History
History and Information
Fruit & Veg City was started in 1993 by brothers Brian and Mike Coppin. Since the beginning it has always been a family business, with emphasis placed on good old family values such as wholesomeness, trust, honesty and integrity. The brothers’ vision was to create a store that would resemble a marketplace of old, where farmers brought their fresh produce from their farms to be sold to the public. This was how their first store in Kenilworth, Cape Town was run, and this is how every Fruit & Veg City store that has opened since is also run. The dedication to freshness at an affordable price has always remained one of the cornerstones on which Fruit & Veg City is built.
But how do we manage to keep our fruit and vegetables so fresh? Well, over the years, Fruit & Veg City have built up a relationship with farmers around the country. They deliver their fresh produce directly to one of the various Fruit & Veg City depots around the country. Here our dedicated staff load the produce onto trucks, which in turn delivers it to the Fruit & Veg City stores. Not only does this ensure freshness, it also cuts out the middle man, ensuring more savings for our customers.
Fruit & Veg City laid down its roots as a small store, which, as the name indicates, sold only fresh fruit and vegetables. As the company has grown, so have our product ranges to cater to the customers’ demand for good quality fresh produce of all forms – dairy, bakery goods, meat, fish, dried fruit and nuts, cheese and continental delis and now even some non-perishable groceries in selected stores.
Today there are more than 100 Fruit & Veg City stores throughout Southern Africa, and even as far afield as Australia and the Middle East. Yet, it remains a family business with brothers Brian and Mike still running the day to day operations of the company. Their vision is still visible in every Fruit & Veg City store, where freshness and value are placed at a premium.
Core values:
Energy: If you don’t have it stay out of this industry, according to Brian Coppin. Most retail, and especially produce, is 12 hours a day for at least 6 days a week.
Honesty: in your dealings with your farmers, suppliers, staff and customers.
Transparency: Nothing is hidden from any of our franchisees or corporate stores. Their secrets to success are shared to create wealth for all.
Loyalty: We do not believe the people who were there for us when we had 1 store should now be dropped because somebody more professional is punting for the business, and unless our original suppliers of products or services are totally out priced or out of their depth, we will continue to grow with them.
Our Company Directors
Brian Coppin - Managing
Mike Coppin - Franchising
Shaneen Coppin – Accounts/HR
Dave Hogg - Operations
David Smith - Finance
Andre Crause - Regional
George Efstratiou - Regional
Nigel Meintjies - Legal
Sandro Gastaldi – Regional
Awards
2006 – SASCS Western Cape Retailer of the Year (Access Park Fresher Food Store)
2007 – SACSC Special Star Award: National Retailer of the Year and Western Cape Retailer of the Year (Willowbridge Food Lover’s Market)
2007 – Global Convenience Format of the Year Runner up: Best New Concept in Retail in the World (Food Lover’s Market)
2008 – SACSC National Retailer Supermarket Category Winner (Willowbridge Food Lover’s Market)
