Shoprite names top suppliers for 2023

Husband-and-wife-owned enterprise Jacobs Jam was one of three small businesses honoured alongside a host of other exceptional suppliers at the Shoprite Group’s annual Supplier of the Year Awards. Nigel (left) and Christynn Jacobs (right) accept their coveted SMME of the Year Award from the Shoprite Group’s chief executive officer, Pieter Engelbrecht (middle). Image supplied

Held at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, the awards recognised the invaluable contribution suppliers make to the Group’s success.

Finalists across 12 categories were evaluated on criteria including the extent to which they had contributed towards the retailer’s growth and improved earnings, their stockholding and service levels, the efficiency of their administration processes, and their support at store level.

Shoprite Group's 2023 Supplier of the Year Awards

The 2023 winners in each category are:

• General Merchandise & Furniture: Hope Sonic Toys
  
• Professional Suppliers: OUTsurance Insurance
  
• Fruit & Vegetable Producers: Stephan & Seuns Boerdery
  
• Fresh Departments: Crispe Cookies
  
• Alcoholic Beverages: Edward Snell & Co
  
• Groceries: Unilever
  
• Snacks & Beverages: Coca-Cola
  
• Perishables: Lactalis South Africa
  
• Personal Care: AMKA Products
  
• SMME: Jacobs Jam Company
  
• Sustainability: Faircape Group
  
• Private Label & Supplier Partnerships: Cleopatra Tissue Products

In addition to the category awards, Tiger Brands was announced as the first ever winner of the Grand Prix accolade, which is awarded to a supplier that demonstrates exceptional overall performance and impact on the Group’s operations.

Jacobs Jam is the winner of the 2023 SMME Award after their business recorded exponential growth after striking a deal with the Group a little over a year ago.

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“We want to thank the Shoprite Group for this partnership that has enabled our small company in Ceres to grow, contribute to the economy, create new jobs, and made two ordinary people’s dreams come true,” says Nigel Jacobs, co-founder of Jacobs Jam.