Although Shoprite Group stole a march on many of South Africa’s retailers in on-demand online grocery delivery during the Covid-19 lockdowns, Pick n Pay has a clear plan to make up lost ground and compete aggressively for market share.

Enrico Ferigolli, who co-founded the liquor delivery app Bottles – which was later acquired by Pick n Pay to form the basis of its online shopping push with asap! – joins the TechCentral Show to unpack the journey Pick n Pay is on, and how the e-commerce market is likely to develop in the coming years.

Ferigolli tells TechCentral editor Duncan McLeod about:

* Why and how technology has become fundamental to modern retail;

* The launch of Bottles and what led to the Pick n Pay acquisition;

* The dynamics of on-demand delivery and what it takes to be a successful player;

* How Pick n Pay is working to convince people to try asap! for their grocery needs;

* The role of AI (and AI agents) in future omnichannel retail environments;

How online shopping is likely to change the way Pick n Pay designs its physical stores;

* Pick n Pay’s relationship with Takealot Group, and where that alliance is headed;

* Pick n Pay’s plans to expand into townships and other underserved markets with on-demand deliveries; and

* The threat posed by international e-commerce companies that don’t have a presence in South Africa but which ship goods to local consumers.

It’s a great interview about the future of e-commerce in South Africa – be sure not to miss it! TechCentral