The new gourmet store launched by SPAR at the Zimbali Oasis, shakes up luxury food retailing.
Once upon a time, Thrupps looked like the height of luxury grocery shopping. It’s still around, based in Illovo, Johannesburg, but its old-world concept doesn’t come close to this new SPAR gourmet store. Thrupps used to have a wide range of imported goods, products made on the premises, and even home deliveries. I still remember having a turkey roasted for me specially for Christmas and collecting it the day before. But times have changed.
High-end retailing is still new in South Africa. Some might have thought Woolworths was the epitome of luxury—but not anymore. SPAR, quietly and steadily, has been introducing upmarket stores in the Johannesburg area, where some of the prepared foods are of a high standard and the imported range is impressive. I’ve seen nothing like this in Cape Town.
Interestingly, the launch of this franchise store hasn’t been reported on the official SPAR investor site nor on the SPAR supermarket website. So we have to piece things together from news reports, social media videos, and one SABC broadcast. Pity.
High-end stores have their place in South Africa: for the super wealthy, and for foreign tourists or investors who expect premium experiences.
But here’s the contrast: this gourmet food store opens at a time when the ordinary South African is reeling from food prices. Only yesterday I saw a TikTok video—someone holding up a single grocery bag from one of the major supermarkets and saying she couldn’t believe it cost over R800. If she’s shocked, imagine how low-income households are coping. Food prices have been rocketing—“rocketing” is almost a soft word. Only fresh produce and some locally made goods remain reasonably priced. Manufactured and imported goods have gone through the roof.
We know the reasons: the failed state, corruption, collapsing infrastructure (especially electricity), wage pressures, the weak currency—you name it. This long list of problems means the ordinary South African pays a massive price for government failure. Only farm produced foods remain competitive. Not manufactured foods with one manufacturer reporting massive profits.
Luxury gourmet food retailers have seen strong growth worldwide, driven by rising interest in healthier eating, premium products, and “experiential” shopping. In the United States, chains like Harris Teeter thrive with gourmet bakery goods, unprocessed dairy, and local organic produce. The gourmet market has grown 15% year-over-year since 2019, supported by e-commerce growth of 60% since 2020 and a $9-billion organic farming sector across 147,307 farms.
Europe commands nearly 30% of the global gourmet food market in 2024. Strong culinary heritage, high incomes, and strict authenticity rules—like those governing protected cheeses—help drive the sector. Many European retailers now blend premium private labels with tourism-driven sales for stable growth.
In Asia, premium supermarkets such as Hong Kong’s City’super, Seoul’s Hyundai Food Hall, and Thailand’s Food Delite attract affluent consumers through exclusive international and local delicacies, personalised services, and sustainability. These stores offer what some call “inclusive luxury,” and the market has strong future potential.
So what’s the verdict on SPAR’s new store?
Too early to say. But it will be fascinating to see whether this concept takes off, whether more stores like this will open, and—most interesting of all—how South Africa’s other major food retailers respond.
