Massmart

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

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

• General merchandise retail
• Wholesale distribution
• Home improvement retail
• Discount retail
• E-commerce marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Gauteng

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale and cash-and-carry sales to independent traders and commercial customers through Jumbo Cash & Carry, CBW, Trident, Eureka, and Saverite brands.
3. Marketplace Commission: Revenue from third-party sellers on Makro Marketplace, with sellers engaging in collaborative sessions with Massmart leadership to grow the platform.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HaiercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2026Makro 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 CloudcoreTechnology or Integration · 26 March 2025Flipkart 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMakro 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 AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassmart 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 FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassmart 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 SAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMassmart and HOPE Worldwide SA celebrate a 10-year partnership focused on community support and social development projects.
• Africa Food for ThoughtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe first Walmart-branded store partners with Africa Food for Thought to support early childhood development centres in the community surrounding Clearwater Mall.
• WalmartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalmart 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/massmartsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/massmart

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries11 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 Massmart