S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.10 No.46, November 11 2024

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Not much to celebrate so far, but optimistic for last 2 months

Kelli Kupritz, Marketing Director, Dodo’s Shoes Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA - How has the year been for you so far? Ours has certainly been full of ups and downs. We’ve seen growth across much of our business, but it hasn’t come without its challenges. Looking ahead to Black Friday and December trading, we’re optimistic.
     In our segment—the lower end of retail—we haven’t yet felt the positive effects of the GNU filtering through to our customers. As a non-credit chain, we’re finding that customers are quite cash-strapped, and conversations with other retailers suggest they’re facing similar struggles. We’re all hopeful that the GNU optimism will eventually lead to job creation, but so far, that hasn’t been the case.
     As for Black Friday, all I can say is we have an unbelievable promotion planned, and we’re confident it’s going to be a success.

Luca Bonadei, General Manager, Cape Union Mart Cape Town, W. Cape, SA - Overall, how has the year been, business wise?
Very tough. We have had to work through a lot of excess stock by discounting, but we are thankfully through that now.

Have any of the positive developments – like the GNU and no load shedding – impacted on your business?
Not really. The only think that will help us is deep interest rate cuts.

What negatives are still affecting your business?
Extended shipping lead times, and poor Cape Town port infrastructure.

What are you planning for Black Friday?
We can’t reveal this yet, as it is sensitive information.

What are your expectations for Black Friday and December trading?
We expect to trade up on last year for the same period.

Pepkor: Trading update

Cape Town, W. Cape, SA (06 November 2024) – For the year ending 30 September 2024, group revenue increased by 7.8% to R85.1 billion. The prior year included an additional 53rd trading week for South African-based clothing and general merchandise brands. On a comparable 52-week basis, group revenue increased by 9.2%.
     Pepkor's results for the year ended 30 September 2024 will be published on SENS on or about Tuesday, 26 November 2024.
     A results presentation will be held at 11:00am (SAST) on Tuesday, 26 November 2024. The webcast registration link will be made available prior to publication of the results on the Pepkor website: www.pepkor.co.za.

Harry’s Retailers: The realities of retailing

A long-standing Eastern Cape retailer has reduced its exposure to the footwear industry. Owner Yashwant Harry explains why.

Queenstown, E. Cape, SA – No, we not totally closed on footwear, I'm still doing some shoe repairs but mostly car audio & disco equipment.
     My dad moved from Graaff-Reinet to Queenstown and opened the shoe repair store in 1960.
     Before my dad passed away in 2021, he told me to close down the shop and rent out.
     I couldn't close because we had so much stock to get rid of and my audio store was booming and is still going strong.
     I stopped selling shoes because I’m in the main street and there's no parking, so most of my customers started going to the mall. I didn't want to open another store at the mall and have more stress with managing that because I don't have time. I've built a nice property profile and it's going very well.
       Retail isn't as easy as before and my kids are not interested in business especially in Queenstown.
       Our town is ruined and filthy. Electricity and water are a problem. We've been without electricity for the past 3 months in the CBD and some residential areas off for 2-3 weeks then on for maybe a day or two because of bad infrastructure and cables blowing all the time at multiple places and power stations/transformers blowing up. This has been going on for a few years now.
     Luckily, I invested in a borehole and solar over 12 years ago and could see this happening in the future. I'm very paranoid and don't delegate certain work.
     Like our welt stitcher machine, my dad taught me how to use it over 35 years ago, and I’m still using it. The staff still can't stitch on it properly. We only do about 4 pairs a month on that machine, so it just shows how things have turned.
     My wife’s cousin, Umesh Mitha, based in PE, owns Bad Boys, they also have downscaled and lucky for him his sons took over some branches. My other cousin, Rohit Danjee, from Kwik Shoe Repairs in PE also says it’s been quiet.
     My Cousin in Queenstown, Kishor Harry from Rex Shoe Repairs, is booming in both shoe repairs and shoe sales. He's based on the other side of town with much more foot traffic, so I send all my shoe customers to him, but then again, parking is an issue.

Will UK brands commit to producing 1% of their clothing in Leicester?

