Sorbet

Sorbet, officially known as Sorbet Group, is a South African chain of beauty and personal-grooming businesses. It was established in 2005 by entrepreneur Ian Fuhr, who acquired and rebranded six existing beauty salons using proceeds from the sale of his Super Mart store brand to Edcon Group. From that initial base, Sorbet developed a multi-format, predominantly franchise-operated network serving consumers across South Africa. The brand's offer is built around accessible, professionally delivered personal-care services rather than a single product category. Its network includes conventional Sorbet salons, Sorbet Nailbar locations focused on nail care, Sorbet Hairbar locations focused on hair services, Sorbet MAN locations aimed at male grooming, and Candi&Co. The group also supplies products from a range of international personal-care brands and has developed Sorbet-branded goods for sale through its own stores and Clicks outlets. Sorbet's ownership changed several times as the business expanded. In 2015, Clicks acquired a 25% interest in Sorbet Brands, the entity holding the brand's intellectual property. In 2017, Sorbet was acquired by Long4Life, which was subsequently acquired by Old Mutual Private Equity. Founder Ian Fuhr left the business in February 2019 and later established The Hatch Institute. In November 2022, Clicks announced an agreement to acquire Sorbet Holdings from Old Mutual Private Equity for R105 million. The acquisition was presented as a strategic fit with Clicks' existing retail and health-and-beauty footprint. It also connected Sorbet to the Clicks ClubCard loyalty programme and supported the introduction of a Sorbet-branded product range sold exclusively through Sorbet and Clicks stores. The transaction was approved by South Africa's Competition Commission subject to conditions concerning black ownership among franchisees, local manufacturing, staff training, and support for historically disadvantaged franchise operators. Clicks did not acquire Sorbet Independent Salons, which continued to operate independently from the franchise network. Sorbet remains active in South Africa and operates more than 200 stores across its formats. The group reported performing approximately 3.6 million beauty treatments per year as of 2025. Its positioning combines salon convenience, recognizable national branding, franchise-based local operation, and integration with Clicks' broader retail ecosystem.

Sorbet was founded in South Africa in 2005 by Ian Fuhr. Its starting point was the purchase and rebranding of six existing beauty salons. Fuhr financed the expansion with proceeds from selling his Super Mart store brand to Edcon Group. The concept developed into a branded salon network designed to make professionally delivered beauty services available through a consistent national format. During its expansion, Sorbet broadened beyond general salon services. The group established specialist formats including Sorbet Nailbar for nail treatments, Sorbet Hairbar for hair services, Sorbet MAN for men's grooming, and Candi&Co. The business operated primarily through a franchise model, allowing individual operators to run locations within a common brand and service framework. Sorbet also supplied products from various international personal-care companies and later developed its own branded merchandise. Clicks became involved in 2015 by acquiring a 25% shareholding in Sorbet Brands, the company responsible for Sorbet's intellectual property. In 2017, ownership transferred to Long4Life. Long4Life was later acquired by Old Mutual Private Equity, which became the seller in the subsequent Clicks transaction. Fuhr remained associated with Sorbet for 14 years before leaving in February 2019 to establish The Hatch Institute. In November 2022, Clicks announced its agreement to buy Sorbet Holdings from Old Mutual Private Equity for R105 million. Clicks described the deal as a natural strategic fit because Sorbet's beauty-services footprint complemented Clicks' established health-and-beauty retail presence. The acquisition also created opportunities to connect Sorbet with the Clicks ClubCard loyalty programme and to distribute Sorbet-branded products through both businesses. The South African Competition Commission approved the transaction subject to conditions. These included measures intended to advance black ownership across Sorbet franchises, increase local manufacturing of Sorbet-branded products, provide specified staff training, and support the entry of franchisees from historically disadvantaged groups. Clicks agreed to fund start-up costs for at least five such franchisees. Sorbet Independent Salons were excluded from the acquisition and continued independently from the acquired franchise operation. By 2025, Sorbet operated more than 200 stores across South Africa and reported approximately 3.6 million beauty treatments annually across its formats. The brand's current model combines salon and grooming services, franchise participation, product sales, and integration with Clicks' retail and loyalty infrastructure.

