03 Mar 2014 Waitrose enters SA via partnership with Fruit & Veg City-Food Lovers
South African’s consumers’ foremost destination for fresh produce – Food Lover’s Market, has forged a groundbreaking partnership with UK retail giant, Waitrose.
In a first for the African continent, as of March 3, 2014, the fresh produce retailer will be stocking a diverse range of Waitrose products to meet the demands and expectations of South African consumers. The partnership coincides with Fruit & Veg City’s 21st birthday.
It has grown from a single Fruit & Veg City store in Access Park to 120 Food Lover’s Market stores in eight countries including Australia, Angola and Mauritius. The group began converting existing produce stores to Food Lover’s Markets to target food aficionados, offering modern food emporiums, in line with global trends.
It also rolled out the “Market Liquors” brand at store entrances or exits, after acquiring a 50% stake in Diamond’s Discount Liquor in July 2012.
Fruit & Veg City has an annual turnover of more than R5bn, up from R1.6bn in 2006. “We have evolved into Food Lover’s Market, our premium brand, which is still 75%-80% fresh-based. We are a very value-driven business, so when the economy does get tough we do well because people are looking for value offerings,” Coppin said.
Entering the South African market has long been an aspiration for Waitrose and the partnership with Food Lover’s Market has proven to be the right springboard, the UK retailer said.
Waitrose first started exporting products in 1996 and now has a presence in 50 countries including Singapore, Turkey, Hong Kong and India.
The upmarket grocery chain, which features ranges from celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal, has 303 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands. The Waitrose range at Food Lover’s Market will be “competitively priced” to be on par with that of other premium retail brands in South Africa.
“We are delighted that we will be offering a range of Waitrose products in our stores. We saw a synergy with the Waitrose brand as their core retail values of offering high quality food products and innovation in retail are so closely aligned to ours,” said Coppin.
“We felt very strongly that we wanted to offer our consumers more choice and variety – Waitrose is the perfect complement to our existing Fresher’s and Food Lover’s Signature product ranges. We have structured our grocery lines to appeal to the diverse Food Lover’s Market consumer – we can now delight the consumer with a greater choice.”
Nigel Roberts, Head of UK & International Growth for Waitrose, said: “Our partnership with Food Lover’s Market was a very simple decision – Food Lover’s Market management were very passionate about Waitrose and when we saw their brand in action and experienced their stores, we knew we could forge a fantastic partnership.”
Food Lover’s Market will be stocking a range of ambient and frozen products, including Waitrose favourites, such as frozen ready meals, tarts, cakes and ice-creams. Ambient products include specialist oils, sauces and salad dressings, as well as pantry favourites including rice, pastas, condiments, coffees, teas, canned goods, selection of spreads and a range of savoury and sweet biscuits, as well as a selection of premium chocolate bars.
Said Roberts about the selection of Waitrose products on offer: “From our experience dealing with other international markets, global favourites are typically our biscuits, preserves and cereals/muesli – products which really are quintessentially British. Our authentically made European products, such as pasta and sauces, salad dressings and condiments, are also very popular. Finally, those with a sweet tooth must try our seriously delicious ice creams and frozen desserts in the freezer section.”
Waitrose in FreshStop stores
Said Coppin, “Waitrose products will also be stocked at selected FreshStop at Caltex stores – Fruit & Veg City’s c-store brand in partnership with Chevron. As FreshStop at Caltex has recently been awarded the prestigious International Convenience Retailer of the Year Award for 2013, it only makes sense that we offer our FreshStop consumers a range of convenience products from Waitrose as well.”
The convenience market is a large growth market in the UK and remains a key growth area for Waitrose. “The FreshStop stores have really raised the bar in the world of convenience in South Africa, with tremendous focus on choice and quality. Waitrose are delighted to be stocked in some of the FreshStop stores and we will feel right at home on their shelves too,” concluded Roberts