Massmart
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersGauteng, South Africa
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Massmart firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Massmart
- Legal name
- Massmart Holdings Limited
- Website
- https://massmart.co.za
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Massmart industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mass Merchandise Retail
- NAICS
- Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters (455211), All Other General Merchandise Retailers (455219), General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (42441)
- SIC
- Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399), Retail-Variety Stores (5331), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Wholesale-Durable Goods (5000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Merchandise Variety-Value Mass Merchandisers (CRAGABAH)
Keywords
Where Massmart is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gauteng
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Massmart business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Sales: Massmart generates primary revenue through retail sales across its physical store formats (Makro, Game, Builders, Walmart) and online platforms, selling general merchandise, groceries, electronics, home improvement products, and more to consumers.
- Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale and cash-and-carry sales to independent traders and commercial customers through Jumbo Cash & Carry, CBW, Trident, Eureka, and Saverite brands.
- Marketplace Commission: Revenue from third-party sellers on Makro Marketplace, with sellers engaging in collaborative sessions with Massmart leadership to grow the platform.
- Private Label Products: Sale of private label products across categories including food, general merchandise, and home improvement, with over 500 private label and direct import suppliers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Every Day Low Price model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels5 records
Massmart product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Massmart operates a multi-category retail and wholesale distribution business selling food, liquor, and general merchandise to retail, commercial, and wholesale customers across sub-Saharan Africa. The group runs differentiated store formats including Makro (multi-category big box), Game (discount general merchandise), Builders (home improvement), and Walmart Africa (branded retail and e-commerce), alongside wholesale banners Jumbo Cash & Carry, CBW, Trident, Eureka, Saverite, and the Shield voluntary buying association serving independent traders.
Product overview
Massmart is an African retail and wholesale group operating a multi-format, multi-brand portfolio across over 300 stores in 8 sub-Saharan countries. The portfolio consists of five core retail formats: Makro (multi-category big box for retail/commercial/wholesale), Game (discount retailer across 8 countries), Builders (home improvement/DIY with Warehouse, Express, Superstore formats), Jumbo Cash & Carry (wholesale with CBW, Trident, Eureka, Saverite brands), and Shield (voluntary buying association). Massmart also operates Walmart Africa (branded stores and e-commerce), Makro Marketplace (third-party seller platform), and Makro Restored (refurbished tech). The group holds leading market shares in general merchandise, liquor, home improvement, and wholesale food markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Makro
- Game
- Builders
- Jumbo Cash & Carry
- Shield
- Walmart Africa
- Makro Restored
- Makro Marketplace
- Walmart Africa Mobile App
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,740 tonnes of e-waste collected since 2008 through Makro's recycling programme
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Massmart
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Massmart technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Massmart partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HaiercoreMakro has expanded its premium appliance offering with the introduction of Haier as a globally recognised home appliances brand. The collaboration brings premium Haier refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and smart home appliances to South African consumers.
- Flipkart Commerce CloudcoreFlipkart Commerce Cloud provides its 'Marketplace in a Box' SaaS solution to Massmart, enabling an end-to-end marketplace implementation with AI-powered commerce capabilities including catalog management, dynamic pricing, and promotions.
- e-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA)coreMakro operates South Africa's longest-running retailer-led e-waste recycling initiative in partnership with ERA since 2008. The programme has collected over 1,740 tonnes of e-waste through 19 collection bins at Makro stores nationwide.
- FoodForward South AfricacoreMassmart partners with FoodForward SA to provide funding toward their operational expenses and a reliable channel to distribute food supplies to community kitchens, improving local community food security.
- Gift of the Givers FoundationcoreMassmart has partnered with The Gift Of The Givers Foundation for 10 years on disaster relief projects in South Africa, Malawi and Mozambique. During KwaZulu-Natal floods, Massmart delivered an initial 90 tons of food to replenish their warehouses.
- HOPE Worldwide SAminorMassmart and HOPE Worldwide SA celebrate a 10-year partnership focused on community support and social development projects.
- Africa Food for ThoughtminorThe first Walmart-branded store partners with Africa Food for Thought to support early childhood development centres in the community surrounding Clearwater Mall.
