South Africa’s largest and oldest independent cinema exhibition company, Avalon Group, which trades under the CineCentre brand name, recently opened a luxury cinema complex at Johannesburg’s Killarney Mall.
Avalon’s AB Moosa Jnr says the company was keen to have a presence in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg. “We were delighted when the Killarney Mall opportunity came up. After its recent revamp the mall is unique and big enough to offer a large variety of retailers, yet contained enough to be convenient. The public response to our Killarney cinemas has been extremely positive and admissions continue to grow by the day.’
Founded in 1930 by AB Moosa Snr, Avalon has CineCentre sites all over the country and has faced its fair share of challenges over the years. Under apartheid the group was almost destroyed. Moosa Jnr explains: “During this time we were almost vanquished through racist laws such as the Group Areas Act, which had demarcated white and non-white areas. As a result the cinemas that were established by my late grandfather prior to the apartheid laws, were either expropriated or forced into sales. My father Moosa Moosa, executive chairman of the group, had to bear the brunt of these unfair challenges.’
Moosa Jnr says that this situation forced the company to sharpen its business skills in order to survive. “I think that the apartheid system, without intending to do so, compelled us to sharpen our wits to survive no matter how unfair the odds or the size of the competition.’
Avalon introduced many firsts into the country. “Our history includes innovation and we were the first to introduce 10am and 5pm shows,’ comments Moosa. “We were the pioneer importer of Bollywood films from the early 1940s, the first to introduce flavoured salts for popcorn at cinemas and the first to provide individual sachets. Avalon was the first to encourage patrons to keep their 3D glasses in our branded pouches. We also hold the world record of a 72-year uninterrupted relationship with 20th Century Fox.
“In keeping with the spirit of being innovative and a desire to provide a unique offering to the existing and new cinema patrons, Killarney Mall CineCentre is the first multiplex in South Africa to have all its screens 3D compatible. Cine 5 has been branded Cine Premiere and has the most luxurious cinema seats in South Africa.’
Moosa Jnr believes the main reason for Avalon’s success is that it is a hands-on company. “As an independent cinema exhibition group we are less bureaucratic than large conglomerates and this enables us to make business decisions and respond to market dynamics faster. Being the biggest conglomerate does not necessarily mean you are the best or the most profitable, as the recent global economic crisis proved.’
