South Africa: FreshStop opens 300th store at a Caltex station

With a big emphasis on offering a wide range of food services, FreshStop has experienced rapid growth over recent years.

The fastest growing franchise convenience store retail brand in South Africa, FreshStop, opened its 300th store in Sherwood, Durban.

Freshstop at Caltex 45th Cutting in Sherwood is so named after the Sherwood Foresters, a nickname attributed to the 45th Regiment of Foot of the British Army, stationed here during the middle of the 19th century.

Currently in its 10th year of trading, FreshStop opened its 1st store in Table View in 2009 after an alliance had developed between its owners, Food Lover’s Market and the owners of the Caltex brand, Chevron.

In addition to FreshStop 45th Cutting’s range of fresh fruit and vegetables, selection of grocery items and Pitstop Café for hot takeaway meals, there are Hooked On fish & chips and Grill to Go outlets as well as a Seattle Coffee Bar with barista service. The locations also includes an American-style FreshStop Diner.

Before opening last week, the site had been closed for three years as Trevor Visvanathan, Store Retailer, worked behind the scenes on knocking down and completely rebuilding it to create a brand new FreshStop at Caltex. In his portfolio he has three more FreshStop stores and is planning to open a further two this year.

“I am passionate about the industry and the brand; and proud to say that I am also the Chairman of the FreshStop Franchise Forum,” said Visvanathan.

FreshStop is South Africa’s fastest growing 24-hour convenience store brand and has a network of 300 stores countrywide.