The Ham in the Sandwich
The Ham in the Sandwich A Forty-Six-Year View From the Shop Floor What it really takes to own and run a supermarket in South Africa in 2026 A RIDBS Industry Paper Retail Is Detail. Business Strategy. By Walter — CEO, RIDBS 46 years in FMCG and Retail Former CIO, Stuttafords Retail Stores Senior leadership roles across Checkers, Metcash, Boxer and Super Group May 2026 ridbs.com | info@ridbs.com | +27 68 473 4741 Contents Foreword — Why this paper had to be written Chapter 1 — The Ham in the Sandwich: Anatomy of the South African Supermarket Owner Chapter 2 — From Apartheid to AI: A Brief History of the South African Supermarket Chapter 3 — Reading the 2026 Map: Macro, Consumer and Channel Chapter 4 — The Franchisor Relationship: Partner, Patron, or Predator? Chapter 5 — The Taxi Industry: The Hidden Infrastructure Holding Your Store Open Chapter 6 — The R90...