As the consumer market begins to trend more towards value for money over brand or company loyalty, the business of commercial buying and selling can become hazardous for any retailer. However, J & E Cash and Carry in Pretoria are a quintessential example of a company that are diligently working to not only secure their own future, but the future of their dedicated customers too.
Having reached its 70thyear in business, J & E Cash and Carry is one of South Africa’s oldest wholesalers. A family run legacy, it is currently the fourth generation of the Joosubs at the helm, doing all they can to preserve and continue the excellent service and reputation of the company.
J & E as it exists today is a far cry from its humble beginnings back in 1945. Once a conventional wholesaler run by an entrepreneurial father and son, over the years the company has transformed into a multi-locational, internationally recognised supplier of wholesale goods.
Specialising in stock holding, delivery and export, J & E proffer a vast range of wares including locally sourced groceries, home and electricals, health and beauty, stationary and hardware. Evidently, with such diverse stock the company ensure that they maximise all potential revenue flows, but much of their reputation also lies in the fact that they are solely dedicated to trade business only.
With a complete focus on customer care and retained loyalty, J&E operate under the motto ‘we will not compete against our own customers’. The company eschews selling directly to the consumer marketplace in order to ensure that their commercial customers receive the best prices and are able to go on to make profits of their own. This in turn has enabled J & E to forge strong, prolonged relationships with their client base and guarantee the repeat business which is essential to the company and their reputation.
Similarly, J & E are well known for being leading suppliers of branded goods. For instance, in 2011 they became the key distributors to Unilever SA, even having to purchase second premises in Hermanstad to run operations. As such, their customers have peace of mind that they will be able to resell quality household names affordably.
The success of the company is evident by the fact that in 2012, they undertook a massive operation to upgrade and increase their shelving capacity and also invested in more forklifts and trucks. Accordingly, more stock can be held for longer and with less potential to be damaged and efficiency in distribution has been increased. As such J&E are easily able to cope with the demand of the South African customers, but have also been able to extrapolate business to the international marketplace, exporting to Africa, Asia, Europe and The Middle East.
In such a competitive marketplace, J&E are evidently playing their part to ensure that their customers are able to both receive and offer value for money and reliable service. Such is the reputation of the company that it is no wonder that they are being recognised and appreciated on an international level and will undoubtedly continue to do so for many more years.