"We decided we wanted to open our own brand, at that time we certainly had no idea of growing a brand or indeed three brands into a whole supermarket chain. It was a case of opening one store because we thought there was a niche," explains Coppin. "We now have 115 Food Lover's Market stores and 166 FreshStop convenience stores. Fruit & Veg City were the original supermarkets, most of which have now been converted into Food Lover's Market with the intention of converting the rest as well."
The type of customers who shop in these stores are very varied according to Coppin, the stores cater to the type of customer in the surrounding area.
70-80% of fresh produce is sourced from wholesale markets the remainder directly from the grower.
Coppin explains the difference from other retailers in that they focus on fresh produce and the speed to market.
Fruit & Veg City has become an international company which imports and exports fruit and vegetables, it is one the fastest growing in exporters in South Africa., reaching the Middle East, Asia, Africa, the EU and Russia. Jaco van Tubbergh who deals with the import/export side said that Russia has always been a good market but, "You have to make sure you get your money now, since they have closed their borders to the EU and and US there are good opportunities for South Africa to get premium prices."