Woolworths launching new type of store in South Africa

·30 Sep 2026

Retail group Woolworths says it is ready to roll out its “next generation” of stores across South Africa, following the blueprint set by its Tygervalley revamp, which launched in 2025.

According to Woolworths, the new generation of stores is a modernisation of its current format, which follows a less rigid layout and offers different services.

The Tygervalley store, which opened in August 2025, was the pilot store for the concept, integrating the group’s Food, Fashion, Beauty, and Home segments into a single store.

One of the key features is offering personalised experiences, such as on-site denim lasering, tailoring, fitting, and beauty services, and elevated food experiences.

The group also upgraded its bakery, butchery, cellar, fishmonger and cheese counters, while adding more international cuisine options to shelves.

In addition to the customer-facing features of the new store, the actual build and finishings are also a step up in the group’s “green” push.

This includes responsibly sourced timber and locally produced boards, with materials selected for their ability to be repurposed or recycled at the end of their lifecycle.

In its Annual Report for 2026, published on Wednesday (30 September), the group said that the Tygervalley store was the first of the “next gen” store format and that it plans to accelerate the rollout.

During the year, the board approved additional investment opportunities, including accelerated next-generation store openings, brand and customer investments, and AI enablement.

The group noted that it had invested R2.4 billion in capex for 2026, primarily in growth projects, including the new-generation store format.

“We continued to elevate our physical retail experience through the rollout of our Next Generation stores, creating more inspiring, intuitive, and service-led environments for customers,” it said.

Woolworths noted that a drive for the new stores stems from changing customer behaviours, where choice and personalisation are defining what consumers see as valuable.

Discount and wholesale channels, alongside aggressively priced online retailers, continue to attract spend, it said, underscoring the need for in-store features to differentiate.

“AI is accelerating these dynamics, powering product discovery, personalised styling, and increasingly automated purchasing—while becoming the primary point of search for many consumers,” it said.

Customers are now looking for and expecting “hyper-personalisation” as a baseline, it added.

In response to this, Woolworths said that it is adapting its physical stores “to deliver personalised, immersive experiences”, as has been demonstrated through the Tygervalley concept.

New stores and formats coming

In addition to the group’s “next generation” stores, Woolworths has also pushed into different food formats, rooted in its new strategy to build its business around its Food segment.

This includes opening over 100 premium Woolworths Foodstop stores at Engen petrol stations across the country, over 230 WCafes, and 10 Woolworths Now Now takeaways.

The group has also started a premium tuck shop at two private schools in the country.

The Woolworths Foodstops were the first to launch, with the format opening in 2000 through a pilot project at petrol stations in Cape Town.

The concept was designed to test whether customers would support a 24-hour convenience store offering Woolworths products to motorists on the move.

Following a successful trial, the two companies formally expanded their strategic partnership in 2003, hitting 101 outlets at FY 2026.

WCafe first opened in 2009 at Gateway Mall in KwaZulu-Natal, offering a casual dining experience operated by Woolworths.

The chain prepares all its dishes with exclusively sourced ingredients from Woolworths, located either inside or adjacent to the Woolworths stores.

Woolworths Now Now made its debut in Cape Town’s CBD nearly 10 years ago and has expanded—and continues to expand—with 10 outlets.

The most recent opened in Somerset Mall in the Western Cape earlier this month, with another planned at Broadacres, Johannesburg.

The Woolworths Tuckshops are a newer development, with Springfield Convent opening the first tuckshop in 2023 and Curro Century City in Cape Town partnering for the format in 2026.

The formats fall under Woolworths Ventures, with the group expressing interest in expanding its format to more tuck shops, food trucks, and events.

The newest format is the Food Emporium, of which there are also only two.

Woolworths opened the first Food Emporium—a flagship Food store—in Durbanville, Cape Town, at The Village Square in 2025. The latest opened at Dainfern Square in August 2026.