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What started as a popular Rosebank food destination has quickly grown into one of Joburg's most talked-about grocery concepts. With locations in Bassonia, Hazelwood and Sandton already operating, Pantry by Marble has now arrived in Fourways.
The new store located at The View, at the corner of Cedar and Witkoppen roads in Fourways has officially opened.
Bigger, busier and built for community
Just a week into trading, the new store is already bustling.
According to Pantry co-founder and head chef David Higgs, the Fourways branch is the largest in the group's portfolio. Spanning over 1 000 square metres, the store feels noticeably more spacious than its counterparts, with generous walkways and expansive seating areas designed for family gatherings, casual lunches and business meetings.
Shoppers can expect the same carefully curated mix of artisanal brands, handmade goods, drinks, pet food, candles, soaps, fresh produce, wood-fired pizza, sushi and premium butchery offerings that have become synonymous with the Pantry name.
Pastries, pizza and plenty of ice cream
Its famous pizzas, artisanal sandwiches, burgers, coffee, baked goods, lamingtons and ice cream are all on offer too.
The demand has been immediate. Higgs revealed that during the opening weekend, the store sold approximately 1 300 pastries.
"Whether it be a muffin, a piece of fudge or a slice of cake, it shows the sheer volume of people coming through, but it also shows that it is affordable," he said.
Another standout performer has been the ice cream counter. Higgs shared that ice cream sales reached approximately R75 000 on the Sunday alone, with products starting at around R35 including toppings.
Pantry CEO Greg Solomon added that the response has been phenomenal, with more than 10 000 people visiting the new store during its opening weekend.
“Fancy but easy”
While Pantry is often viewed as an upscale or premium grocery destination and has been described internally as "fancy but easy", Higgs is quick to point out that many of the products are competitively priced and intended to be accessible to a wider audience.
Having enjoyed my fair share of late-night snacks, pastries and ready-made meals from the Rosebank store, it's easy to understand the brand's growing popularity. From gourmet groceries to freshly baked goods, Pantry has successfully blurred the line between convenience store and culinary destination.
According to Higgs, their signature hero product remains the focaccia, which has become the foundation of many of the sandwiches customers have come to love.
One thing visitors won't need to worry about is parking. Unlike some of the busier city locations, the Fourways store offers ample parking, making it a convenient stop for shoppers and diners alike.
Big expansion plans ahead
It was recently reported that Pantry by Marble has appointed former McDonald’s South Africa CEO Greg Solomon as its new chief executive.
The move signals the company's ambitious growth plans. Higgs says the business intends to open between 20 and 30 additional locations across South Africa over the next few years, opting for company-owned stores rather than a franchise model.
"We are definitely going to be in Cape Town soon," he said. "Greg Solomon led McDonald's expansion from around 50 stores to between 350 and 400 stores. He really understands scale and knows what he's doing. That's something we're incredibly excited about. In the next two to four years, you'll see a national footprint."
The opening comes as Fourways' retail and dining scene continues to evolve. The View has recently welcomed several new stores and restaurants, further cementing its position as a neighbourhood hub.
Unlike the Rosebank branch, which operates from a petrol station, the Fourways store operates from 6am to 10pm on weekdays and 6am to midnight on weekends.
While Pantry's signature offering remains consistent across its stores, Higgs revealed that a few exclusive additions are still being planned for Fourways. One thing that won't change, however, is the brand's commitment to making its products fresh and in-store.
What makes Pantry special?
According to Higgs, it's the people.
"It's our people on the floor," he said. "We've brought that hospitality element from our restaurants into the grocery environment. We wanted to recreate the feeling of the old corner shop, where the grocer knew everybody by name."
As Pantry by Marble expands across the country, maintaining that sense of hospitality and community may be just as important as opening new stores.
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