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Takealot expands Mr D platform to include pet supplies,

toys

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CEO highlights partnerships with retail brands lacking

logistics

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Mr D aims for 50-50 food and non-food category split

By Nqobile Dludla

JOHANNESBURG, July 18 (Reuters) - South African

e-commerce company Takealot Group is ramping up on-demand

delivery by repurposing its Mr D takeaway food platform to

handle pet supplies, toys and other high-frequency purchase

items in a bid to fend off growing competition.

Mr D, which before the COVID-19 pandemic focused on doorstep

food delivery, has been repositioning itself as a broader

convenience marketplace, a strategy born out of desperation five

years ago when restaurant operations were restricted.

As competition intensifies in the e-commerce sector of

Africa's most developed economy - with the notable arrival of

Amazon ( AMZN ) last year - Mr D is leveraging the shift to

attract more customers and expand its market share.

Takealot Group, which is owned by technology investment

group Naspers, is betting big on Mr D to lead its next

phase of growth as consumers demand more immediacy and

convenience, its chief executive said.

In addition to Amazon ( AMZN ), it is going head-to-head against

other international rivals like Uber Eats and local

players Shoprite, Checkers Sixty60, and Pick n Pay

ASAP!

"Pets is one big category we're going to expand quite

aggressively on. And it's not just pets. It's speciality pet

food delivered on demand," Frederik Zietsman, Takealot Group

CEO, told Reuters in an interview.

Mr D also recently launched a partnership with Toy Kingdom,

activating 24 stores nationally for on-demand delivery.

Zietsman said the company's strategy is to work with

well-known retail brands that lack the logistics and digital

infrastructure to offer their own rapid delivery service.

"We've got a clear vision of what that will be in terms of

what categories come next," he added. "We look at, for example,

is there a play in DIY? Is there a play in pharmacy? Is there a

play in sports or baby? Like, what are those things that you

truly appreciate on demand?"

Food still forms a major part of Mr D's product categories,

but a bulk of that 70% share is composed of groceries delivered

through a partnership with retailer Pick n Pay.

The strategy is to have a 50-50 split between food and other

non-food categories in the next five years, Zietsman said.

($1 = 17.6773 rand)