The transaction involves the sale of Jetro Restaurant Depot LLC to listed food-service giant Sysco Corporation, marking the exit from Kirsh’s most valuable holding and the monetisation of a core asset that has anchored his international portfolio for decades.
The deal, first announced last month and now completed, was a key driver behind his sharp rise in wealth.
Following its conclusion, Kirsh’s net worth has increased by roughly 50% to about R249 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, lifting him to the position of Africa’s third-richest individual.
Bloomberg reports that the transaction represents the culmination of a business career spanning more than seven decades, during which Kirsh built a diversified global empire spanning food distribution, property, and retail investments across multiple markets.
Kirsh rises into Africa’s top wealth rankings
South Africa remains one of Africa’s most concentrated sources of billionaire wealth, with its business leaders consistently occupying top positions across manufacturing, retail, and luxury goods sectors.
The surge has propelled Kirsh to third place among Africa’s richest individuals, behind Aliko Dangote and Johann Rupert, reinforcing South Africa’s continued dominance in the continent’s wealth hierarchy.
Jetro operates more than 160 warehouse-style outlets across 35 US states and accounts for the bulk of Kirsh’s fortune. The business has grown into a dominant supplier for independent food retailers and restaurants, a segment that proved highly scalable in the US market.
The sale to Sysco is also expected to strengthen the company’s expansion strategy, giving it deeper access to independent food distribution networks.
For Kirsh, who built and rebuilt his fortune across Africa and the United States after early setbacks during South Africa’s sanctions era, the deal marks both a financial milestone and a consolidation of his global business legacy.
