Shoprite said it is not looking to compete in the fast-food industry, but merely offering its customers convenience
Shoprite Group, a major player in the grocery retail sector, has been quietly building a presence in the fast-food industry.
The group has presence in financial, health, and ticketing services. And recently their in-store fast-food brand, ChicRite has become noticeable.
It is not new for grocery retailers to have a fast-food section in their supermarkets. However, Shoprite is taking it to another level with its own brand, which offers a simple menu of about 25 items.
ALSO READ: Checkers plans to open more halal stores after launching them in KwaZulu-Natal
How ChicRite is built
Shoprite group told The Citizen it has opened dozens of ChicRite outlets over the past few years. “There are currently 80 ChicRite outlets across South Africa, operating as in-store outlets within Shoprite supermarkets,” said the group.
“Over the past two and a half years, we have opened between 50 and 60 new ChicRites.”
The group has opened these outlets at Shoprite stores it believes will have strong demand and deliver results. On average, each in-store outlet is between 30 and 40 square metres.
ALSO READ: Shoprite walks away from Malawi after 25 years: What went wrong?
Blueprint of most fast-food outlets
These outlets offer customers mostly poultry products such as fried chicken pieces, chicken wings, chicken strips and fries. It follows the same blueprint of other fast-food brands such as KFC, Chicken Licken and Hungry Lion.
However, the group said it is not looking to compete in the fast-food industry, but merely offering its customers convenience. “ChicRite was introduced to offer our customers greater convenience by leveraging our existing store infrastructure.”
The group also said it is not looking to open any standalone ChicRite stores. When asked about expanding its presence, it said: “Additional ChicRite outlets will be opened where we see an opportunity, and if the store space allows for it.”
Largest retailer in SA
Shoprite is the largest retailer in the country but has stores in other parts of Africa. The group did not specify if ChicRite will also be available in other parts of the continent.
In September, the group surpassed the R250 billion sales mark for the 52 weeks ended 29 June 2025. “In rand terms, just our growth in sales this year equated to R20.6 billion,” said Pieter Engelbrecht, CEO of Shoprite Group.
When it comes to revenue, the group saw an increase of 8.6% to R256.7 billion, up from R236.3 billion in 2024. The results showed that Shoprite’s trading profit from continuing operations increased by 16.6% to R15 billion.
The food segment contributed significantly by R13 billion, while the food segment outside the country contributed R644 million.
NOW READ: Shoprite CEO gets R1.6m per month, while employees get an average of R14k
