Shoprite enters community banking through R&A Cellular acquisition

Shoprite Holdings, Africa’s largest food retailer, is moving deeper into financial services after agreeing to acquire a majority stake in Mpumalanga-based R&A Cellular, a provider of payment and point-of-sale technology widely used by informal traders. The value of the deal was not disclosed. The company said the transaction, subject to regulatory approval, will allow it to extend digital and financial services into township and peri-urban communities where many residents rely on small neighborhood shops rather than formal banking outlets.

R&A platform powers community retailers

R&A Cellular’s platform enables spaza shops and other small merchants to sell everyday essentials such as prepaid airtime, electricity tokens and gaming vouchers while also accepting card payments. Shoprite plans to integrate these capabilities with its Money Market services, effectively turning thousands of local stores into access points for payments, remittances and other basic financial transactions. Founder and Chief Executive Rui Campos said the partnership would strengthen the role of community retailers by combining Shoprite’s scale with R&A’s technology to reach customers who are often underserved by traditional banks.

For Shoprite, the move builds on years of investment in low-cost financial services offered through its supermarkets. Jean Olivier, the group’s general manager for financial services, said the agreement provides a practical way to support households that depend on nearby informal traders. For consumers, the appeal is convenience and lower transport costs, since transactions can be completed close to home. For shop owners, the platform offers additional revenue streams and tools to manage cash more safely. R&A already distributes Shoprite vouchers through its devices, giving the two companies an existing commercial link.

Half-year trading profit climbs $473 million

Shoprite Holdings, which is 10.67 percent owned by South African billionaire Christo Wiese, operates more than 3,500 stores across Africa and employs over 160,000 people. Its footprint spans seven countries, with recent openings concentrated in Namibia, Zambia and Eswatini. Shoprite plans to add 223 new stores in the 2026 financial year following a solid first half in which revenue reached R139.9 billion ($8.6 billion). Continuing operations contributed R9.2 billion ($568 million) in additional sales during the 26 weeks ended Dec. 28, 2025.

Its South African supermarkets unit generated R115.3 billion ($7.08 billion), up 7.1 percent, while operations outside the country rose 12.1 percent to R11.5 billion ($706 million) despite currency pressure in Mozambique. Diluted headline earnings per share increased 7.9 percent to R7.089, and adjusted earnings rose 9.5 percent to R7.353. Trading profit climbed 5.9 percent to R7.7 billion ($473 million), while net cash improved to R15.1 billion ($928 million), leading the board to declare an interim dividend of R3.07 per share, up 7.7 percent.