In a bid to strengthen and sustain mutually beneficial relationships with its key stakeholders, Retail Supermarkets Nigeria (RSN) Limited, the owners of the supermarket chain, Shoprite Nigeria hosted its first Supplier and Partner Forum on October 14, 2022, at a conference in Lagos.

The conference which hosted over 200 suppliers and partners was conceived on the need to expand partnerships and strengthen Shoprite’s relationship with its suppliers and ultimately boosting the nation’s economy on the retail front.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, RSN, Hubertus Rick, “the gathering presented a platform to engage suppliers and partners and build their understanding of the business goal to serve as a catalyst in the transition from the traditional open market retail trade formats to novel formal retail models in order to develop and promote fair, efficient and competitive markets, aid national development and sustainable economic growth in Nigeria”.

While speaking at the conference, Mr Hubertus, emphasized the role of suppliers and partners in Shoprite’s plans, stating that, “expansion is a core pillar of our growth strategy, and we depend on the support of our suppliers and partners to collaborate to achieve this vision. We need Supplier-Partner collaboration to drive sustainable profitable growth and yield shared value for not just our suppliers but all our other partners.

During the deliberations, the stakeholders pointed out areas of improvement as the management also expressed the need for support from its suppliers to drive sustainable growth.

While speaking at the conference, Tayo Amusan, the Chairman, RSN expressed his optimism on the future of Shoprite, saying, “At RSN, we are confident in delivering high quality products and services that resonate and meet our customers’ needs. As we collaborate with our suppliers to deliver value to customers and expand our local supply network in the retail industry, we will remain focused on embracing sustainable practices in growing the Nigerian economy.”