From Sourcing Journal
An open letter to the British fashion industry urges brands to help the former manufacturing hub become a "beacon of ethical fashion production."

In case you missed it!

The October issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT ONLINE

S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No10 October 2024

IN THIS ISSUE:

03 Interview
- Bata SA is making a renewed effort to grow more brands with chains, says new country manager Lorraine Dyer.

11 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Younger generation decides Puma’s strategic direction on leather.
- Can Uber Eats help Allbirds turn a profit?
- Timberland returns to India after exiting in 2015.

12 The R-CTFL Masterplan
- Clusters were ‘very successful’ says IDC. New clusters ‘likely’, but no details yet.

14 Sustainability
- Archroma ‘breakthrough’ in bio-based textile printing for ‘brilliant black’.

16 Out of the mainstream
- Pretoria small business Oh Sole plans own hands-on manufacturing to supply retailers.

20 Export & Trade
- Global footwear trends and the impact of evolving consumer behaviour on exports, by Nerisha Jairaj of SAFLEC.



Advertisers in this Issue
Arena Trims (13), BBF Safety Group (04, 09), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), FrontierCo/Busby (08), Fusion Leather World (03), Haesloop Agencies (17), Kaliber Safety Footwear/For the Motor Industry/Safety Boots (06, 11), Kaytex Belts (19), Leather Finishing Products (15), Palm Footwear (OFC), Saddler Belts (05), SAFLEC (20), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (21), Shotland Packaging (22).
 

They Said It

"If I could, I’d get out of clothing, but at 55, I’m too old to start again as a dermatologist." - A corporate and workwear retailer in Gauteng, SA. He was comparing a recent – brief and expensive – visit to a skin specialist to trying to stay profitable in the apparel industry.

"I enjoyed the article immensely on ECCO written by Richard Kushlick. It reminded me so much about the formation of the BATA Shoe Company, now called the BATA Shoe Organisation (BSO). Like ECCO it was started by one man,  at the turn of the 20th century. It was truly a fully, vertically integrated company, probably more so than Ecco. I recall information told to me by Mr Thomas J Bata, son of the founder, during our travels whilst I was attached to the BSO Africa Regional Office (ARO) as a glorified tea maker, messenger and general skivvy despite the grand title of Executive Coordinator in ARO. This must not be confused with the real boss of Africa, the Regional Coordinator." - Bev Jack, retired former Zimbabwe Bata Shoe Company executive.

"Drinking." - Nicolae Sfarlea, retired former leather technician in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA, on how he keeps busy. He was joking, but he did say he wished he had more hobbies.

Got anything you'd like to share?

Do you have any suggestions, comments or experiences about the industry that you'd like to share with the industry? - tony@svmag.co.za

Birthdays this week

11/11/1940: David Chasi, Zambezi Tanners, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
11/11/1941: Brian Gurney, retired, formerly Watson Shoes, Great Brak River, W. Cape, SA.
11/11/1942: Tiziano Gottardo, Christin’s Manufacturers, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
11/11/1947: Trevor Espey, retired, former agent, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
11/11/1961: Wayne and Anthony Matthysen, WAM Agencies, Durban. KZN, SA.
11/11/1963: Thammo Schull, Capcorv Recycling, Germiston, Gauteng, SA.
11/11/1964: Jacoba Nel, Conloo Joinery, Welkom, Free State, SA.
12/11/1954: Kevin van Staden, retired, formerly Bolton Footwear, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
12/11/1966: Bevin Horwitz, agent, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
12/11/1981: Gert Kruger, Mossop Western Leather, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
13/11/1945: Eckie Schumann, Shoetech, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
13/11/????: Indira Singh, retired, formerly Bellstedt, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
13/11/1951: William Scalco, retired, formerly LTE, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
13/11/1975: Muhammad Laher, Bombay’s of Nigel/Sports Fusion, Nigel, Gauteng, SA.
13/11/1989: Amelia Retief, commission agent, Modimolle/Nylstroom, Limpopo, SA.
14/11/1953: Bruce Lynn, emigrated, resident in Vietnam, formerly Clarks SA, Pietermaritzburg, KZN and Millana Shoes, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
14/11/1974: Norman Venks, HW Textiles, Hammarsdale, KZN, SA.
14/11/1983: Ximena Farfan, freelance designer, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
15/11/1977: Mario Alves, Unikem, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
15/11/1971: Michelle Lambert, Freestyle Handmade Originals, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
15/11/1971: Marcus Reddy, International Fabric Supplies, Durban, KZN, SA.
16/11/1939: Danny Pincus, agent, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
15/11/1979: Warren Gedye, Michelle Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
16/11/1950: Len Crozier, retired, formerly leather technician, Bronkhorstspruit, Mpumalanga, SA.
16/11/????: Sonal Ambaram, JFK Trading, Durban, KZN, SA.
16/11/1981: Daniel Dodo, Dodo’s, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
17/11/1953: Andy Sandison, retired, formerly ACA Threads, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
17/11/1966: Robbert van Schagen, Paris Avenue Boutique, Windhoek, Namibia.
17/11/1983: Gustav Nefdt, Martin Nefdt Agencies, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.

