South Africa’s FreshStop bets on small format convenience stores

FreshStop, the largest and fastest growing convenience store retail brand in South Africa, has introduced a new concept retail store to the convenience retail industry in SA.

These ‘small format’ stores, specifically designed for small towns and more rural areas, provide customers in remote areas the chance to shop at FreshStop sites in Caltex service stations.

According to research done by Nielsen, small stores now account for 26% of the global grocery market and when wanting to pop out and top up, 71% of shoppers look for their closest c-store at which to stop and shop. Small format stores are becoming a way in which larger retailers can access smaller, more rural communities, according to the South African retailer.

The small-format stores being rolled-out by FreshStop will use existing structures at Caltex forecourt sites, whether they’re existing unbranded stores or old mechanics workshops that are no longer being used, to set up a 40m2 c-store that provides the quality and convenience that they’re known for.

“This concept gives small rural fuel forecourt retailers an opportunity to increase fuel volumes and at the same time, provide a better retail offering,” says Joe Boyle, Director at FreshStop.

FreshStop started rolling out small format stores in September last year and now has several sites in the planning phase for this year with the latest small format store having opened in St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal in May.