Company: Pick n Pay Stores
Country: South Africa
Sector: Food Retail
CEO: Sean Summers
Website: https://www.pnp.co.za
Careers Page: https://picknpay.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/PNP_Careers
LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/company/pick-‘n-pay
Email: Not publicly listed
Headquarters: Cape Town, South Africa
Founded: 1967
Valuation/Revenue: $6.1225bn revenue (African Business Top 250, FY2025 data); market cap $742.9m (African Business Top 250, FY2025 data)
Pick n Pay Stores is one of South Africa’s oldest and largest supermarket chains, operating roughly 2,300 stores across seven African countries under formats including full-service supermarkets, hypermarkets, liquor stores and the discount brand Boxer. The group has spent the past two years in an intensive financial turnaround after reporting some of the heaviest losses in its history.
What Does Pick n Pay Do?
Pick n Pay sells groceries, household goods, clothing and liquor through several store formats, ranging from large-format hypermarkets to smaller convenience outlets, stocking between roughly 8,000 and 18,000 products depending on store size. Its store network spans South Africa and extends into several other Southern African markets, though it exited Namibia in July 2025 as part of a broader footprint rationalisation. The group’s separately branded discount chain, Boxer, has been a key growth engine and was listed independently on the JSE in a landmark transaction in late 2024, allowing Pick n Pay to raise capital and reduce debt while retaining a majority stake.
Is Pick n Pay Legit?
Yes. Pick n Pay has operated continuously since 1967 and remains listed on the JSE, publishing regular audited financial statements. Its recent financial difficulties reflect genuine operational and competitive strain rather than any question over its legitimacy as a business — it remains one of the most recognised retail brands in Southern Africa.
How Big Is Pick n Pay?
African Business magazine’s Top 250 Companies in Africa dataset placed Pick n Pay’s revenue at roughly $6.12 billion, with a market capitalisation of approximately $742.9 million — a valuation that reflects the market’s caution following several years of heavy losses. The company reported a R3.3 billion loss for its 2024 financial year, which narrowed to a R651 million loss in 2025, an improvement of more than 80% year-on-year as its turnaround plan began to show results.
Who Is the CEO of Pick n Pay?
Sean Summers leads the group as CEO, having returned to the company (where he had previously served as an executive decades earlier) to spearhead its turnaround strategy, which has focused on cost reduction, store portfolio rationalisation and re-establishing the core supermarket business’s competitiveness against rivals such as Shoprite Checkers and Spar.
Who Owns Pick n Pay?
Pick n Pay is a publicly listed company on the JSE. The Ackerman family, which founded and built the business, has historically held significant influence over the company, though its governance changed materially in August 2025 when James Formby succeeded long-time Ackerman family chairman Gareth Ackerman as Chairman of the board.
What Has Pick n Pay Been in the News For Recently?
The group has been widely covered for its turnaround efforts: narrowing losses through FY2025, exiting the Namibian market in mid-2025, and closing 56 stores (39 of them corporate-owned) in May 2026 as part of continued restructuring of its store estate. It also opened a large 50,000 square-metre flagship store in KwaZulu-Natal in March 2025 as part of efforts to reposition its supermarket offering, while the separately listed Boxer chain has continued to be highlighted as the group’s standout performer.
How Does Pick n Pay Compare to Its Competitors?
Pick n Pay’s principal rival is Shoprite Holdings, South Africa’s largest grocery retailer by revenue and market share, against which Pick n Pay has steadily lost ground over the past decade. It also competes with the Spar Group and with Woolworths’ food division at the premium end of the market, and with a fast-growing discount segment where its own Boxer brand and Shoprite’s Usave compete directly.
How Do I Apply for a Job at Pick n Pay?
Pick n Pay manages recruitment through a Workday-based careers portal, accessible at picknpay.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/PNP_Careers, where store-level, distribution and head office vacancies are posted, in addition to listings on LinkedIn and general South African job boards.
Where Is Pick n Pay Headquartered?
The group’s head office is in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Kenilworth area, with distribution centres and stores spread across South Africa and several neighbouring countries.
Links
Website: https://www.pnp.co.za
Careers Page: https://picknpay.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/PNP_Careers
LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/company/pick-‘n-pay
Email: Not publicly listed
FAQ
Is Pick n Pay in financial trouble? It reported large losses in FY2024 and FY2025 but has significantly narrowed losses through an active turnaround plan, including the separate listing of its Boxer chain.
Who is the CEO of Pick n Pay? Sean Summers.
What does Pick n Pay do? It operates supermarkets, hypermarkets and the discount Boxer chain across South Africa and several neighbouring countries.
Who owns Pick n Pay? It is publicly listed on the JSE; the Ackerman family has historically held major influence, though James Formby became Chairman in August 2025.
How much revenue does Pick n Pay generate? Approximately $6.12 billion per African Business’s 2025 Top 250 ranking.
Where is Pick n Pay headquartered? Cape Town, South Africa.