Following the successful introduction of GK OmniPOS in its vast store network in South Africa in record time in 2024, the Shoprite Group succeeded in seamlessly migrating its international store network to its new POS software in 2025. In just eight months, Africa’s largest retail company was able to implement the solution from Fujitsu-owned specialist GK in five additional countries: Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Angola and Eswatini.
“The pace of implementation was extremely ambitious, but thanks to the strong commitment and team spirit of the business and technical teams, we managed it together with GK,” says Chris Shortt, CTO of the Shoprite Group. In addition to GK and the retail company’s internal team, BCX and Tradelink were also involved in the implementation. The partners had developed a script in advance for the rollout, a so-called cookie cutter, without deviating from it. Overall, the rollout went extremely smoothly and without any unplanned interruptions to business operations.
Despite the challenges posed by the increasing and often complex fiscalisation requirements of some southern African countries, the implementation teams remained on schedule: After completing the first four launches outside South Africa in July 2025, they were able to successfully complete the rollout in Angola just three months later – including the necessary fiscalisation.
Thorough testing of each country version in the sandbox
Each country version was provided by GK’s internationalisation team as a sandbox, which enabled a comprehensive testing phase before the first cash register in a country was converted to the new solution. Even during the international rollout of the new POS software, the training of around 4,000 employees in stores outside South Africa went smoothly – thanks to a sophisticated plan with three training levels.
In the first phase, e-learning materials were made available directly in the stores. In good time before the changeover, face-to-face training sessions were held with in-depth instructions and practical demonstrations. Two weeks before go-live, one of the store’s cash registers was converted to GK OmniPOS to enable sales staff to be trained directly at the checkout.
Changeover without disrupting operations
“As Africa’s largest retail company, it was crucial to ensure that the changeover of the POS systems did not disrupt the operating model in any of our business areas. At the same time, we had to comply with the regulations of the respective tax authorities,” reports Chris Shortt: “GK enabled a seamless rollout, taking these complexities into account and helping to lay the foundations for the group’s continued success at a time of rapid economic development.”
Standardised interfaces and rapid implementation ensured minimal disruption to operations and maximum flexibility for expanding omnichannel activities or country-specific features in the future. In addition, GK OmniPOS lays the foundation for data-driven business decisions by providing real-time sales data and enabling accurate management of product and customer information.
POS data in near real time
GK OmniPOS facilitates the daily work of Shoprite Group employees on the sales floor with a user-friendly, colour-coded interface on large screens. Improved cash management ensures greater financial transparency and boosts staff confidence.
The integration of near real-time sales data into SAP CAR enables the Shoprite Group to optimise processes in its sales outlets, improve shelf availability and enhance digital interaction with customers.
