Shoprite Buys 51% of R&A Cellular to Expand Financial Services in Informal Retail
Shoprite Buys 51% of R&A Cellular to Expand Financial Services in Informal Retail. Shoprite has acquired an initial 51% stake in South African technology and payments company R&A Cellular, strengthening the retailer’s plans to expand its financial and value-added services into the informal and semi-formal retail sectors.
The acquisition was completed after Shoprite’s 28 June 2026 financial year-end and forms part of the group’s broader financial services growth strategy.
Shoprite said the transaction provides an opportunity to scale the R&A Cellular platform by expanding its installed device base nationally across informal retailers.
R&A Cellular platform targets informal retailers
R&A Cellular operates a device network that enables informal and semi-formal micro-retailers to provide access points for everyday financial services while also supporting their cash flow and inventory management.
Shoprite plans to expand the value-added services available through the platform and incorporate its own financial services products into the R&A Cellular ecosystem.
The group said these initiatives are expected to support growth, increase customer engagement and extend its financial services reach into the informal sector.
The acquisition builds on an existing relationship between Shoprite and R&A Cellular, with the technology company’s platform already forming part of the retailer’s wider ecosystem.
Shoprite targets specialist technology capabilities
Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht said the group had taken a selective approach to partnerships and acquisitions where specialist expertise, capacity or speed-to-market provided a clear advantage.
He described the R&A Cellular transaction as a relatively small but strategic acquisition.
The deal was one of two acquisitions highlighted by Shoprite in its annual results. The other is the planned acquisition of Vida e Caffè, which is intended to expand Shoprite’s presence in the coffee and quick-service restaurant category.
The Vida e Caffè transaction remains subject to conditions precedent, including regulatory approval.
Shoprite reports revenue growth
Shoprite’s R&A Cellular acquisition comes as the group reported growth across its operations for the 52 weeks ended 28 June 2026.
Group revenue from continuing operations increased by 7.1% to R274.8 billion, while the sale of merchandise rose 7.2% to R270.8 billion.
Diluted headline earnings per share increased by 12.2% to 1,527.4 cents.
The group’s Sixty60 on-demand digital platform also recorded significant growth during the financial year. Sales increased by 34.5% to R25.5 billion, with the platform adding a record R6.6 billion in revenue during the period.
Shoprite opened a net 232 stores during the year and created 5,491 direct new jobs.
The acquisition of R&A Cellular adds another technology component to the group’s financial services strategy, with Shoprite now holding a majority stake in the platform and planning to expand its reach among informal and semi-formal retailers.
