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It isn’t easy being a behemoth. Just ask Christo Wiese who has of late been bemoaning the lack of trade infrastructure and basic commodities in Africa where the future of Shoprite so demonstrably lies; specifically the lack of eggs. Which no doubt would raise a green flag for the likes of Rainbow, which has ambitions on the continent. He also decries the difficulty of getting work permits for management staff in some of the more protective economies, and points to the fact that only 15% of trade on the continent is inter-African. It’s not all d and g, however. In Zambia, for example, 80% of fresh produce sold comes from Zambian producers; when they opened shop in 1995, it was closer to zero. 

Comment: And with Whitey Basson saying that he prefers SA’s prospects to those of Europe, The Big Red One seems to be reinforcing its position as the force in African retail.

Not sure if you’ll be able to make head or tail of this one, but Clicks have just launched something they’re calling a non-capital raising sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Programme which will provide greater flexibility to shareholders and should increase the company’s visibility in the United States according to CFO Michael Fleming. And in the spirit of internationalism which is driving the move, Deutsche Bank has been appointed as the depositary bank for the Programme. In the last three and a half years, Clicks Group has grown its offshore shareholding from 12% to 60%, showing increased interest in the company by foreign fund managers. And their interest, while touching in and of itself, has been rewarded: Last week shares in Clicks rose 6.4% to R62.79, a seven-month record. 

Comment: And something of a relief, we gather, as Clicks was markedly absent from the retail-share recovery two weeks ago.

Woolies have just installed a solar roof system on one of its head office buildings in Cape Town, where they hope to harvest around 48,000 kWh of energy savings per year, with a reduction in emissions of about 49 metric tons. This is a big deal, although the saving, to put it in perspective, is the annual equivalent of the consumption of eight average households. And to be fair, the roof is not seen as a solution in and of itself, but part of a broader pilot The Dapper One is running to identify and understand the opportunities and challenges of introducing renewable energy sources across the business. But the Good Business Journey on which they have embarked is as much about commercial gain than bangles and dreadlocks: since 2004, Woolies has saved about R100million in energy costs, mainly through employee education and the installation of smart technologies. 

Comment: Visionary stuff, implemented by engineers and accountants. That’s the way to do it.

Those interims from Anglovaal Industries Limited, about which you’ve been idly wondering as you contemplate the gentle movement of ice in your scotch and soda down at the Long Bar at the Illovo, you captain of industry, you. Turnover up a solid 11% to R4.89 billion, and operating profit up 8% to 921millions of ZAR, with HEPS up 8% also. Snackworx was the star performer, with Entyce hot on its heels, and Africa, a recent area of focus, deserves a more than honourable mensh, growing revenue 15.7% and operating profit 18.3%. I&J sadly, was hit by increased fishing costs, an occupational hazard these days among those who go down to the sea in ships and find it no longer as teeming as they once did. And once again, if you like shoes, and we’re not saying we don’t, ahem, you’ll love AVI, who seem to have a more than passing interest in the industry, and that pleasingly rewarded these past six months.

Comment: We do like a handsomely shod supplier, when we can get one.

After last week’s exciting news about the aquatic JV with Nestlé, this week’s interims come as a bit of a downer for fans of The Leafy One. While revenue for the six months to December was up 10.8% to R3.9billion, operating profit was down a whacking 22.4% to R145.6m. But even the analysts, those granite-jawed men and flinty-eyed women who scrutinise this sort of misery for a living, are not that worried, it seems. Clover, you see, have been investing significantly in new product launches and technology, while keeping a steady eye on the reduction of supply chain costs. There have been setbacks – the stiff competition fresh milk is facing from an expanding range of UHT products, the loss of the Famous Brands mozzarella contract – but the invigoratingly-named Cielo Blue project rushes forward like the waters of the Tugela at their source in the high peaks of the Drakensberg, and the distribution contract with Red Bull, commencing this month, should also provide them with a boost.

Comment: So, like the analysts, we expect it all to turn out just fine.

You’re not going to like this, but you kind of knew it anyway, so here goes: retail trade sales were up just 1.9% in January, after December’s tepid 2.2%, and way below the slightly hysterical 3.7% promised by Business Day’s panel of economists, for whom, like writers who follow the Sharks, there are no consequences and no such thing as a bum prediction. This augurs poorly for the dear old economy, household spending contributing a worrying 60% to GDP as it does. And speaking of which: growth in household spending slowed to 2.4% in the fourth quarter of last year from an annualised rate of 2.7% in the third quarter. What, if anything, are Joe and Mrs Punter spending their hard-earned on? Not big screen TVs and outboard motors, we can tell you that much. Rather, their daily crust is going on the little items which will keep body and soul together.

Comment: The sort of thing in which, thankfully, our own dear industry specialises.

After the last item, you may wish to cease your reeling for a moment and have a look at this: wholesale trade sales increased a handsome and sector-saving 6.8% for the otherwise dismal month of January, 2.5 points of which came from the stalwart men and stoic women of our own proud sector.

Here we were, hoping to polish off the remains of the 12-year-old Hibiki (look it up, look it up) and call it a night, but this: P&G, we are told, not to be outdone by the recent splashing out of a competitor, are to throw down R1.6billion on a new multi-category manufacturing plant for the local and export markets, making SA the regional hub. But don’t hold your breath – no location just yet, and production won’t commence much before end-2016. Nice though.