Unlocking Market Access for Local Producers
At First Business South Africa (FBSA), our Retailer Localisation Programme is transforming the way local producers engage with formal markets. Designed to address the barriers faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the programme focuses on helping them meet the stringent requirements of national retailers, food service providers, hospitality industries, and institutional buyers.
Through our FMCG Supplier Development Initiative (SDI) and provincial localisation strategies, we currently support over 200 MSMEs to become retail-ready. This includes ensuring production supply consistency, compliance with regulations, proper packaging, logistics support, and branding development.
What sets this programme apart is its end-to-end approach. FBSA offers equipment funding, branding and marketing assistance, logistics enablement, and formal onboarding into established supply chains — all anchored by real market demand. From rural farms and township workshops to the shelves of South Africa’s biggest supermarket chains, we ensure that local products have a fighting chance in a highly competitive retail environment.
By localising production and enabling market access, the Retailer Localisation Programme boosts local sales, creates jobs, and significantly reduces import dependency — helping build a resilient, inclusive FMCG economy rooted in local ownership and community upliftment.
