Our Story… It All Started With a Holiday

A Journey That Changed Everything

Back in 2000, we decided to take a holiday to Australia and New Zealand. Like many South Africans, we were looking at the possibility of starting a new life somewhere else. We fell in love with New Zealand, and in 2001 we applied for residency. Just 10 days later, we received the news that changed our lives forever. By August 2001, our bags were packed, we said goodbye to South Africa, and we set off to begin a brand-new chapter.

The Meadowlands Days: Built on Hard Work & Passion

Not long after arriving in Auckland, we opened a tiny South African shop in Meadowlands, Howick. It was originally a little dairy, and that was where the Inside Africa story truly began.

Those early days weren’t glamorous. We didn’t have big warehouses or hundreds of staff. What we did have was determination, a lot of hard work, and one very famous black couch at the back of the shop! While one person worked behind the counter, the others would be resting on the couch, grabbing a quick nap, or waiting for their turn to take over the shift.

The original team was Luke, Lolly, Andre, Grandpa Anthony, Ty and Melissa. Everyone pulled together. Some worked second jobs before coming in to help at the shop, others covered extra shifts, and even our youngest son, Owen, who was still just a little boy, wanted to do his part. Whether he was packing packets of chips onto the shelves or simply making sure the chocolates were “safe” by eating a few as our official Quality Control Specialist… he was always helping in his own special way.

We all shared one dream: to build something special for South Africans living far from home. A place where familiar flavours, friendly faces and a little bit of home could always be found.

25 Years of Growth: Expanding Across New Zealand & Australia

Fast forward 25 years, and it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come.

Today, Inside Africa has four locations across New Zealand, an online store, multiple warehouses, more than 2,500 South African product lines, and containers arriving regularly to keep our shelves stocked.

Our family has grown too. We were blessed with an amazing daughter-in-law, Trudy, and son-in-law, Owen. Then came our beautiful grandchildren — Julian, Khloe, Bentley, Ethan and Kaiser. They are one of our greatest blessings and a constant reminder of why all the sacrifices were worth it.

Then came another exciting chapter. We sent our MVP, our son Ty, across the Tasman to Australia to build the Inside Africa brand there. Watching him grow the business and help thousands more South Africans feel at home has been one of our proudest moments.

Our Promise: Every Customer is Family

While so much has changed over the past 25 years, one thing never has — our values.

From the very beginning, we’ve believed that every person who walks through our doors should feel like family. Whether you’re spending $1 or $200, you’ll receive exactly the same warm welcome, respect and service. That’s how we’d want to be treated, and that’s how we’ve always treated our customers.

Looking back, Inside Africa has never just been about selling South African products. It’s been about keeping memories alive, helping people reconnect with home, and creating a place where every South African feels they belong.

Thank You for Building Our Dream

To everyone who has supported us over the last 25 years — whether you’ve shopped with us once, been with us since the Meadowlands days, ordered online, shared a post, or simply told a friend about us — thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

You haven’t just supported a business.

You’ve helped build a family’s dream.

Here’s to the next chapter of the Inside Africa story… and thank you for being part of it.