Shoprite has acquired coffee chain Vida e Caffè as South Africa’s biggest retailer continues to expand into businesses beyond its traditional supermarket operations.
The group announced the acquisition in its financial results for the 2026 financial year.
Vida recently opened its 400th store in Cape Town after growing from a single outlet into an international coffee brand.
Shoprite also announced the acquisition of R&A Cellular, which will become part of its financial services business.
Vida adds new growth platform
Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht described Vida as South Africa’s leading coffee brand and said the business would provide another platform for growth and customer engagement.
Vida operates across several formats, including high-street stores, forecourts, drive-thrus, corporate offices and retail locations.
The company also has a digital offering and sells through delivery platforms Uber Eats and Mr D.
Vida was founded in 2001 and took inspiration from Portuguese street cafés. Its name means “coffee and life” in Portuguese.
Beyond South Africa, the brand has expanded into Ghana, Mauritius, Zambia, Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia and Angola.
Coffee chain expanded through partnerships
Vida has broadened its operations in recent years through acquisitions and partnerships.
It acquired healthy restaurant chain Sweetbeet in 2021, which operates in the Western Cape and Gauteng.
The coffee brand has also partnered with Lift Airline and established coffee bars inside selected SPAR and Exclusive Books stores.
Other formats include food trucks, forecourt outlets, corporate partnerships and drive-thru locations.
Shoprite posts stronger 2026 results
The acquisition comes as Shoprite reported group revenue of R274.8 billion for its 2026 financial year, up 7.1% from R256.6 billion a year earlier.
Headline earnings per share increased by 12.2% to R15.27.
South African supermarket operations generated R228.7 billion in sales, while Checkers recorded 10% sales growth to R105.2 billion.
Checkers Sixty60 delivered one of the group’s strongest performances, with sales increasing by 34.5% to R25.5 billion.
Shoprite employs more than 174,000 people and has also expanded into brands including Petshop Science, Checkers Outdoor, Little Me and Uniq Clothing.