Fresh produce goes Platinum

Platinum Produce is founded on four key principles: To sell export quality fresh produce, to maintain an unbroken cold chain (at 4 degrees Celsius) in order to preserve the lifespan of the fresh produce, to supply natural, healthy products with no additives, preservatives or gas flushing, and to operate a fully customer-focused e-business with a bricks and mortar network of outlets.

Every customer that visits a Platinum Produce outlet is given a menu to take home from which they can order in future: anything from fresh fruit and vegetables, fruit juices and an impressive line-up of ready-to-eat, heat and party meals or platters.

Online, phone or in-store orders are then delivered to the customer's door the following day at the customer's specified time. This way, Platinum Produce eliminates many of the processes involved in the retailing of fresh produce - including the necessity to add additives or preservatives - and cuts out all the rough handling and general abuse that the produce would usually incur not only on its journey to the store but also within it.

The Platinum Produce consumer offering is simple: a convenient, natural and healthy lifestyle option through fresh produce and freshly prepared meals at competitive prices and all delivered to your door. At a time when consumers are demanding fresher, better tasting produce and more and more people are seeking a natural and healthy lifestyle, Platinum Produce is confident of its success.

This confidence is championed by the man who has hatched and led the development of the business from the start, Danny Potticary: "South Africans have been denied their own export quality produce for far too long and I think many of them know they're being sold short on quality. After years of intense research and development and even though it is very advanced, this business isn't being a launched a day too soon.

"Our business is focused on the customer through hi-tech retailing and old fashioned service. We aim to create a 'wow' factor at every level so that our customers come back over and over again. We're so confident about our service and produce that we offer an unconditional 100% money back guarantee."

Platinum Produce is designed as a franchise network. Each distribution centre serves 20 outlets, which in turn serves a designated number of suburbs and geographic areas and is supported by a minimum of 20 refrigerated delivery vehicles.

Until the business can verify the projected income, entry-level franchises are being sold at a price well below their calculated value. What makes the franchise special is that Platinum Produce takes all the risks.

Any retail business would normally have to find and fund the stock and allow for the deterioration and theft of stock and the theft of sales by the staff. Because Platinum Produce carries the stock at its distribution centre, all these risks are eliminated.

Three stores are already open at Cavendish Square, Mouille Point and Westlake. Cape Gate and Vangate will open within weeks and franchises have been sold in Constantia, Pinelands, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Blouberg, Tyger Valley and Cape Town CBD for which sites have either been or are currently being sought. The first national roll out of stores will be in Johannesburg's Northern Suburbs.