Our History

March 2000

UMS commences trading
October 2001

9 employees, one office, one member
May 2006

UMS management buy-out. Consortium of members and other shareholders
September 2011

UMS celebrates 10-year anniversary; a decade of growth and success
October 2011

90 employees; 3 Divisions plus Head Office; 100 members across 4 countries. Over 300 listed suppliers
March 2012

UMS Academy is launched
September 2012

UMS private label brand UNITY is launched
October 2012

UMS/IGA partnership is announced
February 2014

UMS Africa Division is launched
April 2015

100 employees; 102 members; 235 member outlets
October 2015

UMS Eastern Cape is launched
July 2015

Best Buy Foods model is launched
June 2016

112 employees; 275 member outlets; 4 Divisions plus Head Office; 106 members
September 2016

15-year anniversary. UMS partners with major independents to form one power group
October 2017

Sefalana Holdings invests into UMS consortium
December 2017

UMS announces formation of Unitrade Investment Holdings (UIH), comprising two operating entities: Unitrade Management Services (UMS) and Consolidated Store Holdings (CSH)
December 2019

Bigger and better! Unitrade Management Services (UMS) and Consolidated Store Holdings (CSH) move into their new home at the UIH Building, situated at 5 Handel Road, Ormonde, Johannesburg.

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March 2000