A vision to marry a trading store specialising in items of cultural significance with the convenience of a modern supermarket has earnt a Qonce retail outlet national acclaim.

A mere two-and-a-half years after opening its doors under SPAR South Africa’s discount brand, SaveMor Kwa Kokoyi has been named the best in the country in the category.

It is another feather in the cap of owner Kriton Efstratiou, who received the Group’s national retailer of the year award in 2024.

Before its transformation into a SaveMor, Kwa Kokoyi had served the local Xhosa community for more than 50 years as a traditional and cultural supply store.

It stocked items for initiation ceremonies such as blankets, beads, whistles and a variety of other accessories associated with the Xhosa rite known as ulwaluko.

When former owner Errol Durrheim took over, he continued on this path, stocking items like cattle whips, beer powder, brewer’s yeast and malt for the brewing of umqombothi.

There was also a limited grocery and hardware line.

This legacy continued under the next owner, Efstratiou himself, albeit with a modern twist.

A butchery, hardware section, refrigeration and full grocery offering – the latter to cater to those travelling home from the nearby taxi rank – were added.

In addition, old racking and shelving were replaced and lighting improved.

This heritage slash modern brand has made Kwa Kokoyi a vital part of the community. The initiation-readiness offering was also taken a step further.

Efstratiou and his team developed an umgidi card to promote saving for the traditional homecoming ceremony. It is used to buy food at the store or liquor from any of his three TOPS at SPARs in the town.

As SPAR is rolling out traditional African décor to its SaveMors, he is happy to play his part in developing a format for the future.

He emphasises that the cultural roots within the Eastern Cape will never disappear.

“You’ve got civil servants working in Bhisho but they still go home to their villages, their children still undergo initiation rites and they still celebrate their ancestors.”

Efstratiou is particularly proud of having evolved a traditional concept store into a new-age format while respecting Xhosa customs.

“I’m determined to keep that cultural aspect visible because it’s our community’s heritage,” he said.

SPAR EC retail operations executive Cecil Halse said the owner was one of the most forward-thinking, community-driven retailers around.

According to him, the businessman understands his customers’ needs better than most and never misses an opportunity to engage with them.

“It’s a huge achievement for Kwa Kokoyi to be recognised nationally, especially since it is in such a small town,” Halse said.

“We are super privileged to have Kriton as part of our retail fraternity. The way he puts our brand on the map is incredible. He is an asset in every way.”

Whatsapp