Woolworths

Fountains Mall, Corner R102 and St Francis Drive
 
Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape
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NEWS BLOG

Landmark moment for Black women entrepreneurs

Landmark moment for Black women entrepreneurs

23 May 2017 by APO and dti

Last week, the Department of Trade & Industry (dti), Woolworths and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) officially opened the doors of K9 Pet Foods’ new 3 600 m² factory premises in the Western Cape.

This opening is testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of a team of black women who put to test the intent of the Black Industrialist Programme initiated by the dti and Woolworths’ commitment in contributing meaningfully to socio-economic transformation in South Africa.

After working in pet food production for 20 years, aspiring entrepreneur, Fazielah Allie, the Managing Director of K9, purchased a small and struggling business specialising in frozen pet food in 2014. Having worked with Woolworths before, Fazielah then approached Woolworths in the hopes of turning around her new business by securing a partnership agreement.

“Our priority was to leverage on a pet food opportunity to advance our import replacement strategy that seeks to replace providers of imported products and services with local black suppliers. Knowing Fazielah’s experience and entrepreneurial spirit, we recognised that there was an opportunity to partner with her with the aim of establishing a South African produced supply of our Woolworths branded canned and pouched pet food,” says Zinzi Mgolodela, Head of Transformation at Woolworths.

With three black women at the helm, K9 Pet Foods was an ideal fit for the Woolworths Enterprise & Supplier Development programme which matches potential black-owned businesses to opportunities in the Woolworths supplier base. Various customised interventions including both financial and advisory support help the entrepreneurs in the programme to grow their businesses and create new jobs. Over the past three years, K9 has grown from 11 to 32 employees.

Thanks to the partnership agreement to supply Woolworths, Fazielah was able to secure much-needed funding from the dti’s Black Industrialist’s Incentive Scheme to the value of R20 million, and then an additional R31 million from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). This funding has been used to expand their operation and purchase the latest, state-of-the-art machinery so that they can meet Woolworths’ production requirements.

“We are very proud of Fazielah - she has embraced the principles of partnering in the Woolworths supplier base, delivered product ahead of schedule and lives our brand values. She is a dedicated businesswoman committed to producing innovative and quality products. These are attributes that we value and are at the core of our business as we strive to meet our customers’ expectations,” adds Zinzi Mgolodela, Head of Transformation at Woolworths.

With the opening of their new K9 pet food production facility in Montague Gardens, the trio of determined Cape Town women have set themselves on the entrepreneurial path to success in one the world’s top growth industries.


Waste & Recycling
31 January 2017

Waste & Recycling

by Woolworths
Here at Woolworths, we’re committed to reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill, recycling what we can and using recyclable materials where we can.Here's How We're Reducing Waste:Everything from our green food plastic bags, fabric reusable bags, plastic hangers, in-store signage...

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ABOUT US

Welcome to Woolworths – a passionately South African retailer dedicated to bringing you quality, style and value for the past 85 years.

Company Overview

Woolworths, or Woolies, as we're fondly called, began life as a department store in Cape Town in 1931. 85 years later, Woolworths is one of South Africa’s best-loved and most iconic brands. With departments spanning food, clothing, beauty and home-ware, Woolies has evolved over time, but always with one, vital thing firmly in place – our values.

From innovation to quality and conservation, Woolies strives to constantly bring a better service and product to its customer, and in doing so, to make a lasting difference – socially, environmentally and in business.

With over 400 stores countrywide, we’re growing organically and are honoured to have you join us on our journey

Our History

The first Woolworths store opened its doors to the public in Cape Town in October 1931. And it was founder Max Sonnenberg who captured the public’s imagination with dynamic store policies that set Woolworths apart from its competitors.

Three years later, a second branch opened in Durban, with another two in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg a year later. And since then we’ve been building on our reputation for superior quality, exciting innovation and excellent value.

Our Values

1. First to offer Employee Benefits

Keen to attract and retain the best retail professionals, Woolworths was among the first local retailers to offer employees a pension fund, medical aid and maternity leave.

2. First in Advancing Tech

Not just a forward thinking employer, Woolworths was also an early adopter of technology. A lease agreement for the first computer was agreed to with National Cash Registers (NCR) in the late 60's and Woolworths was already using a computerised merchandising system by the early 1970's.

3. First to Introduce Sell By Dates

This dynamic thinking extends to Woolworths product offering. In 1974, Woolworths became the first South African retailer to introduce ‘sell by’ dates on food packaging. Convenience, too, has long been a watchword at Woolworths - we were the first South African retailer to offer pre-washed lettuce and machine-washable wool clothing to consumers.

4. Our Good Business Journey 

In April 2007, we launched our Good Business Journey – a bold plan to make a difference in eight key areas on our journey towards sustainability: Energy, Water, Waste, Sustainable Farming, Ethical Sourcing, Transformation, Social Development and Health and Wellness.

SERVICES

We offer a wide range of organic food products. 

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