As rivals shift upmarket, Woolworths is changing what its stores look and feel like - IOL
Woolworths is changing the way its stores look and feel, with more services, specialist food counters and customer experiences.
With rivals such as Checkers heating up competition in the premium grocery market, Woolworths Holdings is stepping up its in-store offering with a new generation of stores that combine specialist food counters with services ranging from beauty treatments to tailoring.
Woolworths says it is rolling out a new generation of stores that aims to put greater emphasis on experiences and services, from beauty treatments and tailoring to expanded food counters, fresh bakery products and recipe tastings.
The format, which was first introduced at the retailer’s Tygervalley store in Cape Town last year, brings food, fashion, beauty and home together in a single full-line format.
Among the changes are complimentary tailoring for garments bought in-store, bra measuring and fitting, denim lasering on RE: denim purchases and gift wrapping.
Specialist food counters will become a more common sight at Woolies stores.
Some of the most noticeable changes take place in the Food division.
For instance, at the Tygervalley branch, Woolworths introduced a “What’s Cooking” bar where shoppers can sample products featured in its Taste recipes and get recipe inspiration.
What’s more, the bakery has been expanded to offer a wider selection of artisanal breads and pastries baked fresh daily, while the butchery, speciality cheese and fishmonger counters have been upgraded, with product selections informed by on-site experts.
The Global Pantry has also been reorganised around international cuisines, including Italian and Mexican.
The first Gauteng Food Emporium at Dainfern Square takes this concept even further, with an expanded bakery offering freshly baked artisanal breads and pastries, as well as dedicated fishmonger and butcher counters staffed by knowledgeable employees. The store also boasts a specialist cheese counter, along with a sushi counter that prepares fresh sushi daily and an elevated pantry with a wider selection of local and international products.
But it’s not only about the food. Woolworths says its Beauty division has been reworked to include beauty treatments, as well as complimentary hair and skin analysis consultations with personalised product recommendations.
Specialist food counters, beauty treatments and tailoring are among the changes coming to Woolworths stores.
Sustainability is a priority too. For instance, the Tygervalley branch has been designed with sustainability considerations, and Woolworths describes it as its greenest full-line store to date. Most of its shop fittings use responsibly sourced timber and locally produced boards, with materials selected for their potential to be reused or recycled.
All of the above-mentioned changes form part of the retailer’s broader strategy to evolve its store formats around changing customer needs and its focus on customer experience.
The retailer said the Tygervalley store was the first full-line expression of the next-generation format, and that it intends to roll out the concept further.
Woolworths Holdings reportedly spent R2.4 billion on capital expenditure in its 2026 financial year, with growth projects forming a major part of that investment. The company has also identified accelerated next-generation store openings among its investment opportunities.
The new format comes as the retailer continues to expand its Food and Beauty businesses. Food turnover and concession sales increased by 5.7% in the year to June 2026, while Beauty sales increased by 7.9%. Online sales accounted for 7.3% of South African Food sales.
