NINETY years ago – a man was born who would change the face of South African retail. One of South Africa’s most respected and honoured businessmen, Raymond Ackerman – Pick n Pay’s founder – is most admired for always putting the consumer first and is well known for his philanthropy.
In honour of this special milestone, local Pick n Pay stores in the Eastern Cape delivered cakes to residents at various old age homes in the region in celebration of Ackerman’s 90th birthday. The store managers personally delivered the cakes to each old age home, helping provide smiles to over 500 residents at these homes.
The homes included Ekuphumleni Home, Bethelsdorp Old Age Home, Gelvan Park Old Age Home, Cheshire Home, Huis Genot Tehuis vir Bejaardes, Rosa Munch House and ACVV Aandmymering in Uitenhage.
Ackerman’s ‘doing good, is good business’ philosophy was cultivated while studying commerce at university. Ackerman says, “We were taught that if you want to make money quickly, you won’t help society, you’ll just make money quickly. But if you care for society, people will value you.” This shaped the way he’d go on to run Pick n Pay in the coming years and how the business continues to be run to this day.
