After years of slipping, Pick n Pay seems to be back on track, and CEO Sean Summers believes the path, though steep, is leading to firmer ground.

After years of slipping, Pick n Pay seems to be back on track, and CEO Sean Summers believes the path, though steep, is leading to firmer ground.

In South Africa, company fortunes are often judged by braai talk. In these circles, Pick n Pay's name has been drawing worry and disbelief. Its CEO, Sean Summers, says those are the kind of urban legends that become self-fulfilling if you don't change the story.

"It takes time to turn that narrative around," he said. The company's sponsorship of the Springboks, he added, was a visible reminder that "Pick n Pay is committed to South Africa, that we're going to be here for the long haul."

The retailer's latest interim results suggest the company is regaining its footing after years of decline.

"Are we where we want to be? Hell no. But are we on the way on this journey? Absolutely," said Summers. "If you think of Table Mountain ... we are solidly at the cable station at the bottom. We've bought our ticket and the cable car is on the way. We know where we're going, but we've got a journey to get there."

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