We Need Milk Launches "Pre-Shop" Price Navigator as SA Digital Retail Surges Toward R130bn

Cape Town, South Africa – 22 January 2026:  A groundbreaking online grocery comparison app, We Need Milk Technologies (“We Need Milk”), has officially launched its pilot phase in South Africa, introducing a first-of-its-kind grocery planning and price-comparison engine. A fresh concept, founded in the Netherlands and built locally, the platform brings a simple promise to shoppers: It solves "Basket Blindness" by allowing shoppers to see a single, side-by-side view of grocery prices across major supermarkets before they spend a cent.

As online retail in South Africa accelerated toward R130 billion at end-2025 (from about R96 billion in 2024), representing approximately 10% of all retail spend, We Need Milk enters the market at a moment of structural change. (Mastercard | Engineering News | World Wide Worx | IT-Online)

Solving the "Basket Blindness" Problem

In its current pilot phase, We Need Milk functions as a high-powered planning engine. Instead of toggling between multiple retail apps, users can build entire shopping lists and compare the total basket  cost across participating retailers instantly.

"We built We Need Milk to restore clarity to grocery shopping," says Arjan van den Berg, Co-Founder & CEO. "Right now, we are focusing on the 'Pre-Shop'- helping users plan, compare prices, and check nutrition. It’s about empowering the consumer with transparency  and data before they reach the checkout."

Why it matters (for the public)

With food inflation remaining a primary concern for South African households, "smart planning" has moved from a luxury to a necessity. We Need Milk provides:

“Choose and Compare” - all in one place: The new app offers a comprehensive, personalised grocery experience. Users compare online supermarkets for the best deals and tailor lists by price, availability, health, sustainability, and personal loyalty discounts. The next phase will include Checkout with the preferred retailer, who will fulfil the order through their existing infrastructure.True basket transparency that helps stretch rands: Shoppers can compare their entire basket across major online supermarkets in a single view, including promotions and loyalty savings - helping households stretch their rands further and offering relief in a cash-strapped environment. Globally, third-party delivery platforms often charge higher product prices than in-store; transparent comparisons help consumers avoid hidden mark-ups. (The Guardian)Healthier, more personal shopping: Lets users tailor results to dietary requirements (e.g., low-sugar, gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan) and wellness goals, with AI-powered nutrition data enriching comparisons - so families can pick the retailer that best matches their health, budget, and brand preferences.Accessible tech for all: Built for South African reality, the app is optimized for performance in low-data environments.

Why now: the market is ready

South Africa’s online retail sector is undergoing a structural shift — it grew by ~35% in 2024 to about R96 billion (≈ 8% of retail) and is projected to exceed R130 billion in 2025 (~10% of retail), with on-demand grocery a key growth engine. (World Wide Worx)

On the supply side, Checkers Sixty60 has reported rapid scaling - ~48% year-on-year revenue growth to R18.9 billion and 27% growth in active digital customers - underscoring local appetite for digital grocery. We Need Milk enables that momentum by sending incremental baskets to retailers through transparent discovery, rather than competing with them. (TechCentral)

How the Pilot WorksWhile direct "Add to Cart" functionality is in development for a future update, the pilot focuses on the three pillars of informed shopping:

Plan: Build a digital shopping list or meal plan.Compare: View which retailer offers the best value for that specific list.*Shop: Use the optimized list to shop with confidence, knowing you’ve secured the best price and nutritional match. *Coming soon

Availability

The We Need Milk pilot is available now for download on Android and iOS, as well as via web browser at www.weneedmilk.com. “While the pilot version focuses on planning, ‘*Add to Cart’ and direct retailer integration functionality is currently in development and will be rolled out in future updates,” concludes van den Berg.

//ENDS//

About We Need Milk

We Need Milk Technologies is a Netherlands-founded, South Africa-built grocery comparison platform that lets consumers compare full baskets across multiple online supermarkets in one app, filter by dietary/health needs, and check out with their chosen retailer.Mission: To make grocery shopping transparent, personal, and effortless - while giving retailers a partner channel to reach high-intent customers.Website: www.weneedmilk.com

Notes & Sources 

Mastercard Newsroom (Sept 2025): South Africa’s Online Retail Set to Surpass R130 Billion in 2025Engineering News (Sept 2025): South Africa's online retail sales set to exceed R130bn this yearWorld Wide Worx (2025):  Online Retail in South Africa 2025 (with Mastercard, Peach Payments & Ask Afrika): online turnover expected to exceed R130 bn in 2025 (~10% of total retail)IT-Online (Sept 2025): Rampant online retail set to hit R130bn The Guardian (October 2025):  Groceries via delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Milkrun can be up to 39% more expensiveTech Central (October 2025):  Sixty60 smashes 100 million orders