Apple Tree, Linksfield
Located just off the N3 highway, on the Linksfield offramp in Linksfield Terrace Shopping Centre, sits one of Johannesburg’s freshest and exciting produce-led retail experiences in the area – Apple Tree. The site, previously occupied by Woolworths, opened in February 2024 and has become known for their affordability, quality and friendly staff.
Image courtesy of Arch Retail
Run by Carlos Goveia, Apple Tree is fast creating loyal customers due to its blend of quality baked goods, fresh produce at hugely discounted prices, and a deep commitment to customer service. Carlos says the decision to open the store in Linksfield stemmed from the belief that the area was missing a community-oriented produce store.
Small format, big impact
The Linksfield Apple Tree joined the family of branches in Edenvale, and the larger of the three in Alberton, (which opened in 2010). Despite its modest size – measuring approximately 800m², the store fits over 8000 SKUs and has a staff complement of 36 people. The store feels open and spacious thanks to high ceilings and generous aisles. Its layout encourages a relaxed shopping experience, something customers have come to appreciate during their weekend top-ups and Market Day hauls.
Image courtesy of Arch Retail
The store is anchored by its core departments: a specialist bakery, butchery, HMR (Home Meal Replacement), a selection of wine and a large fresh produce section. The bakery stands out, not just because of the scrumptious smells as you walk in the door but from the visual feast of rustic bread to intricately made tarts and artisanal pastries. “It’s a boutique bakery,” Carlos explains, “hand-pressed, homemade, and truly next level.” One of the first things noticeable over lunch time is the queue waiting for the hot fresh pizza to come out of the woodfired pizza oven. At the entrance is a coffee bar and seating area, which complement the ‘hard to resist’ baked goods. Unlike the other two stores, Linksfield Apple Tree has its own butchery, providing a variety of cuts, often at jaw dropping prices, again creating loyal customers. And of course, no butchery would be complete without biltong.
Though the fresh produce and bakery are very popular, there is large array of dry goods. It really is a one stop shop, from pet food, personal care, baby care, toilet paper to health products and wine. The store sells many different imported pasta, sauces, dressings, olive oils, cold meats and tomato pastes with a very large range of dairy products as well. The cheese is very popular at their low prices. While there are products which are imported for their quality, many local items are proudly sold like Darling Sweet, Dicks Sweets and Beyers chocolates.
The Linksfield mix: Community and convenience
The Linksfield store attracts a mix of commuters, households, and restaurant owners, mainly lower to middle income shoppers. Many stores, restaurants and guest houses utilise the low prices and fresh bakery. Its location makes it accessible for drop-ins before or after work, as the location next to the onramp provides a convenient stop for commuter, especially with their extended trading hours: 7am to 7pm daily, opening before many neighbouring stores. While there were initial concerns about competi tion from nearby malls, Carlos explains that the store’s popularity is growing steadily. “People are coming to recognise and appreciate what we’re doing here. We’ve kept our loyal customers and continuously gain new ones.” A noted example is a comment from a customer on their Facebook page, “Good afternoon, popped in at Apple Tree Linksfield this afternoon, Cherise, the manageress was helping unpack a stack of Naartjie boxes. Spotted me … welcomed me with a beautiful genuine hug. Thank you ... for making ordinary customers feel like royalty,” says Aisha Moolla.
Competitive prices through intelligent buying
Apple Tree’s reputation for quality is built on daily deliveries of fresh produce, sourced from both bulk buying and smallholder farms. “We brought in about 60 tonnes of stock yesterday,” Carlos says. “We’re buying in bulk, often around 60 pallets of tomatoes, and we source and support informal farmers – one of whom supplies us with some of the best spinach in town.” That can only be true, because by 11am that morning, all the spinach had already been sold. Affordability is one of Apple Tree’s strongest selling points. The ability to purchase stock for all three stores gives them serious buying power. “We buy longlife milk by the truckload,” he says, “and we do the same for cheese, oil, pasta, and eggs.” A tray of 30 large eggs recently retailed for R59.99, compared to R89.99 or even R109.99 elsewhere. “We track competitor pricing closely,” Carlos shares. “It helps us keep our edge and our loyal customers.” One of the ways Apple Tree keeps its pricing competitive is that they avoid costly head office fees. “Our suppliers don’t pay rebates or give us allowances. Though we do pay a relatively small fee to Apple Tree head office, we ensure that our savings are passed on to our customers.”
Market days and pensioner specials
Two of the biggest crowd-pullers are Market Days on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which sees trolleys overflowing by midday. Pensioner Wednesdays offer a 10% discount on non-promotional items. Whichever day you pop in, there is always a worthwhile special. The blend of low prices and top-tier freshness keeps customers returning. “Everyone’s looking for a deal these days,” Carlos notes, “but they also want quality.
Social media tools
Apple Tree connects with customers via WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and even local newspapers. A loyalty card was initiated but it proved unviable, “We found that pushing specials through social media, directly to customers helps us avoid the costs of a loyalty system, we then pass on those social media has proven more effective for us than using a loyalty program.”
Efficiency with smooth service
Apple Tree is actively investing in energy efficiency, they are currently working alongside Energy Cost Savers to audit all equipment for efficiency improvements. The multiplex refrigeration system in backof-house, was installed by DTS, who also concentrate on energy efficiency. The fridges throughout are by Colcab. An energy saving of up to 20% was achieved in the Edenvale branch with V3 Retail Displays by using their freezer/fridge. The Linksfield branch has ensured its move toward energy efficiency by using Colcab fridges with doors on all their cold produce. Arch Retail has 23 Arch points – 15 POS, 2 BO & 6 Arch Mobile,which are linked to Pricer Electronic Shelf Labels by NEC XON.
To make sure there is no break in service to their customers, they have onsite 60 000 litres of stored water and a generator.
