U.S. retail giant Walmart expands global footprint with first store in Africa
U.S. retail giant Walmart has officially opened its first store in South Africa, marking its entry into the African market.
The store, located in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg, opened on Saturday, November 22. This move comes just over two months after Walmart announced its intention to launch operations in Africa before the end of the 2025 calendar year.
The new store is managed by an African national and employs over 80 staff members. The opening drew significant interest, with more than a hundred shoppers lining up for hours to access deals during the Black Friday weekend.
"I'm actually here for a specific product that you can't really get in South Africa… It's a children's toy, Labubu," shopper Refilwe Mabale told Reuters.
In addition to a wide range of popular international products, including Labubu dolls, the store also offers a sixty-minute online delivery service for customers within a five-kilometre radius. This service introduces direct competition with Checkers' Sixty60 platform, operated by Shoprite, South Africa’s leading grocery retailer.
“Opening this first Walmart store in South Africa is about much more than a business milestone; it is a commitment to helping customers save money and live better by consistently delivering the lowest total cost for the basket of products they need,” said Andrea Albright, executive vice president and chief growth officer for Walmart.
Globally, Walmart serves approximately 270 million customers each week across more than 10,750 physical stores and multiple eCommerce platforms in 19 countries. In fiscal year 2025, the company reported revenue of $681 billion and employs around 2.1 million associates worldwide.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
