For anyone stressing about the disappearance of the Shell brand, and associated jobs from forecourts around South Africa: don’t. What is likely to happen is that Shell will take a 20% stake in the smaller Viva sub-brand, as it’s done elsewhere in Africa, seeking a local partner for the other 80%, with all 600 of the existing forecourts (hopefully) continuing to pump out petrol, diesel, and coffee alike. Next, congrats to Shoprite (and of course Usave and Checkers) for their showing at the recent SA Dairy Awards. They entered products across their extensive own-brand ranges – Checkers Housebrand, Shoprite Ritebrand, Usave Ubrand, Crystal Valley, Royale, Simple Truth, Oh My Goodness! and Forage and Feast – and won in four categories, for products from Simple Truth, Crystal Valley, and Ubrand. And finally, nice work from Dis-Chem, whose Dis-Chem Foundation #BetterTomorrowStartsHere initiative has pledged R12m to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital’s pulmonology department towards a ERBECRYO 2 device that enables faster screening for lung cancer.
Comment: Dis-Chem is doing an admirable job of embedding its brand values of primary health care for all into every part of its business – including its philanthropy.