Massmart yesterday hosted an event to celebrate local manufacturers who are participants in their Supplier Development Programme.
At the event, the Department of Economic Development, and Proudly South African joined Massmart to salute the participants for their efforts towards contributing to South Africa’s economic growth.
The main aim of the Supplier Development (SDP) is to provide opportunities for small and medium manufacturing enterprises who are either existing or potential suppliers to Massmart and its retail divisions, including Builders, Game and Makro.
This year’s 33 participants manufacture a variety of products ranging from chef wear, cooking gel and instant noodles to bathtubs, adhesives, cooler-boxes and paint.
Making Strides
The event also highlighted the successes of small, local suppliers in the programme, including venturing into international markets. Of the 33 suppliers, 13 are private label projects, eight are import substitution projects and six are exporting products to countries such as Botswana, Zambia and Chile. Hartebeespoort Dam-based charcoal and briquette manufacturer, Umlilo Charcoal, which supplies all Builders stores throughout Southern Africa, has just started exporting to New Zealand, the Middle East and Walmart Chile.
Reapso SA, launched in 2010 is a 100% black female-owned company operating from a factory in Selby, Johannesburg. Through the SDP, Reaspso has replaced an international supplier and now produces all of the chefwear sold in Makro stores.
Ikusasa Green, a manufacturing company in Sutterheim, Eastern Cape supplies cooler boxes under Massmart’s popular private label brand, Camp Master, to Makro, Game and Builders stores.
Proudly South African has also backed the products of 16 of the programme’s participants, including Umlilo Charcoal, Ikusasa Green, and Kurhula Paints, a paint manufacturer. The initiative encourages South Africans to buy local and businesses to procure locally.
Speaking at the event Kuseni Dlamini, non-executive chairman of Massmart said they recognised the importance of the SME sector as a key driver of economic growth.
“Small businesses play an important part in creating a more inclusive economy. We at Massmart are proud to be walking this journey with our participants and we salute their efforts in growing their businesses, creating employment opportunities, and supporting the communities in which you live and work,” he said.
