In what marks a sea-change in Walmart-owned Massmart's strategy, the retailer is testing small-format Makro stores in a pilot project at four sites in popular malls across SA.
At a stroke, the move aims to reinvigorate the brand, boost its omni-channel retail ambitions and provide more opportunities to tap into strong consumer demand for the cheaper price points of wholesale retail.
Dries D'Hooghe, the new CEO of Massmart's wholesale Makro and Cash & Carry businesses, said this week in an exclusive interview he could not disclose exactly where the 3 000m2 pilot stores would be situated, citing ongoing negotiations with landlords.