Shoprite Holdings is a South African retail empire, sporting over 3,600 stores, 160,000 employees and a market cap of over R182.13 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now Africa’s largest retailer, the group has come a long way from its humble beginnings in the Western Cape \u2013 with its meteoric rise tracing back to the work of retail giant James Wellwood Basson, also known as \u2018Whitey\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shoprite had been founded by the seasoned retailers Barney Rogut and Basil Geller in the Western Cape. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first Shoprite opened its doors in November 1966 in the old Gaiety Cinema in Wynberg and sold mainly groceries. By 1979, it was an 8-store grocery chain located in and around Cape Town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then came a man who would change its trajectory forever \u2013 Whitey Basson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Born on a family farm near Porterville in January 1946, Whitey\u2014nicknamed for his white hair\u2014attended Rondebosch Boys High and matriculated in 1963.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially considering medicine, he opted for a life in business after qualifying as a chartered accountant in 1970, following his BCom at Stellenbosch University and articles at Ernst & Young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the early 1970s, Basson joined Pep Stores Ltd as a financial manager. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He switched from that position to the head of operations in 1974, an office he held until late 1978, where he was responsible for all operations and actively involved in building the Pep Stores brand and company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was from this time that he began to cut his teeth as a retailer under Renier Van Rooyen, who had started Pep in one store in Upington in 1965.<\/p>\n\n\n\n