Cape Union Mart Group

What Cape Union Mart Group does

Cape Union Mart Group is a privately held South African specialty retailer founded in 1933 and headquartered in Cape Town. The group operates four registered brands across a 237-store domestic footprint: Cape Union Mart (118 outdoor-gear stores, the flagship), Old Khaki (82 casual lifestyle apparel stores), Poetry (37 contemporary fashion stores), and K-Way Performance (an outdoor and performance apparel sub-brand sold primarily through the Cape Union Mart banner). The product mix is concentrated in outdoor and cold-weather apparel — down jackets, fleeces, softshells, waterproof shells, hiking pants, beanies, daypacks, tents, and umbrellas — spanning entry-level accessories from R179 to premium technical 850-fill-power down jackets at R3,999.

The company's product differentiation rests on a portfolio of proprietary fabric technologies marketed under the K-Way Performance label: Thermadown (heat-retention insulation), Moisture Manager (moisture-wicking), Thermalator (lightweight warmth), Windguard (wind blocking), UVGuard (UV protection), DWR (durable water repellent), and Silvadur antimicrobial treatment. These are materials-science formulations rather than software systems, and K-Way's supply chain includes recognised component partners such as YKK (zippers) and Silvadur (Dow Chemical). The group also operates an e-commerce storefront at capeunionmart.co.za and a Friends & Family Rewards loyalty programme integrated with Discovery Vitality/Miles.

Cape Union Mart Group runs a direct-to-consumer model with no third-party distributors. Revenue is generated entirely through one-time retail transactions across physical stores and the e-commerce site, priced in South African rand with broad payment optionality (cards, Payflex, PayJustNow, Float, Mobicred, PayPal, Discovery Miles, RCS). The customer base is fragmented South African consumers segmented into outdoor enthusiasts, winter wear shoppers, and casual apparel buyers. Executive leadership is Executive Chair Philip Krawitz, with the company facing sustained BDS/Palestinian Solidarity Campaign protests since November 2023 that have reportedly placed approximately 3,000 jobs across the network at risk.

Name

Cape Union Mart Group

Legal name

Cape Union Mart

Website

https://capeunionmart.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cape Union Mart Group is a privately held South African multi-brand specialty retailer operating 237 stores across Cape Union Mart (outdoor), Old Khaki (casual), Poetry (fashion), and the K-Way Performance sub-brand, serving South African consumers with technical outdoor apparel, casual wear, and gear via owned retail and e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Apparel and Equipment Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661)

akta.pro primary industry

Camping, Hiking & Backpacking Gear Retail (CRAMAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor Performance Footwear & Apparel Retail (Trail/Hike) (CRAMACAI), Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing) (CRAMAMAK), Backpacking & Trekking Gear Retail (CRAMAAAA)

Keywords

• Outdoor apparel retail
• Hiking gear
• Camping equipment
• Winter outerwear
• Casual clothing

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Cape Union Mart Group generates revenue through retail sales of outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment across its physical store network (118 Cape Union Mart, 82 Old Khaki, 37 Poetry stores) and e-commerce platform. Products include jackets, fleeces, hiking gear, camping equipment, and accessories. The company operates as a traditional retailer selling finished goods to consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cape Union Mart Group is a South African multi-brand retailer that sells outdoor apparel, footwear, hiking gear, camping equipment and casual/fashion clothing through 237 owned retail stores across three banners (Cape Union Mart, Old Khaki and Poetry) and a direct e-commerce platform. Its core technical offering is the K-Way Performance sub-brand of outdoor clothing and equipment, featuring proprietary fabric technologies such as Thermadown insulation, Moisture Manager, Thermalator, Windguard, UVGuard, DWR and Silvadur treatments across jackets, fleeces, shirts, pants, tents and backpacks.

Product overview

Cape Union Mart Group is a South African outdoor retail company operating three distinct retail sub-brands: Cape Union Mart (core outdoor gear), Old Khaki (casual lifestyle apparel), and Poetry (contemporary fashion). The core product focus is K-Way Performance, a comprehensive outdoor apparel and gear line offering insulated jackets, fleece layers, waterproof shells, hiking accessories, camping equipment, and backpacks. The portfolio includes performance technology lines such as Thermadown insulation, Thermalator warmth technology, Windguard wind protection, Moisture Manager moisture-wicking, UVGuard sun protection, and Waterproof/Breathable shell technologies. Products range from entry-level fleece tops and beanies to premium 850 fill-power down jackets and technical 3-ply softshell jackets, with the K-Way brand serving as the primary outdoor performance label across men's, women's, and kids' categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• K-Way: Outdoor and performance apparel, footwear, and gear brand sold through Cape Union Mart stores and dedicated K-Way sections

Products and services

• K-Way Performance outdoor apparel and gear line

Quantifiable outcome

• The company offers 749+ K-Way products across jackets, fleeces, accessories, and equipment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Discovery VitalityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCape Union Mart participates in the Discovery Vitality health and wellness program, allowing customers to earn Discovery Miles on purchases. This partnership provides loyalty benefits and rewards integration with South Africa's largest medical scheme administrator.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Outdoor Warehouse: South African outdoor and adventure goods retailer offering camping, hiking, and outdoor apparel. Closest direct peer in the same country and category, competing head-to-head for the same South African outdoor enthusiast consumer.
• Trappers: South African outdoor and adventure retailer with multiple physical stores, selling hiking, camping, and outdoor apparel. Direct competitor in the same geographic and product market as Cape Union Mart.
• Mr Price Sport: South African sporting goods and active apparel retail chain, owned by Mr Price Group. Comparable through overlapping categories (sportswear, outdoor-adjacent apparel) and similar mass-market South African footprint.
• Sportscene: South African specialty footwear and athletic apparel retailer part of the Foschini Group. Competes directly for South African consumers shopping athletic and casual outdoor-adjacent apparel and footwear.

Broad incumbents

• Decathlon: Global sporting goods and outdoor retailer with growing South African presence. Comparable through broad outdoor gear and apparel assortment at competitive price points; key international threat to Cape Union Mart's mid-market positioning.
• REI Co-op: US outdoor cooperative with deep private-label outdoor apparel and gear. Comparable business model of multi-brand outdoor retail with proprietary in-house product technology and multi-channel (stores + e-commerce) distribution.
• Patagonia: Global premium outdoor apparel brand with proprietary fabric technologies and sustainability positioning. Comparable through branded proprietary tech (e.g. Thermadown vs. Patagonia's proprietary insulation) sold through owned retail and wholesale.
• The North Face: Global outdoor apparel and equipment brand under VF Corporation. Comparable through technical outerwear, down jackets, and hiking-focused product lines that overlap directly with the K-Way Performance assortment.
• Columbia Sportswear: US-listed outdoor apparel company with proprietary technologies (Omni-Tech, Omni-Heat) and broad price tier coverage. Comparable as a public-market outdoor brand competing across technical apparel categories.

Regional players

• Cape Storm: Smaller South African outdoor and adventure retailer. Comparable through product category (outdoor apparel, hiking, camping) but smaller in scale than Cape Union Mart; illustrates the local competitive set Cape Union Mart defends against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/capeunionmart
• Facebookfacebook.com/capeunionmart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cape-union-mart

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cape Union Mart Group