Africa’s top clothing retailer Pepkor pushes expansion in Brazil by Apparel Resources News-Desk 30-November-2023 | 1 min read
https://apparelresources.com/business-news/retail/...xpansion-brazil/
Pepkor Holdings Ltd., is increasing investments in Brazil as Africa’s largest clothing retailer repositions its South America operations toward the discount segment. Pepkor said in an earnings statement Wednesday that its Grupo Avenida SA arm nearly doubled its contribution to sales for the fiscal year ended September 30, accounting for around 4.3% of revenue. The Cape Town-based company now intends to open 50 outlets in Brazil per year, more than doubling its initial target. Success in Brazil would allow Pepkor to consider expanding into other emerging countries, according to Chief Executive Officer Pieter Erasmus in an interview following the earnings release. “There are a lot of emerging market economies where our skills and capabilities can be leveraged,” Erasmus said. “If you can make one international market work, it opens up the world.” The discount clothes retailer, which began operations in rural South Africa 100 years ago and now has 5,917 outlets in 11 countries, has previous experience in Eastern Europe through what is now Pepco Group N.V. Pepkor may potentially contemplate a buy in its native market, according to Erasmus. While the retailer is “more focused on organic growth,” it also wants to sell more adult clothes and would consider acquiring a company “at the right price,” he said.
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