Launched in May 2025, still good is a proudly South African social enterprise that is transforming how retailers handle surplus stock that is ‘still good’ to be consumed. Through its easy-to-use web app, over 130 stores across the country, including Pick n Pays, SPARs and Food Lover’s Markets, post lists of what are known as “Value Bags”, with products priced at up to 60% less than the normal retail price. It’s a win-win-win – retailers who sign up recover the cost of goods that would otherwise be discarded or donated, shoppers get food at a much reduced price, and edible food is redirected from landfills, safeguarding food security at the same time. In addition, 10% of still good’s proceeds are reinvested into less fortunate communities, further amplifying the platform’s social impact. “Our partners love that still good turns what used to be a cost into a profit centre – and brings new customers through the door at the same time,” explains still good CEO Steffen Burrows. “Up to 60% of Value Bag buyers are new to the store, and many of those shoppers do the rest of their shopping while collecting their bags.” The Value Bags listed on the platform are essentially ‘lucky packets’, with shoppers not knowing exactly what they will receive. They are typically listed around midday (or once staff understand that day’s excess), and transactions are processed on the still good web app via Paystack. Customers then collect their bags in-store during a designated pick-up window after showing proof of purchase order.

We’re willing to bet that this year we’ll see many a variation of AI + retailer partnerships, ranging from content creation to full-on frictionless retail where you can ask AI how to make a lasagna and buy the ingredients immediately. Although not quite there (yet), the latest from Checkers is its collaboration with chef and wellness advocate Jamie Oliver, who is helping shoppers answer that daily all-consuming question that plagues so many of us: what are we going to make for dinner tonight? The Dinner Done Better campaign blends Jamie’s meal-time creativity with personalisation, AI‑driven content, and reliable same-day delivery through Sixty60. It kicked off this month with millions of Xtra Savings customers receiving a personalised video message from (partly-AI) Jamie, who greets shoppers by name and recommends a recipe aligned to what they typically buy from Checkers. Recipes paired with step-by-step videos are also available for anyone to view online, where the real Jamie guides home cooks through making the dish. The recipes also feature on the Sixty60 app, so shoppers can pop the listed ingredients straight into their baskets for delivery within the hour.

What’s the ultimate blueprint for winning with The Big Blue? We chatted to Pick n Pay’s Executive Head of Online, Enrico Ferigolli, who revealed exciting developments in digital advancement. 

The retailer views online as a realm of discovery, recommendation and automation for shoppers, distinctly separate from the in-store experience. As such, it is prioritising visual cues through attractive imagery to create online ‘retail theatre’ in much-loved in-store categories such as fresh produce, meat and bakery. 

An AI-powered, hyper-personalised future: By merging online clicks with in-store Smart Shopper loyalty history, Pick n Pay is delivering hyper-personalisation and driving promotional efficiencies through targeted vouchers for shoppers based on shopping history. The most exciting innovation for brand building here is ‘scaled sampling’, i.e. where suppliers can place samples in delivery bags that are hyper-targeted by region and the shopper’s purchase history. 

A critical online trend seen by Pick n Pay is that premium is King. Premium coffee brands, for instance, see double the sales contribution online compared to in-store, making online a massive runway for premium FMCG goods. 

The real game-changer for suppliers here is the goldmine of data.

Household budgets are extremely tight in January, the right time for Shoprite to announce that shoppers across all its banners and platforms – Shoprite and Checkers supermarkets, UNIQ, Petshop Science, Sixty60, etc. – will be able to buy groceries and other products now and pay later (over three to 12 months) through its partnership with PayJustNow. The Group joins other grocery retailers, such Pick n Pay, Makro, Game and selected SPARs, in offering the service. “People are not looking to spend more,” explains Dean Hyde, COO of PayJustNow. “They are looking to spread costs in a way that fits their income cycles and creates breathing room, without paying interest or risking a debt spiral.” PayJustNow sees 98% payment completion rate across its customers, and signs up 100,000 new users to the platform each month. Next, Pick n Pay Steenberg Village in Cape Town has found a clever workaround for those shoppers who don’t carry cash, but would like to acknowledge the efforts of car guards. The store sells R5 food stamps at the till that shoppers can buy and then hand to the guards, which are then exchangeable for groceries in the store. The initiative has been running for about five months now, and uptake has been positive from both shoppers and guards. In closing, following the opening of its second store three months ago in Hazelwood, Pantry by Marble is opening yet another store south of Jozi in Bassonia. If you’re keen to take a look, head down to the Omni Square Shopping Centre next week, where like Hazelwood, you will find a standalone store offering grab-and-go meals, coffee, artisan pastries and breads, an expansive wine selection, a butchery with premium meats, flowers and other curated pantry essentials.