M.C. need help to clarify doubt about: : Do you think this is a viable business proposition for a EX PAT….?
Dont you think, that its viable, for someone to open SA Grocery store in Europe with supplies, like Biltong, Boerewors, Marmite, Milo, Five Roses,,,,Horlicks,,,,and also to supply things that Carol Boyes….etc…..to sell to ex pats… aswell as locals….Something like Thrupps….I think anyone that is interested could make serious money…..anyone interested…or is it a idiotic idea.
No I would not do it, I am already involved in quite a few other businesses, its just an idea for someone to do,,,however I would not mind been a silent partner….
edit again; You know guys, I live in a med island, and you just will not believe how many ex pats live here,,,I dont think its only in Australia and UK,,,I think its everywhere, and people do like Biltong…etc… over here big time….
EDIT TO ALL; shall we all start a new trend…..lol outside SA,,,in order to help white SA, FIND JOBS, and businesses outside SA. Shall we all go into partnerships across the globe LOL
Try this:
Answer by Lise K
No it is a brilliant, excellent and good idea, you should contact Wonderstar, she has a shop like that in the UK. Go for it, I always encourage people to start their own businesses, it is the only way to make money. Drawing a salary will just make others rich.
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It would be an excellent idea in areas having high expat South African populations such as London, most Australian cities but especially Perth and a few others.
South Africans tend to be very sentimental about their heritage and culture so the support will always be evident.
M.C. There are lots of shops like that all over the world. Having so many Saffers leaving home unwillingly, they will always want things from home. Funny enough, Milo is not just a South African thing. It originally started in Australia! And other things you need for you store is All Gold tomato sauce, Mrs. Balls Chutney and Rooibos tea!
I agree with Lise & Bull it would be a great idea , you would just have to get a good location and a good way of advertising your store. South Africans in general will go out of their way in order to get the stuff they love…
My gf for example used to live in east london (SA) and still gets people that come up to JHB to bring her milkshakes and ice-cream from a particular store down there..
I think its a terrific idea, with more market surveys etc. I would definitely be interested, start with one model store and expand from there, retail is one of the safest and most successful industries to be in!!! Great idea!!!
I think that’s a great idea, M.C. In fact, as someone living outside SA, I am always looking for such stores. It can tell you that once people know where it is, it will thrive! Not idiotic at all.
My honest opinion is that such a business has a short life span and limited appeal. There are a number of online “South African” shops and there is a shop close to me in Guildford. How it does I dont know but you can buy South African products at the likes of Tesco although not the exotics like Biltong etc. Some of the things you mention are not South African and are readily available in Supermarkets in England but the biggest problem I see for such businesses is that the children of South African parents will most likely grow up with the eating habits and likes of the Countries they have adopted and will not be too familiar nor even like some of the products e.g. Biltong. Many English people would view eating raw meat with disgust.
While it is true that South African in a foreign country always want to buy the things that they are used to having in SA, I cannot see someone making too much money out of it, unless there is a huge demand and clientele. Here in North Germany, there seem to be very few South Africans, or at least such that “need” SA products. If I need anything, I will either travel down to the Netherlands, or I can just e-mail the SA shop and they send it by post.
What I am trying to say: South Africans only need certain items, and when they have bought 3 or 4 bottles of All Gold or Mrs Balls, Bovril and Halls Granadilla, then they are not going to come back to the shop for weeks, if not months.
Rooibos tea is found all over the world now that it has become a health drink. All Gold is replaceable by local Ketchup, Heinz makes good stuff. Biltong and droewors is also sold from Belgium, sent vacuum packed by mail to all parts of Europe.
As a South African, one imagines that one needs all the SA goods. But I have found that once the goods cross the equator, the taste seems to have changed. This applies to Chockits, flake, Romany creams and tennis biscuits, for a few examples. This has nothing to do with their sell by date. Some things just taste better in South Africa under South African conditions.
Here is a link to the South African Shop in the Netherlands. They do not even open their shop daily, because it is not worth it: http://www.diespens.nl/index.htm
Ginger beer I can buy from the African hairdressers, and guava juice from the local asian shops. I have also found milo in asian shops.
I think that one would have to have something else on the sideline to support the shop. Selling SA products alone will not be enough. Of course, if one is willing to work hard, then one can also include home bakes like koeksisters, samoosas, rusks, melktert, malvapoeding, soetkoekies en brandewyntert and such.