite Checkers alone and will soon be extended with three additional body washes and male body lotions. In September this year she won the Upcoming Supplier Award at the supermarket group’s Great North regional round.
Women play an important role in the business of the Shoprite Group - as customers, as the group’s employees and as suppliers. It is important for the group to actively engage with female suppliers and help grow the businesses of these women. As part of its corporate social investment program, the Shoprite Group uses its scale as the country’s largest retailer to empower businesses ran by women.
Another success story is that of Dikeledi Mosime from Tin Pac, a tin packaging manufacturing company that supplies the Group with a range of cookie tins which are particularly popular during the festive season. Watch her story here: http://bit.ly/1Lv7aAb.
The national round of the Shoprite Group’s Supplier Awards is held annually in Stellenbosch to recognise suppliers for their support and collaborative approach toward the company’s business during the year and for helping the retailer to provide quality products and services at the lowest prices to its customers.
Suppliers nominated for this prestigious accolade are evaluated on criteria such as the extent to which they had contributed towards the supermarket group’s growth and improved earnings, their stockholding and service levels, the efficiency of their administration processes, and the manner in which they provide support at store or head office level.
The full list of suppliers who were honoured in their respective categories this year:
