Attacq, the REIT that owns the Mall of Africa, announced that construction is under way on a new Pantry store that will sit on the mall’s street edge. The development is priced at R54.3 million and will provide 1,411 square metres of gross lettable area (GLA, the floor space that can be rented to tenants).
For investors in Attacq, the project is a concrete example of the company’s strategy to keep the Mall of Africa fresh and to drive more visitors onto its streets. The REIT said the store is on track for completion in the third quarter of the 2027 financial year, a claim that has yet to be independently verified.
The Pantry brand, operated by Marble Hospitality Group, markets itself as a luxury convenience store that blends supermarket, deli and coffee-shop elements. Its first outlet opened in Rosebank in 2022 and the concept has grown to three permanent stores and a pop-up in Sandton. Co-founder Gary Kyriacou told Daily Investor that the chain could reach around 30 sites in the next three to four years, but only where the location makes sense.
Why does this matter to a small retailer or an entrepreneur? A street-facing store can increase foot traffic along the mall’s perimeter, creating spill-over for neighbouring shops. In a market where many malls are seeing slower visitor growth, a new anchor that promises late-night operating hours and a mix of ready-made meals, wine and fresh produce could help keep the precinct lively.
Attacq’s 2026 financial results showed mixed performance for the REIT, reflecting broader pressures on South African retail such as higher interest rates and fluctuating consumer confidence. The company’s decision to use existing infrastructure for the Pantry suggests a cost-controlled approach, a point it highlighted in its financial year presentation.
Industry observers note that South Africa’s mall sector has been adapting to changing shopping habits, with more focus on experience-driven concepts. While the Pantry is a niche offering, its emphasis on hospitality and extended hours aligns with the trend of malls becoming lifestyle destinations rather than pure retail hubs.
Attacq said the new store will “activate the centre’s street edge” and improve walkability, a claim that will be tested once the doors open. If successful, the project could set a precedent for other REITs looking to blend retail with hospitality to attract a broader customer base.
For readers interested in the broader retail landscape, the JSE provides regular updates on listed REITs such as Attacq. The original announcement can be read on BusinessTech. More analysis of retail trends is available in the Retail & Consumer section.
Investment of this kind by a REIT into a new tenant fit-out is typically recovered over the life of the lease through rental income, which means the size of the outlay signals how confident the landlord is in both the tenant’s staying power and the mall’s own long-term footfall. Mall of Africa has positioned itself as one of Gauteng’s larger regional malls since opening, competing directly for anchor tenants against several other centres in the same node. Attacq’s own investor disclosures carry further detail on the capital allocated to this store. For related coverage, see this site’s Retail and Consumer coverage.
Pantry-format grocery concepts have grown as a category among South African retailers looking to offer a smaller, more convenient footprint than a full hypermarket while still competing on price against dedicated discount chains, a positioning that depends heavily on being placed in a high-footfall location like an established regional mall.
Landlords generally prefer a tenant mix that blends a small number of larger anchor stores with a wide spread of smaller specialty retailers, since the arrangement spreads vacancy risk across many leases rather than concentrating it in one or two large, harder-to-replace tenants.