- WalmartcoreWalmart fully acquired Massmart in 2022, integrating its technology stack into local stores. Massmart operates as Walmart's local operating entity, launching Walmart-branded stores in South Africa and utilizing Walmart's global technology platform.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Massmart competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spar Group Limited: SPAR is an international grocery and wholesale retail group operating in Southern Africa and Europe with a voluntary trading model similar to Massmart's Shield. Its Build IT hardware and general merchandise lines also overlap with Massmart's home improvement and DIY categories.
- Shoprite Holdings: Shoprite is South Africa's largest food retailer with over 2,000 stores across the continent. It is a direct competitor to Massmart's Makro, Game, and wholesale cash-and-carry formats in grocery and general merchandise, and competes head-to-head for the value-conscious consumer segment.
- The Home Depot: The Home Depot is the global leader in home improvement and DIY retail with multi-format stores (Warehouse, Express, Pro). It is directly comparable to Massmart's Builders format across DIY, building materials, and trade customer focus.
- Costco Wholesale: Costco is the global leader in warehouse-club retail, directly comparable to Massmart's Makro format in bulk merchandising across food, liquor, and general merchandise with a membership-driven, high-volume low-cost model.
- Metro AG: Metro AG operates a major international cash-and-carry and food service distribution business across Europe and Asia. Its wholesale formats directly mirror Massmart's Jumbo, CBW, Trident, Eureka, and Saverite cash-and-carry operations serving independent traders.
- Pick n Pay Stores: Pick n Pay is a major South African grocery and general merchandise retailer operating supermarkets, hypermarkets, and Boxer discount stores. It overlaps directly with Massmart's food, liquor, and general merchandise categories across overlapping geographies.
- Woolworths Holdings: Woolworths Holdings operates South African food, fashion, and home retail chains. While positioned more premium, it competes with Massmart in groceries, apparel, and general merchandise through Woolworths Food and countrywide store overlap.
- Target Corporation: Target is a US mass merchandiser offering general merchandise, apparel, electronics, and grocery across discount and EDLP positioning. It is the closest international general-merchandise mass merchandiser peer to Massmart's Game and Makro formats.
Broad incumbents
- Walmart Inc. Walmart is Massmart's parent company and the world's largest general merchandise mass merchandiser. While not a direct peer in the same geography, Walmart's EDLP model, global sourcing, and technology platform are being deployed inside Massmart, making the parent the closest strategic and operational comparator.
- Amazon: Amazon is the dominant global e-commerce and marketplace platform. Its Marketplace model, AI-powered catalog and pricing tools, and rapid-delivery infrastructure are the strategic template behind Massmart's Makro Marketplace and Walmart Africa app investments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Massmart social profiles
Digital presenceMassmart compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Massmart financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Massmart leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Massmart subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
Massmart funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Massmart M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Massmart
What does Massmart do?
Massmart operates a multi-category retail and wholesale distribution business selling food, liquor, and general merchandise to retail, commercial, and wholesale customers across sub-Saharan Africa. The group runs differentiated store formats including Makro (multi-category big box), Game (discount general merchandise), Builders (home improvement), and Walmart Africa (branded retail and e-commerce), alongside wholesale banners Jumbo Cash & Carry, CBW, Trident, Eureka, Saverite, and the Shield voluntary buying association serving independent traders.
Is Massmart a public or private company?
Massmart is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Massmart founded?
Massmart was founded in 1990. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Massmart based?
Massmart is headquartered in Gauteng, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Massmart make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution, marketplace Commission and private Label Products.
Who are Massmart's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spar Group Limited, Shoprite Holdings, The Home Depot, Costco Wholesale, Metro AG, Pick n Pay Stores, Woolworths Holdings and Target Corporation. Broad incumbents are Walmart Inc. and Amazon.
Does Massmart have an API?
No public API is recorded for Massmart.
What industry is Massmart in?
Massmart's product category is Mass Merchandise Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAGABAH, General Merchandise Variety-Value Mass Merchandisers. Its NAICS code is 455211 and its SIC code is 5399.