By Phiwa Sikhondze
Victor Langa, the General Manager of African Alliance, has encouraged SMEs to embrace the agribusiness sector and utilize opportunities presented by retail outlets such as Pick n Pay.
Langa made this submission during his presentation at the MTN Business Connect Session, Q1 2024. He said that as a company entrusted with a lot of investors’ funds, they are always looking for feasible sectors to invest in. He noted that as an investment company, they identified agriculture and retail as feasible sectors that they could invest in.
“We need to participate in agriculture because it’s key in our economy,” Langa said, highlighting the company’s strategic shift towards sectors fundamental for sustainability and growth.
African Alliance’s decision to venture into retail by acquiring stores was a strategic move to influence the market from the supply chain’s front end. He, therefore, encouraged SMEs to occupy the space in that sector for economic growth.
Langa discussed the challenges faced in a market dominated by large entities and the need for innovative approaches to remain competitive. He conveyed his enthusiasm for the retail and agriculture sectors, stressing the importance of market influence for SMEs.
With the acquisition and expansion of retail stores, African Alliance has positioned itself to support local industries directly. To help them handle the challenges, Langa said that they are open to assisting SMEs to ensure that they meet the standard market requirements.