New R80m Food Lover’s Market store marks strategic expansion in Cape Town

Food Lover’s Market plans to open a new R80 million, 6,500m² retail store at Sandown Retail Crossing in Cape Town.

The store will include 14 departments, such as fresh produce, bakery, seafood, and specialty counters. It also features Market Liquors, VetsMart, and Seattle Coffee Co., with a focus on sustainability and supporting local suppliers through its Seeds of Change initiative.

"Apart from an expanded grocery offering, this store will have specialist counters which include cheese, spice, and a vibrant juice bar.

"Customers who return the holder originally purchased at The Juice Bar will be able to buy their juice at a discounted price, while a dedicated Seeds of Change section features locally produced goods from Food Lover’s Market social enterprise suppliers - this is all designed to reinforce the retailer’s commitment to sustainability," the company said

In an interview with IOL, Dane Coppin, Managing Operations Executive, revealed the new store has significantly increased employment.

"The store employs 220 colleagues, the majority recruited from Parklands, Dunoon, and Atlantis. Led by 16-year Food Lover’s Market veteran store manager Leo Pan, the team represents a direct investment in skills development and job creation".

He also revealed that the company is taking a measured approach to expansion.

"We have, over the last couple of years, been taking our time. We just want to make sure.

"We are consistently growing, obviously, we are a family business, we're not a listed business. We grow out of our cash flow. This year, I think we're going with five or six food lovers," Coppin said. 

“But we are very specific and not rushing our decisions. We take our time selecting the right sites. Our aim is to ensure that we have one-of-a-kind stores that are the best for each community we’re in."

IOL Business

mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za

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