The Foschini Group (TFG): South Africa Retail Profile

Company: Foschini Group

Country: South Africa

Sector: Apparel/Footwear Retail

CEO: Anthony Thunström (Chief Executive Officer, since March 2018)

Website: https://tfglimited.co.za

Careers Page: Not publicly listed

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foschini

Email: Not publicly listed

Headquarters: Cape Town, South Africa

Founded: Not publicly listed

Valuation/Revenue: $2,975.2m revenue; $2,237.6m market value (African Business Top 250, 2025)

The Foschini Group, trading as TFG, is one of South Africa’s largest fashion, homeware and jewellery retailers, operating a portfolio of more than 3,000 stores under brands including Foschini, Markham, Sportscene, Totalsports and Jet, plus international chains Phase Eight and Whistles in the UK. It is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

What Does TFG Do?

TFG sells clothing, footwear, homeware, jewellery and cellular products across a wide portfolio of retail brands spanning value, mid-market and premium price points. Its South African stable includes Foschini, Markham, Sportscene, Totalsports, @home, Fabiani, Exact, Bash, Coricraft and the Jet chain (acquired out of the collapsed Edcon group in 2020-2021), while its international division owns UK fashion brands Phase Eight and Whistles and has a presence in Australia. TFG has also pushed into financial services, embedding TymeBank banking kiosks in hundreds of its stores, and operates its own credit and loyalty programs, which historically have generated a meaningful share of group profit alongside merchandise sales.

How Big Is TFG?

African Business magazine’s 2025 Top 250 ranking put TFG’s revenue at roughly $2.98 billion, with a market value of about $2.24 billion, making it the 55th-largest company in Africa by revenue and one of the continent’s biggest listed retailers. The group operates more than 3,000 stores across South Africa, the rest of Africa, the UK and Australia, and counts local apparel manufacturing as a strategic pillar – producing a large share of its South African-sold clothing domestically to shorten lead times versus imports.

Is TFG Legit?

Yes. TFG is one of the oldest and most established listed retail groups on the JSE, with a multi-decade trading history and a broad, recognisable brand portfolio that most South African shoppers interact with regularly. It reports full financial results to the JSE twice a year and is closely tracked by South African retail analysts and media.

Who Is the CEO of TFG?

Anthony Thunström has been TFG’s Chief Executive Officer since March 2018, having previously served as the group’s Chief Financial Officer. In 2026, TFG’s board cut Thunström’s remuneration significantly – reported by South African financial media as roughly a 59% reduction – following a period of weak share-price performance and soft trading results, a move highlighted by outlets including News24 and The Citizen as an unusually direct board response to underperformance.

Where Is TFG Headquartered?

TFG’s head office is in Cape Town, South Africa, from where it runs its African retail operations, alongside a UK head office supporting Phase Eight and Whistles.

How Do I Apply for a Job at TFG?

TFG advertises store-level and head-office vacancies through its corporate website and via major South African job portals, and the group is one of the country’s largest private-sector retail employers, with tens of thousands of staff across its store network.

What Has TFG Been in the News For Recently?

The most notable recent coverage has centred on executive pay and performance: TFG’s board slashed CEO Anthony Thunström’s compensation in 2026 after the group posted disappointing full-year results and its share price lagged, with staff pay increases of only 2-5% adding to scrutiny of the gap between executive and worker pay. TFG has also continued to face the broader pressures affecting South African discretionary retail – subdued consumer spending, load-shedding-related cost pressures in prior years, and competition from both value retailers and fast-fashion e-commerce entrants.

How Does TFG Compare to Its Competitors?

TFG competes most directly with fellow JSE-listed apparel retailers such as Mr Price Group, Truworths International and Woolworths Holdings’ clothing division, as well as international fast-fashion players expanding into South Africa online. TFG’s diversified brand portfolio, credit and loyalty ecosystem, and international (UK/Australia) exposure differentiate it from more narrowly focused domestic peers.

What Is TFG’s Financial Trend?

TFG’s FY26 results, presented to investors in mid-2026, reflected a difficult trading environment for South African discretionary retail, with the board’s decision to cut CEO pay reflecting broader concerns about sluggish sales growth and margin pressure relative to prior years. The group nonetheless continues to invest in its store fleet, digital retail capabilities, and its TymeBank-in-store banking kiosk rollout – which had reached roughly 600 outlets by 2022 – as a way of driving footfall and diversifying revenue beyond pure merchandise sales. TFG’s UK division (Phase Eight and Whistles) gives it geographic diversification away from a South African consumer environment that has been squeezed by high interest rates, load-shedding-related costs in prior years, and constrained real wage growth.

Links

Website: https://tfglimited.co.za
Careers Page: Not found
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foschini
Email: Not publicly listed

FAQ

Is Foschini and TFG the same company? Yes – Foschini is one of the group’s core store brands, while TFG (The Foschini Group) is the listed parent company that also owns Markham, Sportscene, Totalsports, Jet and others.
Who is the CEO of TFG? Anthony Thunström, CEO since March 2018.
Is TFG publicly traded? Yes, on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Where is TFG headquartered? Cape Town, South Africa.
What brands does TFG own? Foschini, Markham, Sportscene, Totalsports, Jet, @home, Fabiani, Bash, Coricraft, Phase Eight and Whistles, among others.
How much revenue does TFG generate? Roughly $2.98 billion per African Business magazine’s 2025 Top 250 ranking.