• 2025

  More than 200 stores and 3.6 million annual treatments

  [1]Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org

  Sorbet is described as operating more than 200 South African stores and performing approximately 3.6 million treatments annually.

• 2022

  Clicks agrees to acquire Sorbet Holdings

  [1]Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org

  Clicks announces a R105 million acquisition of Sorbet Holdings from Old Mutual Private Equity.

• 2022

  Regulatory approval with franchise conditions

  [1]Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org

  The Competition Commission approves the transaction subject to commitments concerning ownership, local production, training, and franchise development.

• 2019

  Founder departs

  [1]Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org

  Ian Fuhr leaves Sorbet in February after 14 years and later establishes The Hatch Institute.

• 2017

  Long4Life acquires Sorbet

  [1]Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org

  Sorbet becomes part of Long4Life as its branded salon network continues to expand.

• 2015

  Clicks takes a minority stake

  [1]Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org

  Clicks acquires 25% of Sorbet Brands, the entity holding Sorbet's intellectual property.

• 2005

  Sorbet is founded

  [1]Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org

  Ian Fuhr establishes Sorbet after acquiring and rebranding six existing beauty salons.

A nationally recognized, accessible South African beauty-services network combining salon, hair, nail, and grooming formats with franchise operations and Clicks retail integration.

• Beauty salons · 2005

  Sorbet salons

  The core Sorbet salon format provides a broad range of beauty and personal-care treatments through a standardized branded environment. Locations form the foundation of the group's South African network and operate primarily through franchise arrangements.

• Nail care

  Sorbet Nailbar

  Sorbet Nailbar is the group's specialist nail-care format. It focuses the customer experience on services such as manicures and related nail treatments within a dedicated Sorbet-branded setting.

• Hair care

  Sorbet Hairbar

  Sorbet Hairbar is a specialist hair-services format within the Sorbet network. It extends the brand into dedicated hair-focused locations while retaining the group's national operating and franchise identity.

• Men's grooming

  Sorbet MAN

  Sorbet MAN is the group's male-grooming format, designed around personal-care and grooming services for men. It broadens Sorbet's customer proposition beyond its general beauty-salon base.

• Beauty services

  Candi&Co

  Candi&Co is a further salon and beauty-services format operated within the Sorbet Group portfolio. It sits alongside the group's general salon, hair, nail, and men's grooming concepts.

• Personal-care products · 2022

  Sorbet-branded personal-care products

  Following Clicks' acquisition, Sorbet-branded products were introduced for exclusive distribution through Sorbet and Clicks stores. The range complements the group's service business and links salon usage with retail purchasing.

• 2022

  Clicks chooses to acquire Sorbet HoldingsM&A

  Background

  Clicks already held a minority interest in Sorbet Brands and identified the salon chain as complementary to its health-and-beauty retail operations.

  Action taken

  Clicks agreed to purchase Sorbet Holdings from Old Mutual Private Equity for R105 million. The transaction excluded Sorbet Independent Salons.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition brought Sorbet into Clicks' ownership, enabled ClubCard rewards at Sorbet, and supported an exclusive Sorbet-branded product range in Clicks and Sorbet stores.

  Acquisition price. R105 million (Announced November 2022)

  Source

• 2022

  Integration with Clicks loyalty and retail channelsStrategy

  Background

  The ownership change created an opportunity to connect Sorbet's service network with Clicks' existing customer and retail infrastructure.

  Action taken

  Customers began receiving Clicks ClubCard rewards points at Sorbet, and a Sorbet-branded product range was introduced for exclusive sale through Sorbet and Clicks stores.

  Aftermath

  Sorbet's salon proposition was expanded with a direct loyalty-programme connection and a retail product extension.

  Source

1. 1Sorbet (South Africa)en.wikipedia.org