Cape Town-based HQ Foods named SMME of the year at Pick n Pay Awards

SOUTH AFRICA- HQ Foods, a company specializing in sauces, spices, atchars, and garlic, has been awarded the 2024 Pick n Pay SMME of the Year at the recently concluded Pick n Pay Small Suppliers Awards for excellence across all key performance indicators like in-store availability, sales growth, and supplier efficiency. 

As part of Pick n Pay’s Enterprise and Supplier Development Program, the awards honor high-achieving SMMEs for their commitment to quality and performance. This year’s awards honored 9 SMMEs across the same number of categories.  

The Pick n Pay SMME of the Year is the highlight of the awards ceremony.

This year’s winner, HQ Foods, was honored because of achieving 24.9% sales growth in the past year through strategically focusing on taste tests and in-store promotions. The company has 38 of its products listed in Pick n Pay’s stores since joining the Program. 

Jake-Mat of Midrand, a detergent and tissue supplier, won the Turnaround Business of the Year award because of its remarkable business improvement in the past year. 

Dreamland Piggery from Vanderbijlpark won the Fastest Growing Business award because of its rapid expansion in maize production and pig farming in the past year.  

Johannesburg’s Rocky Brands won the Innovation Award because of its originality and creativity in manufacturing polishing and cleaning products. In the past year, the SMME introduced the Clean Start range of dishwashing liquids. 

The other five categories were groceries, won by Ultra Chem from Gauteng; Fresh produce, won by Imperial Crown Trading; the clothing category, won by Caprini Footwear; perishables, won by Indezi River; and the general merchandise category, won by Glenart Trading.  

Apart from the awards, the Program assists new retail entrants by providing mentorship and support within Pick n Pay’s store network. In the 2023/2024 financial year, Pick n Pay spent ZAR 6.2 billion (US$340.8 million) on SMMEs within its network. 

Mark Bandi, Pick n Pay’s Head of Small Business, hailed the Program by saying, “Our collaborations with these small suppliers help foster their growth in the formal retail market, while also ensuring our customers receive the best products.” 

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