Best value one-stop shopping for fresh produce in Jozi

Posted on 9 September 20269 September 2026

This is not my usual arts/culture/heritage/what’s on in Jozi post – but it is definitely worth knowing about ….

Carriera’s Centre 252 Pine Street Ferndale

What’s not to like? Excellent greengrocer, a German butchery, the best pasta in town made fresh daily, a nut and dried fruit store, all things Indian and spicey even a liquor store with unbeatable prices. Two large parking lots – no mall entry, no “retail path” designed to route you past every shop in the mall as you negotiate lifts and pay points pushing a trolley or carrying bags back to your car. This is Carriera’s Centre in Ferndale.

Many suburban Joburgers can be very attached to their ‘hood or their beat. Anything out of the comfort zone is seen as too far, too challenging, too much hassle. The familiar is comforting, routines are reassuring, and of course the clarion cry of those in the more affluent ‘burbs is: “But Woolies’ fresh produce never goes off”. Well … news for those who think 6 or 7 odd kilometres is too far to venture to shop … Fruit and Veg at Carriera’s Centre will blow your mind rather than your budget. And because it has a massive clientele the turnover is quick and the produce is excellent.

You can see the packaging is not slick and display is not paramount, but when the products are fresh and the prices are good – this is what counts. Prices of fresh produce have soared in the last few years. Liz at Lancaster can only offer the ‘best fresh fruit salad in the business’ because we shop at Fruit and Veg. Where else can you get a large papino for R15, a grapefruit for 12.50 and a sweet melon for R15.

When comparing prices with a store like Woolies, it’s good to “compare mushrooms with mushrooms”. Same size pack of button mushrooms is R21.99 or 2 for 20 at Carreira’s and R 37.99 at Woolies; Portabellini at R26.99 as compared to R38.99 at Woolworths; Brown mushrooms at R26.99 a packet and 4 large braai mushrooms at R46.99 at Fruit and Veg as compared to Woolies’ 4 Portabello mushrooms at R59.99.

The range of veges is excellent and the best thing is that nearly all are locally grown.

“Come in and see our nuts”

Flower and Nut next door to Fruit and Veg. No seductive packaging and attention-grabbing displays. Just well-priced wide-range of every kind of dried fruit, nut, pulsa, grain and seed you could wish for. Plus, good value cut flowers.

Excellent German butchery

Photos of raw meat and are not the most appealing so no visuals here. But Goodmans Butchery along with great meat cuts, chicken in marinades, cold cuts, dill mayo herring salads, delicious biltong, and a selection of cooked meat dished daily, also make some of the best sour dough bread in Jozi (and they pre-slice it). (On a par with Goodman’s sour dough is the bread from Ti Amo at the Shell Garage in Sandhurst and now also at Nine Yards.)

Mandy’s Fresh Pasta

And last but my no means least … Mandy’s Fresh Pasta. This like Ti Amo mentioned above, is one of Covid Lockdown’s success stories. Mandy started making ravioli during Lockdown for fellow residents in her complex. Gradually the word spread, the demand grew and when a shop became vacant in Carriera’s Centre, Mandy took it. A varying range of pasta made daily. … it really is worth leaving home for. And let’s not forget their their tiramisu which is the 8th deadly sin, … filed under Gluttony. Because all pasta is made daily, they can run out. So if you need specific quantities or type of pasta, it is advisable to pre-order. The contact numbers printed on the shop window are Mandy 066 076 9733 and Oscar 064 955 3533.

Here is a guide to some Italian pastas. And the common ones of Linguine and Fettucine are not even included!

So get out of your habits, break out of your zone and head to Carriera’s in Ferndale. It’s worth it – it will save you a lot.