Spaza – The Supply Chain Lab

Why South Africa’s Informal Economy Is Smaller Than We Think

South Africa’s Informal Retail Paradox: Why Its Size Is So Often Overestimated I usually avoid writing about the size of

The traditional trade sector in South Africa has demonstrated remarkable resilience, achieving a staggering R187 billion in annual spend in

With over 150,000 informal retailers or spazas across South Africa, located close to people’s homes, spazas are an integral part

Piracy, terrorism, and tears. That’s the world view of Somalia, as a Somali friend of mine likes to joke. Unfortunately,

B2B Funding Nigeria: Alerzo, an Ibadan B2B ecommerce retail startup has announced a $10.5 million Series A round led by London-based

One Kiosk Africa is a Nigeria B2B ecommerce startup that uses geolocation to connect customers online with their local mom-and-pop stores.

Zuzela is a Port Elizabeth based business-to-business (B2B) ecommerce startup that connects spaza shops or micro-retailers in South Africa with

There are over 150,000 spaza shops or small informal groceries in operation in South Africa. They add R120 billion ($7

Shoprite is accelerating the roll-out of its Usave eKazi container stores in South African townships. The eKasi brand is Shoprite’s

Micro-retailers in informal markets often offer more affordable small pack sizes to their cash-strapped shoppers, such as a small plastic