Spar revives 2U delivery app to challenge Checkers Sixty60 in South Africa

South Africa’s grocery delivery market is entering a new phase as traditional retailers push deeper into online ordering and same-day fulfillment. Spar Group is preparing a broad overhaul of its Spar 2U platform as competition intensifies with established players such as Checkers Sixty60. 

Consumer habits have shifted quickly in major cities, with more shoppers expecting faster and more reliable home delivery of everyday essentials. Retailers are investing in digital platforms, logistics systems and in-store execution as they compete for a larger share of online grocery sales. 

For Spar, the challenge has been standing out in a market where convenience and speed are already tightly defined. The company now says its next phase of growth will rely less on copying rivals and more on using its store network and local relationships. 

“We do not want to fight our peers on their terms,” CEO Reeza Isaacs said, pointing to plans to reshape Spar 2U around a more localised retail model.

Spar leans on community-based store network 

Spar is repositioning its delivery strategy around what it calls a more personal shopping experience, built on the strength of independently owned neighborhood stores. The group believes this structure allows it to offer a closer connection between retailers and customers. 

The “My Spar” approach will focus on the individual identity of each store, rather than a single national template. Management says this could help the brand stand apart in a crowded online grocery space where scale often defines competition.

Complex operating model limits rollout speed 

Unlike fully centralized retailers, Spar operates mainly as a wholesaler to independently owned stores, with each retailer handling fulfillment. While the company controls the digital platform, execution depends on store-level operations. 

This structure makes scaling a uniform delivery experience more difficult, as performance can vary between stores. Spar says it is working to provide better digital tools and support systems to improve consistency and customer service across its network.

On-demand delivery remains central to growth plans 

Some analysts have questioned whether Spar’s convenience offering can compete with faster-growing platforms that have set new expectations for delivery times. Rivals such as Checkers Sixty60 have helped redefine how South Africans think about grocery convenience. 

Isaacs argues that demand is not uniform across the country and that shopping behaviour differs between urban centres and smaller communities. Spar has expanded Spar 2U to more than 600 of its roughly 2,000 stores and continues to work with Uber Eats to widen its digital reach.