The continent‚ long shrouded in scepticism and instability has become a modern day mecca for consumer facing companies in search of higher yield.
The Economist Intelligence Unit predicts that by 2030‚ Africa's top 18 cities could have a combined spending power of US$1.3-trillion.
Pick n Pay opened its first Mauritian store in Bagatelle's Mall of Mauritius and the second in Cascavelle in the final quarter of last year.
The new store is approximately 3000m² in size.
According to Pick n Pay's head of group enterprises Africa‚ Dallas Langman‚ the group's offering would appeal to both the local and the expat population.
Placed at 19th position globally‚ Mauritius was ranked as the easiest place to do business in Africa in the World Bank's 2012 Ease of Doing Business ranking in October. SA‚ Tunisia and Rwanda with positions at 39‚ 50 and 52 followed suit as the economies with business friendly regulations on the continent.
Pick n Pay's strategy into Africa has mainly been through partnering with locals and the franchise route where local experts own the franchise in their own communities.
However‚ there are instances such as with stores in Zambia‚ where the company will develop corporate-owned stores.
In Zimbabwe‚ Pick n Pay has just converted one TM Supermarket Store into a Pick n Pay store‚ and will open a second in December‚ and plans are to convert more stores in the TM group of which Pick n Pay holds 49% of the shares‚ while the rest are held by Zimbabwean shareholders.
"Our strategic decision to direct Pick n Pay's expansion and growth beyond the borders of SA has proved successful beyond our expectations.
To date‚ we have 100 stores in‚ amongst others‚ Zambia‚ Mozambique‚ Zimbabwe‚ Botswana‚ Mauritius and Namibia‚" Langman said.
Rival Shoprite Holdings' non-South African supermarket operation spans 16 countries in Africa‚ with a total of 156 stores.
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