Fact File - Fruit & Veg City
Oct 30 2008
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Founded in 1993 by two brothers, Brian and Mike Coppin, the retailer has grown from a one-store operation in Cape Town to the largest specialist seller of fruit, vegetables and other fresh produce items in South Africa, with a total 100+ stores and an annual turnover in excess of 2.1 billion. 

• Approx. two thirds franchises.
• Average of 15 new stores opening per year.
• Commitment to customers - widest quality range at the best prices in town.

3 Store Formats

• Fresher Food Store (core of the business) - recent makeovers - introducing modern new fridges and displays and smarter packaging. A range of new departments have also been added, including in-house bakeries, butcheries, dairies, fresh juice bars and dried fruit and nuts. Shortcuts service - fruits and veggies are peeled, cut, diced or sliced at no extra cost while you wait)
• Food Lovers Market - up-market shopping experience and food emporium. Best quality fruit and vegetables at low prices, but also offer other specialist departments, such as continental delis and cheese bars, pizza, pasta and Panini counters, fresh fish and sushi, bakeries, butcheries and chocolateries. A limited range of non-perishable groceries are also available in selected stores.
• FreshStops - free standing outlets with a focus on fresh, healthy take away meals and smoothies. Situated in and around malls or other high traffic areas, or in many of the Fresher Food Stores or Food Lover’s Markets. “No sell-by date” policy, as whatever is not sold by the end of each day is donated to Feedback.

Operations

• Buyers select product at markets around at dawn each day. They then go directly to the growers and procure whatever else is needed.
• Produce is then sent directly to distribution centres to be dispatched almost immediately.
• Own import and export division.
• All packing done by growers. Growers and packers are all HACCAP approved and PPECB certified.
• No produced is stored. It is loaded directly from the farm to the ship via reefer trucks.
• Buyers oversee operations at the packhouses.

International

• May 2008 - opened first store in Sydney, Australia.
• Partnering with a Saudi fresh produce retailer to revamp a few stores in Riyadh and the surrounding areas under the Fruit and Veg City name.
• 3 stores in Namibia.
• 1 in Lesotho.

 Adapted from Source: www.fastmoving.co.za, October 2008