New OK Urban concept store refines convenience for customers

The Shoprite Group has introduced a new brand to its franchise portfolio called OK Urban, an innovative concept store that provides an elevated customer experience.

The first OK Urban store recently opened its doors in Durbanville, Cape Town, and this one-stop neighbourhood hub offers customers a wide selection of fresh and convenience products, including:

An Urban Coffee Bar with a sit-down option;
A sushi bar;
A bakery and deli;
Readymade meals;
Heat and eat pizza;
Fresh meat;
Fresh fruit and vegetables; and
Exclusive private label brands such as Forage & Feast and Simple Truth.

In line with Group’s commitment to providing dynamic and innovative services to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers, the OK Urban store is cashless, accepting cards and digital payments only.

The 480m2store also places a strong emphasis on sustainability with digital leaflets (instead of paper) as well as paper bags and reusable material shopper bags as the retailer continues to reduce its environmental footprint.

“We dedicated considerable time to understanding our customers’ needs and preferred shopping methods,” explains Stefan Gouws, General Manager for OK Franchise. “The result is OK Urban, an enticing shopping experience that showcases an impressive selection of fresh foods, coupled with the convenience, quality, value, and competitive pricing that the Group’s customers have come to expect.”

Brand Overview

Several supermarkets acquired by the Group between 1995 and 2011 were integrated in the OK Franchise Division. These acquisitions include Sentra, acquired in 1995; OK Bazaars acquired in 1997; and Metcash, acquired in 2011. The Group’s expertise and infrastructure, coupled with the OK brand’s potential, gave rise to this division that manages over 500 stores in South Africa, Namibia and Eswatini (previously Swaziland).

The OK Franchise Division franchises different retail formats (OK Foods, OK MiniMark, OK Express, OK Grocer and OK urban), a liquor outlet (OK Liquor) and larger President Hyper outlets and wholesale brand Megasave. Each store has its own identity and offers shopping facilities appropriate to its trading market, but customers will find a wide range of fresh and non-perishable food items, as well as general merchandise in most stores.

OK Franchise Division’s wide geographic reach allows for expansion in metropolitan, rural and remote areas.

The OK Franchise division offers a one-stop neighbourhood convenience destination through OK Foods, OK MiniMark, OK Express, OK Grocer and OK Liquor stores. These brands provide groceries, fresh foods and liquor closer to communities, while the larger President Hyper outlets and wholesale brand Megasave offer large quantity affordability. It also partners OK MiniMark and OK Express forecourt stores with national fuel brands.

Want to Become a Franchisee?

As the owner of an OK Franchise, you will become part of the largest retail group in Africa. The brand is already partnered with thousands of trusted suppliers nationwide and has a loyal client base across South Africa and various African countries.
Find out more about becoming a franchisee – visit Franchise Sales (okfoods.co.za) Keep up to date with the Shoprite Group’s latest news: sign up to receive all the latest news published on the Shoprite Holdings website, or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.