The World Retail Awards is a global platform that recognises and promotes retail excellence. Retailers from all countries of the world and all retail sectors compete to win these highly coveted awards, covering the key areas of retail skills and operations.
The Awards offer retail organisations from the around the world the opportunity to showcase innovation and creativity within their business to the wider world.
There is a two stage evaluation process. At the first stage, each category had a panel of Expert Judges that were made up of global retail experts in that particular field.
This Jury reviewed all the entries for their category and judged them against the criteria outlined in each of the category descriptions and the specific information requested on the entry forms. They worked together to produce a shortlist of approximately six finalists. These finalists then went forward to the World Retail Awards Grand Jury who will discuss and select the eventual winners.
The African Companies are:
Mr Price Group (South Africa) – “Emerging Market Retailer of Year”.
Jumia (Africa) – Pure Play Retailer of the Year
Woolworths (South Africa) – ‘MySchool, MyVillage, MyPlanet’
Jumia (Africa) – Best New Retail Launch
Mr Price Group operates chains of retailers throughout South Africa. The Group retails clothing, accessories, homewares and jewelery. Founded in 1885, it has been traded on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange since 1952. The store has changed names several times since 1885, including John Orrs and Hub. The first Mr. Price opened in 1987 after the current owners bought a controlling interest in John Orrs. Stores are located in Nigeria, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and South Africa.
Jumia is Africa’s fastest growing online retailer. Jumia Online Store offers different kinds of products, including apparel, shoes, fashion accessories, electronics, household appliance and toys. Jumia offers the best-in-class customer experience, with free delivery, free returns, and cash-on-
delivery payment. Jumia was launched in 2012 with the support of the leading venture builder and accelerator Rocket Internet GmbH. Jumia.com’s shareholders include Millicom International Cellular S.A. – which recently increased its stake with additional €85 million investment-, Investment AB Kinnevik, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Summit Partners, and Rocket Internet GmbH. Jumia is present in Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Cote D’ivoire and Kenya.
Woolworths Holdings Limited is a South African chain of retail stores and one of the largest in the country, modeled on Marks & Spencer of the United Kingdom. The first Woolworths store opened in The Old Royal Hotel in Cape Town in October 1931. It was founded by Max Sonnenberg assisted by his son Richard and Fred Kossuth. Woolworths goods are sold at 149 corporate stores, 51 international franchise stores throughout the rest of Africa and the Middle East and 69 South African franchise stores nationwide.
