Walmart Opens Debut Store in Africa Ahead Of Black Friday

Walmart, known for its “roll back” prices, has initiated its roll out in Africa. Now, shoppers can venture into the Johannesburg mega-store to get its wide range of products.

The store held its grand opening on Saturday, Nov. 22, allowing patrons in the South African city to get access to international products typically unsold in the region, including the coveted children’s toy Labubus. Others looked to take advantage of Walmart’s low prices, especially ahead of Black Friday.

The South African store is the first of many planned across the country and continent.

“Opening the first Walmart store in South Africa is about much more than a business milestone; it is a commitment to helping customers save money and live better by consistently delivering the lowest total cost for the basket of products they need,” Andrea Albright, executive vice president of Walmart, said in a statement obtained by Reuters.

The store’s opening also brought new jobs to the area, while partnering with several businesses in the community to stock locally-sourced products.

A delivery service also accompanies the launch. “This places it in direct competition with Checkers’ Sixty60 on-demand delivery service owned by South Africa’s largest grocery retailer Shoprite,” Reuters reported.

With Black Friday already expected to provide a boost in profits in the U.S. and abroad, eyes remain on Walmart’s first African location to see how it sales compare on the world’s biggest shopping day.

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