SOUTH AFRICAN INDEX
THE PEOPLE SHAPING SOUTH AFRICA
Menu
Retail · Fashion and lifestyle retail

Country Road Group

Australasian fashion and lifestyle group that Woolworths Holdings fully acquired in September 2014 after an earlier controlling investment.

Published · Last reviewed

Country Road Group is an Australasian fashion and lifestyle business. Woolworths Holdings owns the company in full. [2][3]

History

Country Road began in 1974. WHL dates its controlling investment to 1997, while Country Road Group’s history gives 1998. [1][3]

Woolworths acquired the remaining interests on 2 September 2014. Country Road then became wholly owned and was delisted. [2]

Frequently asked questions

Does Woolworths own Country Road Group?

Yes. WHL acquired the remaining interests on 2 September 2014, making Country Road wholly owned. [2]

When did Woolworths first control Country Road?

WHL says 1997, while Country Road Group’s own history gives 1998. Both official dates are recorded. [1][3]

Key milestones

  1. Country Road began operations. [3]

  2. Witchery and Mimco joined the group. [3]

  3. Woolworths acquired the remaining interests. [2]

Related articles

Related institutions

  • Woolworths Holdings — JSE-listed South African investment holding company with Woolworths South Africa and Country Road Group as its two operating divisions.
  • David Jones — Australian department-store business acquired by Woolworths Holdings in 2014 and sold in full in March 2023.

Sources

  1. Woolworths Holdings, Our history. Original source. Accessed 2026-10-22. ↩
  2. Woolworths Holdings, Information statement: group history, structure and Woolworths Financial Services arrangements, 2025-11-28. Original source. Accessed 2026-10-22. ↩
  3. Country Road Group, Our history. Original source. Accessed 2026-10-22. ↩