In memoriam this week

11/11/2021: Pieter Yzelle (b. 29/09/1949), Klein Karoo International, Oudtshoorn, W. Cape, SA, and South Cape Ostrich Tanning, Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA, now both part of Cape Karoo International.
12/11/1997: Angus Ogilvie, Ogilvie's Shoes [closed], Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
14/11/1989: Cyril Fletcher (b. 08/02/1930), Edcon, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
15/11/2002: Jody Woycieh (b. 12/11/1949), Sting Components [closed], Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
16/11/2018: Rosa Costa (b. 20/01/1932), formerly of the Superior Footwear Group, Harare.
16/11/2020: Graham Gradwell (b. 04/11/1930), retired, formerly Studio Shoes [closed], Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.

Have you let us know about your birthday, or the birthdays of your colleagues? Our readers love this section, so please become part of it. This also applies to the In Memoriam section. Help us remember former colleagues.

3. Malawian Kwacha (MWK) (buying)

Source: https://www.rbm.mw/

4. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) (buying)

Source: https://www.boz.zm/

5. Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL$) (average) / Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)

Source: Source: https://www.rbz.co.zw/

Note: For previous rates, see HERE

ABSA Agri Trends: Hides & skins prices

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (31 October 2024) - The current average hide price decreased by 0.82% to R2.774/kg from R2.8797/kg a week ago. The current price is 0.01% higher than the average price a month ago and was 14.9% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R2.67 Maximum price: R3.00. Please note: Our methodology weighs the prices we collect according to the number of hides they sell in a month. This is done to make it more representative of the prevailing market price. NB* Hide prices are determined by the average of the RMAA (Red Meat Abattoir Association) and independent companies. - Marlene Louw, senior agricultural economist, and Nkhensani Mashimbyi, agricultural economist, and Zama Sangweni, agricultural economist, Absa group.

Note: For previous prices, see HERE

Have a look at these links

We invite businesses to send us links to websites, Facebook pages and the like which they feel would be of interest to others. The links below are from our database:

Shoe-Rite, Durban, KZN, SA. Repairer.
Shoes Shop, Kigali, Rwanda. Men’s footwear.

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR!

Top end holding up better, says Stanbel, as it opens first Tommy Hilfiger store

Better quality branded footwear stronger, ‘too many grey areas in bottom end’

UK stores save Truworths results

Richemont interim results September 2023: In a word, Good

TFG interim results September 2023: Revenue up, dividend down

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.9 No.46, November 13 2023

THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO!!

Good news last week

Retail last week: Comment from 2 retailers on Saturday

Government involvement in the industry

SENS releases last week: Pepkor - Trading statement

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.5 No.46, November 18, 2019

Contact us

News & Classifieds: Tony Dickson, +27 (0)31 209 7505, tony@svmag.co.za

Next newsletter: Monday November 18, 2024. Ad and editorial deadline Friday 15 November.

SAFLIA enquiries: Tel 0800SAFLIA * Email info@saflia.co.za * Website http://www.saflia.co.za

Our website www.svmag.co.za