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Max Sonnenberg

Retail founder

By South African Index Editorial Desk · Published · Last reviewed

Woolworths store in Johannesburg, representing the retail business founded by Max Sonnenberg
A modern Woolworths store. No verified reusable portrait of Max Sonnenberg was used.: Nick-D / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP for this site.

Max Sonnenberg founded Woolworths in Cape Town in 1931. The company’s official history links him to the start of its South African retail business. [1]

Biography

Woolworths identifies Sonnenberg as its founder. It dates the first Cape Town store to 1931, before the business expanded to other South African cities. [1][2]

A Durban branch followed three years later. Woolworths then expanded to Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg, according to the group information statement. [2]

The listed holding company has a separate legal timeline. It was incorporated in 1929 and listed in 1997, long after the operating retail start. [2]

Sonnenberg’s founder role does not establish a current personal shareholding. Present corporate ownership must be read from later dated company records. [1][2]

Key contributions

Established the Woolworths retail business in Cape Town in 1931. [1]

Led the early expansion from Cape Town to Durban and other major cities. [2]

Life and career timeline

  1. Founded Woolworths and opened the first store in Cape Town. [1]

  2. A Durban branch followed three years after the first store. [2]

  3. The business expanded to Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. [2]

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Woolworths in South Africa?

Woolworths identifies Max Sonnenberg as its founder and dates the first Cape Town store to 1931. [1]

Did Max Sonnenberg found Woolworths Holdings in 1929?

The legal holding company was incorporated in 1929, while Woolworths dates Sonnenberg’s retail start to 1931. The records describe different events. [1][2]

Did Max Sonnenberg own the current Woolworths group?

The official history establishes his founder role. It does not establish any current personal interest in the listed group. [1][2]

Related people

  • Sam Ngumeni — Woolworths Holdings group chief executive from 1 June 2026 and a long-serving retail and financial-services executive.

Associated organisations

Related research

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. ↩