Bata SA plans retail restructuring to focus on manufacturing and wholesale

“We are concentrating on playing to our strengths as a leading local manufacturer and expanding the synergies that exist between Bata SA and our retail partners,” says John Harman, country manager for Bata South Africa. “Bata SA’s retail staff is vitally important to us and will remain a priority in all of our negotiations.”

“Product is king. We will be expanding our product offering considerably to all South African consumers,” says Harman, “and so, it makes perfect sense for us to increase the efficiencies of our manufacturing and wholesale divisions, enabling us to improve the competitive pricing/quality advantage of our products.”

For these reasons Bata South Africa (Bata SA) has announced that it is contemplating a rationalisation/restructuring process within its retail division in South Africa. This process is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2018.

Founded in 1894, Bata is the world’s leading shoemaker by volume. The company is a family-owned business globally with a footprint of 5,300 stores and producing locally in 23 Bata-owned manufacturing facilities across five continents.