Mr D has announced a strategic partnership with Absolute Pets, bringing South Africa’s leading specialist pet retailer onto the Mr D Shops platform and further accelerating the company’s expansion beyond food delivery into a multi-category on-demand retail ecosystem.
What began as a restaurant delivery platform has steadily evolved into a broader convenience marketplace, now spanning groceries and a rapidly growing Shops category. Today, Mr D supports 1,492 active shops nationally, with customers increasingly using the platform to shop across multiple categories, including pet care products, toys, stationery, beauty items, snacks and beverages.
The Shops vertical is anchored by several high-profile retail partners, including TakealotNOW, Toy Kingdom and Nespresso, reinforcing the platform’s credibility as a scalable retail channel rather than a single category delivery service.
Absolute Pets, established in 2005 and operating 200 stores nationally, will see 197 stores serviced by Mr D at launch, delivering near national coverage from day one. The brand is recognised for its specialist expertise, premium product range and strong emotional connection with pet owners.
Crucially, the range of Absolute Pets products available on Mr D will be offered at in-store pricing, positioning the platform as a credible everyday retail destination rather than a premium or emergency-only channel. This removes price friction for customers and supports higher frequency purchasing behaviour across the category.
Alex Wörz, CEO of Mr D, says the partnership reflects the company’s long-term ambition to become embedded in consumers’ daily lives.
“Mr D has evolved from a food delivery business into a broader convenience platform built around meaningful partnerships,” says Wörz. “Absolute Pets is one of the most loved brands in a highly emotional category, and bringing them onto the platform strengthens our ecosystem while unlocking a significant growth opportunity. Our ambition is to make everyday life easier through relevant, hyperlocal convenience, and expanding into pet care is a natural next step in that journey.”
Wörz adds that the scale of the Shops marketplace is creating a meaningful growth engine for the business.
“As more customers use Mr D for multiple categories beyond food, we see higher engagement, stronger frequency and deeper platform loyalty. Expanding our retail footprint allows us to capture a greater share of everyday spend while continuing to support local and national retail partners.”
Through this partnership, customers will be able to access Absolute Pets’ full in-store assortment on demand, including premium and vet-recommended pet food brands such as Lokuno, Royal Canin, Canagan, Acana, Montego, Ultra Pet and more, alongside expanded categories including wellness, grooming, toys, accessories and travel essentials.
The partnership aligns with Mr D’s broader strategy of building a dense network of trusted retail partners in hyperlocal markets, enabling customers to fulfil more of their everyday needs through a single platform while unlocking incremental growth opportunities for partners.
Lee Anne Trower, Head of Retail at Mr D, says: “The pet care category continues to show strong growth, and customers are looking for effortless convenience from brands they already trust. Partnering with Absolute Pets allows us to bring a wider, higher-quality specialist range onto the platform, all in one simple and reliable experience. Importantly, offering the range at in-store pricing makes Mr D a viable everyday shopping destination for pet owners.”
The launch supports Mr D’s broader retail expansion roadmap, which continues to prioritise unlocking new everyday categories, increasing platform relevance beyond food and groceries, and driving higher-frequency usage across its growing customer base.
As consumer behaviour continues to shift toward quick commerce and multi-category convenience, the Absolute Pets partnership positions Mr D to scale its retail ecosystem, deepen customer lifetime value and strengthen its long-term growth trajectory.
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Author: NICOLE Felix from aHead Marketing on behalf of Mr D.
MANGO-OMC: MANGO-OMC, a branding firm, is located in Cape Town, South Africa. They specialize in Branding and Content
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