“Crisis doesn't create character. It reveals it”. I came across this quote and think this defines what 2021 was.

No one can dispute that the previous year has flown by, bringing with it more than its fair share of challenges such as donning masks when we go out of our houses, reaching for a sanitizer while passing through a door, social distancing, loadshedding, looting, and rampant cybercrime. It has, however, forced us to learn and adapt to the new norms of being technologically savvy.

Covid-19 has led to a widespread adoption of working from home. Despite the fact that most of us today have a love/hate relationship with Zoom and Teams, we have also benefited from not having to travel for hours to attend a physical meeting, as well as the additional flexibility that comes with working from home on occasion. 

It has also resulted in more subscriptions per household (everything from online shopping, to food delivery, to online courses, to live streaming apps like Netflix and Showmax, to virtual Yoga classes). We would never of have thought our parents even knew what Checkers Sixty60 was, nevermind being regular customers!

The HRK Retail team has demonstrated its ability to meet challenges both in person and remotely. We have successfully reinstalled 12 liquor stores that were looted during the unrest in July. We have spent many hours updating our software in order to optimize our online shopping interface and safeguard it from cybercrime, making it more secure than ever before. During the chip shortages, we discovered new hardware providers whose hardware deliver even faster and more efficient processors. We have worked through lockdowns, protests, and loadshedding to assist our clients. Finally, as part of this year's wellness initiative, we planted our own vegetable garden at our offices - which includes tomatoes, cabbage, beetroot, carrots, potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, and turnips.

We are entering the new year stronger than ever. During the Christmas season, our thoughts gravitate to individuals who have contributed to our success. In this spirit, we thank all of our customers, resellers, and suppliers for their support in 2021 and extend our best wishes for the holidays and New Year. 

We are already looking forward to 2022!