Ian Moir
(CEO of Woolworths Holdings Limited)

Woolworths Holdings Limited is an investment company with two subsidiary brands, Woolworths (Pty) Ltd South Africa (on which this report focuses) which includes operations in Africa and the Middle East, and Country Road Limited in Australia and New Zealand.

Emphasising value through quality, Woolworths SA sells a wide range of food products, clothing, home-ware and financial services in over 400 stores nationwide and nearly 45 franchised outlets elsewhere in Africa and the Middle East (Bahrain and the UAE), although only the South African operation is covered in this profile. The Group is distinguished from other retailers in that most products fall under its own brand with only a limited selection of branded goods sold in store.

Max Sonnenberg founded Woolworths in Cape Town in 1931, believing South Africa offered outstanding retailing opportunities. His belief that success lay in providing customers with superior quality merchandise at reasonable prices has been instrumental in establishing Woolworths as one of South Africa’s leading retail chains. In 1947 the chain developed an agreement with UK-based Marks & Spencer to benefit from their research and development. This long-standing association continues today and outgoing CEO Simon Susman spent time in his early career as personal assistant to Lord Sieff, then Marks & Spencer CEO... MORE

Of all the major retailers, Woolworths suffered worst at the outset of the economic downturn, losing revenue and market share. However, by sticking to its knitting while cutting prices where it could, and by communicating a powerful and innovative value message Woolworths has pulled through strongly. This is evident in the pleasing FY2010 and HFY2011 results.

For more information on Woolworths' financial performance view the full report.

Woolworths stories in the

Woolworths  Well done, chaps – let’s pop a bottle of ginger beer … on second thoughts, let’s not ...

Can’t remember if we mentioned this, but sales over at The Dapper One were up 11% to R14.2 billion for the first half of the financial year, with food...    MORE

Bloomberg 16/02/12

The Big Boys  The New Avengers

Say what you like about accountants, they’re not boring. Oh, wait, that’s marine biologists we’re thinking of, and firemen. But when accountants name ...    MORE

Fin 24 29/01/12

Woolworths  The news about the news

Now that the ASA has found against Woolies on the grounds of plagiarism, it’s time for some opportunistic breast beating. In the past couple of weeks,...    MORE

Tatler Reporter 31/01/12

Maponya Mall, Soweto
Berea Centre, KZN
Berea Centre, KZN
Musgrave Centre, KZN
Woolworths Food Stop
 

HEAD OFFICE
Woolworths House
93 Longmarket Street
Cape Town
8001

PO Box 680
Cape Town
8000

TEL 021 407 9111
FAX 021 407 3939

WEBSITE
www.woolworthsholdings.co.za 
www.woolworths.co.za

  
     
© TRADE INTELLIGENCE 2012