• Fynd, an Indian retail-tech company, has expanded into South Africa, with luxury fashion retailer Surtee Group as its first African customer.

• Surtee Group will use Fynd’s unified commerce stack to link in-store and online operations, improve inventory visibility, and run brand-specific e-commerce sites.

• The partnership positions both companies to tap into South Africa’s fast-growing digital retail market as legacy brands accelerate technology adoption.

Fynd, an Indian retail-tech company, has announced its expansion into South Africa. The company revealed on December 15 that luxury fashion retailer Surtee Group will be its first customer on the African continent.

Fynd CEO Modi stated, "South Africa is an exciting addition to our global footprint. The market is digitally ambitious, brand-forward, and ready for intelligent commerce infrastructure. Our goal is to help local retailers unify siloed systems, personalise engagement, and accelerate fulfilment without adding complexity."

Surtee Group will deploy Fynd's unified commerce stack, including Storefronts, Order Management System (OMS), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and Clienteling tools. These systems aim to integrate in-store and online operations, improve inventory visibility, and support brand-specific e-commerce sites across Surtee's portfolio.

Fynd's partnership with Surtee Group positions the company as a new entrant in an increasingly competitive market. South Africa's e-commerce market reached $38.51 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow to $61.48 billion by 2030 at a 9.81% CAGR, per Mordor Intelligence, fueled by higher internet penetration and mobile shopping. Amazon.co.za launched in May 2024 with an initial catalogue before expanding into groceries, pet food, and health supplements. Shein and Temu recorded R7.3 billion (≈$434 million) in combined turnover in 2023-2024, capturing nearly 40% of online clothing sales. Since the launch of Temu's "Shop like a Billionaire" app in early 2024, it has surpassed even the most established apps, such as WhatsApp and Facebook, in downloads, reports reveal.

Technology infrastructure providers are also investing heavily. Dell Technologies and Intel are actively working with South African retailers to implement AI-enabled solutions, loss-prevention capabilities, and edge-computing platforms.

The partnership positions both companies to capitalise on South Africa's rapidly expanding digital retail ecosystem, as legacy brands embrace technological transformation to meet evolving consumer demands.

Hikmatu Bilali