MASSMART on Wednesday opened the doors to three George pop-up stores.
The famous British brand George is the fashion division of ASDA, Britain’s second-largest supermarket chain and part of the Walmart family.
Massmart CEO Grant Pattison said the launch was a good initiative that provided an example of how access to Walmart intellectual property had enabled Massmart to rapidly and cost-effectively identify a compelling clothing proposition from a pre-selected range.
"Part of being in the Walmart family means we can try new things with lower exposure to risk. Our customers have also called for a total shop — one store that offers everything — and this provided the perfect opportunity to do this.
"This is a proven, good quality and affordable brand that benefits from the input and expertise of buyers with extensive experience in clothing. Access to this expertise makes it easier to develop a competitive local offering," Mr Pattison said.
The temporary pop-up shops, which will run for up to three months or until stocks last, have been set up at Cresta Shopping Centre in Johannesburg, Galleria Shopping Mall in Amanzimtoti and Cape Gate Shopping Centre in Cape Town. They will showcase a limited range of clothing from George.
From the end of November, George baby clothes and George essentials (socks and underwear) will be available at Game, while Makro will stock the babywear.
Over the past two decades, George had developed into a household name in the UK, George brand development director Keren Long said.
The brand sells more children’s clothing by volume than any other retailer in the UK.
Walmart also sells the George brand in Argentina, Canada, China, India, Japan, Mexico, and the US.
The label is named after George Davies, founder and original chief designer of multinational clothing, footwear and home products retailer Next.
Massmart will approach the continued roll-out based on the success of the range, the company said.
