Following a major boost from the Transform partnership - a joint initiative between Unilever, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and EY - Smartfill is rapidly scaling its township refill footprint focusing on Thembisa (Gauteng) and Mtendere (Lusaka, Zambia).
“We believe affordability is the bridge to sustainability,” says Nevo Hadas, CEO of Smartfill. “In emerging markets, your product’s price point determines its accessibility. By eliminating unnecessary packaging and breaking bulk safely, we’re giving brands a way to compete where it counts: in neighbourhoods where consumers shop daily and cash flow matters.”
Townships account for over 30% of South Africa’s basic retail market. Yet brands continue to miss out on this massive opportunity because of traditional price-packaging and distribution constraints. Smartfill’s flips this model by offering products in precise quantities by weight or by value through powerfully branded digitally enabled dispensers, helping brands engage price-sensitive consumers without compromising on margin. Brands get to place themselves in prominent positions in the stores driving trials and promoting larger purchases. Pilots have shown 2x volume increases for participating brands and hundreds of monthly sales.
Today packaging and logistics costs restrict consumer choice and push prices higher. By removing packaging, Smartfill not only lowers environmental impact but makes everyday essentials significantly more affordable.
"Affordability isn't just a nice-to-have, it’s how people manage their cash flow every day," says Hadas. "Smartfill gives brands a way to serve these customers profitably while reducing waste. It's a win-win for business and for the planet."
Smartfill’s success isn't just with large brands like Unilever. With snack brand, ‘Big Nuts’, the model also works: Big Nuts now supplies peanuts through Smartfill dispensers into spaza shops, growing their sales volume 500% in just 3 months. The price point and flexible serving sizes have been a runaway hit with the spaza consumers.
But Smartfill is more than just a smart dispenser. It’s a full-service platform that handles logistics, stock tracking, and customer engagement. Local ambassadors drive adoption and consumer education, helping brands gain traction fast in communities they might otherwise struggle to reach.
With existing infrastructure, Transform funding, and Smartfill awareness in Thembisa already in place, partners joining now can:
- Leverage existing infrastructure and brand affinity in Thembisa and Lusaka.
- Tap into early deployment insights and real sales data.
- Expand into underserved markets with minimal onboarding friction.
Products currently available through Smartfill include rice, maize meal, oats, peanuts, cooking oil, washing powder and dishwashing liquid.
Smartfill is actively onboarding brands ready to engage township consumers with this affordable format, offering an advantage through circular innovation. "If your product fits the township market - and you’re ready to rethink pricing, packaging, and distribution - let’s talk," says Hadas.
Interested partners can find out more about Smartfill via www.smartfill.store or leave your details here (https://smartfill.store/bring-your-brand-to-the-township-refill-revolution/ ) and someone from our team will contact you.
