What does success mean in the South African software industry in 2025? For some, it’s about scaling fast, diversifying portfolios or attracting the right investors. For others, it’s measured in headlines and valuation multiples.
However, for redPanda Software, success is defined by specialisation and building a culture where customer trust is the ultimate currency.
The Cape Town-based software company, already a trusted partner to some of South Africa’s largest retailers, has shown 30% growth in 2025. It is a headline number, but MD Gerhard Nortje is quick to move the conversation away from percentages.
“Growth is an outcome,” he says. “The real story is the flywheel effect where focus creates expertise, expertise breeds trust, trust generates growth and growth allows us to deepen our expertise even more.”
Customised solutions for South Africa’s retailers
It’s a simple formula, but in a software market where diversification is often seen as a hedge against uncertainty, redPanda Software is determined to remain focused on providing solutions customised to meet the needs of the retail sector. It’s a choice that has allowed the company to build a moat.
“We speak the language of retailers with an authority generalists can’t match,” says Nortje. “Our teams understand the necessities and complexities of point-of-sale software and loyalty platforms, and the everyday headaches that come with running a supermarket, clothing chain or pharmacy group. It’s an intimacy of knowledge that creates trust.”
Fierce independence is another part of the redPanda Software success story. Many technology firms align themselves tightly with global vendors, which, on the upside, results in a predictable deal flow, but on the downside, means advice is rarely neutral.
Maintaining independence has allowed redPanda Software to evaluate solutions based on their merit instead of on margins, which is often lost in the vendor-partner ecosystem.
It’s also one of the reasons why one of South Africa’s most prominent retailers opted to collaborate with redPanda Software in running its market assessments, trusting the company to evaluate the market on its behalf. This level of trust is rare and proof that independence and integrity matter more than logos and promises.
Another overused word in tech is culture. However, redPanda Software believes it can be a genuine differentiator. The company’s growth has created obvious pressure to expand its headcount and yet its approach is to deliberately avoid chasing numbers. Culture is only found when leadership treats recruitment as a filter for values and skills, because then the people who join the company are the right fit.
Becoming a trusted partner
One of the more telling markers of this approach is the number of people who return after leaving. In the past year, 20% of the people recruited are former employees who have rejoined redPanda Software after spending time at other firms, which, in an industry where attrition is the norm, is a phenomenon worth noting. It suggests something deeper than perks or flexible hours. It’s a reminder that retention isn’t exclusively about competitive salaries or hybrid policies, but that people believe in the underlying purpose of the company.
The other point of distinction is the redPanda Software technology strategy, which moves away from hype and instead is more pragmatic. Teams need an in-depth understanding of legacy systems alongside insights into innovations that have the potential to define the next phase of customer experiences. It’s a duality approach that means the company is always aware of the potential in technology without losing sight of the core tech that forms the foundation of the retail sector.
These choices combine to create a different definition of success. Headcounts, milestones, next -generation technology – these are important to the longevity of the business, but they are balanced by the slower, harder-to-quantify assets like trust, resilience and independence.
“We are making the case that discipline and focus are just as powerful as scale at all costs,” concludes Nortje. “Our real story is how we hold firm to principles that may not make the pitch deck but do make us a trusted partner to our customers.”
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