Cape Town's HQ Foods named SMME of the Year at Pick n Pay awards

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The awards recognise the vital role that small and medium enterprises play in enhancing the retail experience and driving innovation within Pick n Pay stores. In the last financial year alone, Pick n Pay spent R6.2bn with South African SMMEs, boosting product variety and value for customers.

The Enterprise and Supplier Development programme aids new entrants to the formal retail sector by providing essential support and mentorship, helping them thrive within Pick n Pay’s store network.

The 2024 Pick n Pay SMME of the Year was awarded to Cape Town’s HQ Foods, a company specialising in sauces, spices and atchar. HQ Foods excelled across all key performance indicators, including sales growth, in-store availability, and supplier delivery efficiency and reliability.

Since joining the programme, HQ Foods now has 38 of its products listed in Pick n Pay stores and achieved impressive sales growth of 24.9% over the past year by concentrating on in-store promotions and taste tests.

Turnaround Business of the Year went to Jake-Mat of Midrand, a supplier of tissues and detergents, for their remarkable business improvement.

Fastest Growth Business was awarded to Dreamland Piggery from Vanderbijlpark, noted for their rapid expansion in pig farming and maize production.

The Innovation Award celebrated Johannesburg’s Rocky Brands for their creativity and originality in manufacturing cleaning and polishing products. They have introduced a new Clean Start range of dishwashing liquids.

The Awards also recognised small suppliers across five categories:

• Groceries: Ultra Chem from Gauteng
• Fresh produce winner: Imperial Crown Trading from KwaZulu-Natal
• Clothing: Caprini Footwear from KwaZulu-Natal
• Perishables: Indezi River from KwaZulu-Natal
• General Merchandise: Glenart Trading from KwaZulu-Natal

“Our collaborations with these small suppliers help foster their growth in the formal retail market, while also ensuring our customers receive the best products,” said Mark Bandi, Head of Small Business at Pick n Pay. Bandi added that Pick n Pay looked forward to partnering with more local and small businesses to support the retailer’s turnaround strategy by introducing innovative products to its shelves.