Clicks to ramp up procurement from local Black-owned SMMEs

The Clicks Group is expanding its incubation support for local Black-owned businesses with the launch of a new SMME supplier listing portal.

The heath and beauty retail company has set a target to direct over R4,5bn worth of procurement spend to Black-owned SMMEs over the next three years.

This forms part of a raft of measures taken to support small-, medium and micro-enterprises across the group’s supply chain, says Clicks Group corporate affairs director Bertina Engelbrecht.

The company reports to have invested over R500m in SMME suppliers in the past year and is working closely with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition to accelerate local procurement.

Easing entry into the Clicks eco-system

“The Clicks Group recognises that SMME development is critical in creating jobs and building a healthier economy,” Engelbrecht says. “We are committed to removing barriers and have worked hard to implement a SMME trading framework that will ease entry into the Clicks eco-system.”

The SMME trading framework offers commercial and business support in the form of marketing, promotions, shared shelf space and business mentorship.

Local haircare on shelf

The Clicks Group says it has been supporting local SMMEs for the past ten years, particularly in multicultural haircare products category. “Since 2005 to date, we have grown local haircare brands on shelf by over 743%%, with a significant investment in Black women-owned businesses,” Engelbrecht says.

“It has been extremely rewarding to see local brands such as AfroBotanics, AfriBerry and Portia M become established and enjoying success in the local market. In fact, Portia M has experienced rapid exponential growth to the extent that it can no longer be classified as an SMME,” explains Engelbrecht.

Since January 2021, Clicks has helped to bring six new Black-owned suppliers in the haircare and personal care sectors to market, including Masodi Organics’ range of natural hair and body products and AfroBotanics’ new multicultural hair range, Kaio.

A further 12 suppliers are planned for launch by the end of 2021. This is over and above the existing eight Black-owned SMMEs that are currently listed in these categories.