SA's franchise growth outpaces structure, risks brand reputation

[Larry Hodes] South Africa has one of the highest rates of franchise sector participation of any economy. It is also quietly running out of the people who make the networks actually work...

If you stepped away for 90 days, would your franchise survive?

[Larry Hodes] Most franchise owners believe their business will hold, but the honest answer is more complicated than most expect, writes Larry Hodes, CEO Grow Franchising...

Poor franchisee support threatens growth, jobs and royalties across South Africa

[Larry Hodes] Franchisors and franchisees are both reporting falling revenues and tougher trading conditions. The standard responses “open more stores," “tighten brand audits”, “cut costs" are not working the way they used to...

SA’s franchise growth may depend on better franchisee support

[Larry Hodes] There is a fundamental difference between monitoring a franchisee and developing one, writes Larry Hodes, CEO of Grow Franchising and Franchise Association of South Africa board member...

#WomensMonth: Mondelez South Africa's Juliet Tshele on what it takes to lead as a woman

[Evan-Lee Courie] Understand people, understand the business, and never lose sight of the bigger picture. This is the leadership philosophy of the corporate and government affairs manager for Southern Africa at Mondelēz International, Juliet Tshele...

#WomensMonth | Danone's Lungile Mbatha talks commercial leadership, AI and consumer changes

[Evan-Lee Courie] This Women's Month, Mbatha offers insights into consumer change, commercial leadership, and creating long-lasting enterprises...

#WoolworthsYouthMakers2026: How one beaded bag became the beginning of Mayaka Accessories

[Chloe Posthumus] A single handmade beaded bag sparked a business journey for Anointing Lukola, founder of Mayaka Accessories, a brand celebrating African craftsmanship through contemporary design...

#WomensMonth | SANBWA's Charlotte Metcalf on why purpose, proof and persistence matter in water stewardship

[Evan-Lee Courie] For Metcalf, water stewardship has moved beyond being a corporate social responsibility consideration. It is becoming a question of resilience and survival...

#WomensMonth | PepsiCo's Suraya Hamdulay on leading with purpose, trust and the courage to keep growing

[Evan-Lee Courie] Having worked across multiple African markets, Hamdulay has seen the contribution women are already making to business, entrepreneurship and community development...

#WoolworthsYouthMakers2026: Glolooks, the African hair care brand finding its place on the shelf

[Karabo Ledwaba] What started with Refilwe Xaba looking for better hair care for her family is now becoming a bigger African consumer brand...

#WomensMonth | Clicks’ Fionna Ronnie says retail leaders need curiosity and courage

[Evan-Lee Courie] For Ronnie, Women's Month is ultimately about not simply celebrating how far women have come, but empowering more women to lead, innovate and redefine what leadership can look like for generations to come...

#WomensMonth | OneDayOnly’s Laurian Venter puts people at the centre of e-commerce growth

[Evan-Lee Courie] As Women's Month shines a spotlight on female leadership, Venter, director at e-commerce platform OneDayOnly, says some of her greatest role models are the women she works alongside every day...

#WomensMonth | Kayleigh Fazan believes retail's future depends on investing in people

[Evan-Lee Courie] Through The International Retail Academy, Fazan is helping retailers transform customer experience by developing stronger leaders, more confident teams and workplaces where people thrive...

#WomensMonth | Sheralle Maclou on building businesses where creativity, culture and impact converge

[Evan-Lee Courie] As Women’s Month provides an opportunity to reflect on women’s progress in business and leadership, Maclou believes the creative economy presents a significant opportunity for female entrepreneurs...

Beauty ethics isn’t just about ingredients; it’s about consumer trust

[Lynette Hundermark] When skincare costs thousands of rand, consumers deserve more than beautiful packaging and clever marketing. They deserve transparency, freshness and trust, writes Lynette Hundermark...

#WoolworthsYouthMakers2026: Phiwe Mareka’s journey from learner to leather entrepreneur

[Evan-Lee Courie] A self-taught leather artisan, Phiwe Mareka has grown Hide and Suede from a personal ambition into a handcrafted leather brand that even Woolworths recognised...

EXCLUSIVE: Why SA’s top fashion retailers can no longer blame weak macroeconomics

[James Townsend] The latest financial results from Mr Price, The Foschini Group, and Truworths offer a rare, head-to-head comparison in South African retail...

It’s big, Really BIG! Woolies giant Avozilla sends social media into a frenzy

[Evan-Lee Courie] Would you pay R59.99 for one avocado? Woolworths’ Avozilla is much bigger than your average avo — and South Africans have a lot to say about it. Discover what’s driving the buzz...

Tiger Brands brings Mrs Ball’s production in-house at R200m Paarl mega-site

[Evan-Lee Courie] Tiger Brands is strengthening its local manufacturing footprint with the transformation of its historic Paarl facility into a new culinary mega-site, signalling a renewed focus on localisation...

#WoolworthsYouthMakers2026: Patns by Buhle shows how African-inspired design can scale

[Evan-Lee Courie] Patns by Buhle founder Buhle Ramalepa is proving that creativity, resilience and entrepreneurship can transform everyday objects into meaningful works of art...