Fynd Enters South Africa, Bringing AI-Powered Unified Commerce to Luxury Retail
Fynd, an AI-native retail technology platform backed by Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, has officially expanded into South Africa, marking its entry into the African market. The company has onboarded Surtee Group, one of the country’s most established luxury and fashion retailers, as its first strategic customer — a move that signals a turning point as legacy African retailers accelerate their digital transformation.
Fynd’s expansion comes at a critical moment for South African retail. The country’s e-commerce market is projected to exceed R130 billion ($7.48 billion) in 2025, accounting for nearly 10% of total retail sales — a fourfold increase since 2020. With digital adoption accelerating, retailers are increasingly turning to AI-driven and unified commerce platforms to meet rising consumer expectations.
South Africa is expected to reach 11.7 million e-commerce users in 2025, with that number forecast to grow to 21.5 million by 2029, driven by expanding internet access, mobile-first shopping behaviour, and growing trust in online platforms. In response, businesses are investing in technologies that enable personalisation, agility, and operational efficiency. Fynd’s scalable, AI-native commerce stack is designed to support this shift by unifying fragmented retail systems across channels.
“South Africa’s retail ecosystem is evolving rapidly,” said Ronak Modi, Chief Business Officer – Global at Fynd. “Consumers now expect seamless, personalised experiences across every touchpoint. Retailers need intelligent, flexible infrastructure to keep pace. Our platform helps unify disconnected systems, accelerate fulfilment, and enhance customer engagement — without adding operational complexity.”
South Africa also represents a strategic addition to Fynd’s global footprint. “The market is digitally ambitious, brand-driven, and ready for intelligent commerce infrastructure,” Modi added. “Our focus is on helping retailers break down silos, personalise engagement, and scale omnichannel operations efficiently.”
Surtee Group operates 94 luxury boutiques and two e-commerce platforms, including multi-brand stores such as Levisons and mono-brand boutiques representing globally renowned labels including Giorgio Armani, Michael Kors, Lacoste, Hugo Boss, Versace, TOD’S, Salvatore Ferragamo, Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Coach, and Emporio Armani, among others. The Group will deploy Fynd’s unified commerce stack — including Storefronts, Order Management System (OMS), Warehouse Management System (WMS), and Clienteling tools — to connect in-store and online operations, improve inventory visibility, and launch brand-specific e-commerce storefronts across its portfolio.
While online retail continues to grow, physical stores still account for the majority of retail revenue in South Africa. Fynd will enable Surtee Group to bring offline inventory online, activate ship-from-store capabilities, and improve margins and sell-through rates. Clienteling tools will further empower in-store teams to deliver personalised recommendations and seamless omnichannel experiences, driving incremental sales and stronger customer relationships.
Fynd’s AI-native platform supports real-time inventory visibility, dark store orchestration, intelligent fulfilment, and customer engagement within a single, scalable solution — addressing the operational complexity faced by modern retailers.
As part of its digital transformation strategy, Surtee Group aims to strengthen its leadership in luxury and fashion retail while expanding its e-commerce presence and improving omnichannel agility.
“We were looking for a partner that understands both the technical and strategic dimensions of unified commerce,” said a Surtee Group spokesperson. “Fynd stood out for its proven scalability, consultative approach, and deep experience working with global fashion brands that align closely with our portfolio. Their unified platform allows us to modernise operations while delivering a connected, brand-first customer experience.”
Having already scaled across India, the GCC, and Southeast Asia, Fynd now adds Africa to its growing regional presence. With Surtee Group leading the way, the company is well positioned to support the adoption of unified commerce across South Africa’s expanding digital retail economy.
About Fynd
Fynd is an AI-native retail technology company headquartered in Mumbai, India. Serving more than 20,000 stores and 300+ enterprise retailers, Fynd offers a modular commerce platform that unifies in-store, online, and logistics operations. Backed by Reliance Retail Ventures Limited, the company is expanding across the GCC, Africa, and Southeast Asia to power next-generation retail experiences.
