It’s here to stay

Donald Valoyi, CEO of Zulzi, believes that many South Africans will continue to buy groceries online even after lockdown ends. His app had just over 80,000 users before lockdown.

Since the beginning of April it has signed up 75,000 new users and employed 450 more shoppers and drivers.

“Our top 300 customers spend more than R20,000 a month apiece. Joburg North, Pretoria East and the Atlantic seaboard in Cape Town are some of the leading areas.”

About 70% of its customers are women but Valoyi says more men are now using the service, as are more middle-income earners.

“We see the trend continuing,” says Valoyi. “We will be able to retain customers and grow even more with the money we have just raised, and also unlock the middle- to lower-LSM groups by continuing to work closely with fastmoving consumer goods companies who can offer coupons and free delivery.”