The plan is sequenced across three phases and thirteen workstreams, front-loading the distribution hub, technology backbone and procurement engine that underpin the store economics, then rolling out stores in clusters, layering digital and financial services, and finally extending into new provinces and franchise partnerships. Critical milestones and dependencies are shown in the Gantt chart below.
11.1 Phasing logic and dependencies
- Phase 1 — Establish (Years 1–2): Close funding and licensing; build the distribution hub; deploy cloud POS, ERP and WhatsApp commerce; roll out 10 stores in Gauteng clusters; onboard suppliers and set up centralised procurement and the logistics fleet; launch loyalty, mobile money and agency banking.
- Phase 2 — Scale (Years 3–4): Roll out 20 additional stores into Durban, the Cape Flats, Mdantsane and Mamelodi; scale bulk community wholesale; deploy AI inventory forecasting; deepen the digital and financial-services layer.
- Phase 3 — Expand (Year 5): Extend into informal settlements and community franchise partnerships; establish regional township logistics hubs; lay the foundation for franchise-led national scaling.
NoteCritical path
The distribution hub, procurement engine and technology backbone in Phase 1 are the critical dependency, they deliver the buying scale, availability and efficiency that make individual store economics work. Sequencing them first (before aggressive store rollout) is deliberate: it de-risks the ramp and is what allows Phase-2/3 stores to be substantially self-funded from operating cash flow.
11.2 Key milestones
|
Milestone |
Target |
Significance |
|---|---|---|
|
Funding close & licensing |
Q1 Year 1 |
Unlocks the programme |
|
Distribution hub live |
Year 1 |
Procurement & availability engine |
|
Technology stack deployed |
Year 1 |
Cost, data & cash control |
|
10-store base (Phase 1) |
Year 2 |
Establish clusters; prove model |
|
Break-even (net profit) |
Year 3 |
Transition through the J-curve |
|
30-store network |
Year 5 |
Platform scale achieved |
|
Franchise & regional hubs |
Year 5 |
Foundation for national scaling |
Table 11.1 Critical milestones and their significance.