Shoprite Next Capital opens doors for local entrepreneurs during global entrepreneurship week

As South Africa commemorated Global Entrepreneurship Week, Shoprite placed a spotlight on the small businesses that have flourished through its Next Capital programme.

Their stories reveal the power of meaningful support and market access in turning local ideas into national success.

In a kitchen in Stanford, Nicolene Gericke perfected a new fragrance for her Antjies soap range while in Cape Town, friends Pieter du Plessis and Viljoen de Kock tested flavours for their Gudgu cordials.

In eMalahleni, entrepreneur Thato Poo mapped out the next stage of growth for her natural insect repellent brand Matlhasedi.

Meanwhile in Belville, Jowayne Van Wyk crafted a new blend for his Jowas spices and sauces business over a braai.

These scenes reflect the everyday determination of South Africas entrepreneurial community.

They also show the impact of corporate partnerships that make room for small businesses in the national retail economy.

All four businesses form part of the Shoprite Next Capital supplier network which includes 82 small and medium sized enterprises and more than 400 locally produced items now found in Shoprite and Checkers stores nationwide.

Launched in 2022, Shoprite Next Capital was designed to work directly with small suppliers and unlock barriers that often limit their growth.

The division provides access to shelf space as well as working capital, packaging and labelling support, marketing assistance and compliance guidance.

For Gudgu, the programme opened the door to scale far beyond local markets. Founders Viljoen de Kock and Pieter du Plessis have grown the business to supply more than 100 Checkers stores across six provinces.

The company now operates a full scale factory in Cape Town and employs 14 people.

Antjies Handmade Naturals which began as a small business in Stanford now supplies 34 Checkers stores with a range of bath and body products. Gericke says the structured guidance made a tangible difference.

“Ongoing engagement, technical support and hands on guidance from the Checkers team have been instrumental in helping us grow our footprint, explore new product lines and create job opportunities for more than 65 women across the Western Cape.”

Beyond operational support, Shoprite Next Capital has also provided targeted financing to help small businesses strengthen production capacity.

This includes R45 million in supplier funding and R20 million in preferential loans that have supported working capital needs, farm acquisitions and investments in renewable energy.

For Johannesburg based pet food manufacturer Maneli Pets, this financial backing was a lifeline. Founder Nhlanhla Dlamini says stages five and six of load shedding placed enormous pressure on the business.

Refrigeration and dehydration machines run continuous cycles and the disruptions threatened both production and 60 jobs.

“Banks are not open to those types of requests, particularly for SMMEs,” he said. 

The company had already begun installing solar power in 2018 but was unable to complete the system. Support from Shoprite Next Capital enabled the business to finalise the installation.

The completed system now delivers 200 kWh in battery capacity and a 100 kVA inverter which keeps production running through severe load shedding stages.

Since joining the retailer network in 2021, Maneli Pets has expanded from supplying five Checkers stores to more than 200 nationwide.

Shoprite says these stories demonstrate the long term economic value of investing in small businesses.

“Small businesses are vital to South Africas economy. They create jobs, foster innovation and strengthen local communities,” Maude Modise, Enterprise and Government Relations Executive at the Shoprite Group said.

“We invest in these entrepreneurs, the people creating employment and economic opportunity, by providing the resources, market access and support they need to build lasting legacies.”

As Global Entrepreneurship Week drew attention to the importance of nurturing South Africas entrepreneurial spirit, Shoprite Next Capital highlighted what becomes possible when local businesses receive the tools needed to grow.

BUSINESS REPORT