Country Road, Woolies’ plush clothing business in Aus was happy some ten weeks ago to take on a new CEO in the form of one John Cheston, recruited from Robinson & Co, Singapore’s largest listed retailer. And just as happy, it seems to see the back of him last week, on the grounds, it is believed, of irreconcilable differences with the board. Cheston had also, it seems, had problems with the Robinson’s Board, which, he was forced to deny back in ‘08, might not have been in full support of his growth strategy for the business. Compounding the difficulties – if any – might have been the presence on the Country Road board of Ian Moir, latterly Woolies MD but previously the Country Road CEO, with a direct line of communication with some senior management.

Comment: A bit of a shakeski upski down under for the Dapper One, whose Country Road kecks and sundry other items continue to sell like hot goannas over here.

Suffering from lagging sales now that middle-income families have all the large televisions they need, Walmart is looking to smaller-sized stores to drive revenue apparently, somewhere between a supermarket and a drugstore in size, around 6,500m², where people will come for more than their payday shop. The Great One’s Neighborhood Market by Walmart stores are still considered a little hefty for rollout into the urban centres which are being targeted, while the smaller Marketside stores are too fruit and veggie-ey for the main shop. While Walmart has benefited from the southerly migration of upper-earners during the Grate Decession, its middle to lower heartland continues to take strain, so some quick thinking is needed.

Comment: The People of Walmart are picking out some new outfits for the grand opening.

Pick n Pay has recently unveiled a host – a heavenly host, if you will – of interesting and innovative CSI initiatives. Last week, for example, Le Grand Bleu planted 66 trees in Alexandra’s K206 Park, in celebration of arbour month and as a sort of housewarming gift to 14,000 families who have been relocated to formal housing in the historic township. In Cape Town, Pick n Pay has launched a food voucher programme, enabling would-be donors to distribute food vouchers instead of cash to street children and other needy people. Then Danny K’s anti-crime Shout campaign has received a handsome donation of R100,000 from the Pick n Pay war chest. Finally, Mr Ackerman the elder has thrown his tentative weight behind Durban’s Olympic bid, provided wet, windy Cape Town doesn’t make an ill-advised, last minute play.

Comment: Environment? Check. Food? Check. Crime/culture? Check. Sports? Check. Nice one.

Last week’s convention at Sun City was a cracker of an event, highlighting not only the scale of SPAR’s operations – 900-plus delegates, including some suppliers – but also its family ethos. At a time when the alternative ownership models are under some strain elsewhere, hem, hem, the convention was characterised by high spirits, constructive engagement with the relevant issues and an abiding sense of us all being in this together, through good times and bad. In other SPAR News, the Verdant One has just opened its sixth feeding scheme with Operation Hunger, this one in the picturesquely-named village of GongGong in the Northern Cape.

Comment: Inspiring stuff, all round.

Pioneer subsidiary Bokomo, which as you are well aware manufactures various wholesome breakfast staples, is eying Zambia as a growth market following the reopening of copper mines which were closed in the downturn of ’09. Zambia has a burgeoning middle class apparently eager to branch out on their preferences for the most important meal of the day, and is eyeing an enviable 6% GDP growth this year. A big part of the strategy lies with Shoprite, to which Bokomo is a major supplier, although the business is also working with Zambian agents to distribute products like Weet-Bix and Bokomo Corn Flakes to smaller wholesalers and local markets. Shoprite currently has 19 stores in Zambia, while Pick n Pay has just opened its first and has plans for another seven over the next five years.

Comment: Africa represents an increasingly safe and significant opportunity for brands which understand the limitations on growth of the local market.

You should have bought those shares, you know. 58%: what did you get on your money market account for the year? Aspen’s results last week were the usual pleasant surprise for those punters with a bit of foresight: revenue up 20% to R10.1billion, profit up 46% to R1.9billion, with South Africa the leading driver of growth after two years in which it was outperformed by international operations. A great performer for the business has been last year’s deal with GlaxoSmithKline which saw Aspen representing some of its brands locally. Some perspective: while the local branded market grew 10% in the year, Aspen’s sales of branded medication grew 19%. Rand strength has also not hurt local operations, making imported drugs and materials more affordable for the business and for local customers.

Comment: So get in now. There’s more where that 58% came from.

Massmart has done a bit of soul searching, apparently, and found it within itself to continue stocking Shield Chemicals’ range of products for the snazzier motor. At issue, you will recall, was the small matter of some numbers on Shield’s BEE scorecard which could not be authenticated. Massmart, having done a check of Shield’s credentials, raised the flag, and Shield did some digging of its own, confirming the irregularity and promising a forensic audit. One Black Lite Consulting, in the meantime, has weighed in from left field to venture the opinion that the Shield case was one of fronting, which is apparently becoming more sophisticated these days. Massmart has said that it doesn’t want to endanger jobs at Shield by delisting, but will keep the business on its watch list until it meets the required standards.

Comment: Sensibly handled, that dark-suited feller.

The good news or the bad news? Ah. Well, in that case, the good news is that there was a temporary spike in employment, to the tune of 90,000 part time jobs, for the month of August. And the bad news is that these were due in no small measure to casual labour being brought in to cover the worst effects of the public service strike. The increase amounted to 6.8% year-on-year. The really bad news, of course, is that permanent employment declined by another 2.4% YOY, its 18th consecutive monthly decline. While mining and financial services were up by around 7% apiece, worrying declines among artisans (6.4%) and machine operators (6.7%), point to further shrinkage in the manufacturing sector.

Comment: Unemployment remains the wounded elephant in SA’s socio-economic voorkamer. And it’s beginning to flap its ears.

Consumer Confidence was up by a single, though significant point to 15 in the third quarter, according to the FNB/BER consumer confidence index, which rather makes a point of knowing these things. This, say the beard-twiddling economists over at Stanlib, is a good thing, suggesting a stable retail environment for the rapidly diminishing second half of the year which in the absence of anything more accurate we shall call 2010. You will be pleased to know this has caused the BER’s Retail Confidence Index to ring off the hook, jumping by 14 index points for the third quarter to 52, and reversing all the second quarter losses, despite the fact that the lower rate of increase in selling prices and lower growth in sales volumes has, by and large, adversely affected retailers’ profitability.

Comment: Economics, eh. They teach it at Hogwart’s, you know.

Founded in the depths of the recession, Shoprite’s Soup Kitchen project, a collaboration with Mars Africa’s Royco brand and other partners, is going strong, and has distributed 4.48million cups of soups to disadvantaged communities since it launched. Soup and bread are distributed via a series of trucks visiting schools, old age homes and other places of particular need.

An embittered Woolworths franchisee – the same feller who led the charge to get franchisee representation on the board last AGM – has suggested there may be something more behind Woolies’ closing of the franchise operation than a desire to simplify the business. Dennis “MC” Hamer reckons that an overseas private equity crowd is eyeing Woolies for a buyout, but doesn’t want the mom ‘n pop side of the business. Sounds a little mischievous to us.

And back due to popular demand (insert drum roll) – MyCustomer 2.0! The programme has proved so popular that we’ve decided to add in another two dates this year, to get your team ready and motivated for your 2011 customer plans. The dates are as follows: