The story of the Praia Prawns family
A journey that began in 2017 has led to the establishment of three beautiful franchise stores offering exceptional cuisine
Founders and franchisors of the exquisite Praia Prawns, Bertus Volschenk (aka King Prawn), Vanessa Volschenk (aka Queen Prawn) and Ricardo Do Pinheiro (aka Prince Prawn), credit good food for the creation of some of their best family memories.
Now boasting three beautiful franchise stores, the journey of Praia Prawns began in 2017 with a small range of crustaceans and a vision to create sustainable entrepreneurial ventures.
“Our aim was to grow the brand by associating ourselves and our brand with families that we would be proud to call our own,” said co-owner Bertus.
Praia Prawns prides itself in showcasing quality imported and local products. The focus remains extensively on making sure their supply chain is sustainable and that their produce is ethically sourced, whilst providing personal customer satisfaction. They strive to make every customer feel like they are part of the family.
Praia Prawns now has three franchise stores with over 1 000 products to choose from in each store, with Morningside Praia Prawns being the latest addition, following in the footprints of their Gqeberha (also known as PE – the friendly city) and St Francis Bay stores.
As the business grows, it will continue to uplift the community by supporting local brands that correlate with its own. It is also committed to bringing exciting products to the forefront for all of its customers to enjoy.
“Praia Prawns were born to be shared, and we believe that we have a winning formula to assist you with recreating good memories of your own,” said Bertus.
To bring the new Morningside branch to fruition, Praia Prawns has welcomed franchisee Alida Haasbroek into their family. Haasbroek, who until now has enjoyed a diverse professional career specialising in botany and environmental science, clinical research, and project management, looks forward to the challenge.
She also looks forward to enjoying a more balanced life, having worked extremely long hours for much of her career.
“I eventually felt a deeper desire for change, and this is how I started on my new journey with Praia Prawns. It started by finally getting that Spaniel puppy that I had always wanted and inviting my parents to live closer to me. These had been stepping stones towards fulfilling my dream of running my own business,” said Alida.
She believes that by integrating her broad skill set, she can fulfil her strong belief in the value of providing delicious and quality food products to her Morningside customers.
Haasbroek credits her late husband, who passed away unexpectedly last year and so bringing her world to a standstill, for her love for good quality food.
“My late husband was the one responsible for introducing me to a rich variety of seafood dishes as well as other gourmet foods. He was the cook, and I was the enthusiastic taster – always eager and willing to be the Masterchef judge. When he passed away, I felt that it was necessary to re-evaluate my priorities and goals in life.”
Before her decision to partner with the Praia Prawns franchise, she had explored different business opportunities. It wasn’t until she closely assessed the business plan, systems and processes of Praia Prawns that she found the right fit with the right people and the right brand for her.
“It had to be a business that brought value to people in a way that I felt strongly connected to. I have known Bertus, Vanessa, and Ricardo for nearly as long as my professional career. When the opportunity presented itself, and I saw the support provided, the quality and variety of the products, as well as the look and feel of the Gqeberha and St Francis Bay shops, to say that I was impressed would be an understatement.
“What stood out to me was the integrity, commitment, and passion for the brand. The added allure of sustainably sourced, free-range, gourmet food products for both the professional and the home chef is what sealed the deal for me; or perhaps I should say – I was caught – hook, line, and sinker.”
Alida is thrilled to have the opportunity to fulfil her dream of becoming a retailer specialising in a wide variety of gourmet food products.
“In addition to having these friends with such a strong quality brand that I can identify with, what drew me to the Praia Prawns family business was how their core values resonate with me – communication, quality, consistency, collaboration, creativity, and a helpful and personal touch, are what I believe to be the cornerstones of building a successful business. Together with this great team, I aim to strive towards my vision of expanding the business of quality food products further into Gauteng. I am so looking forward to my new adventure!”
Bertus welcomed Alida warmly, saying that he and his fellow founders could not have asked for a better franchisee. “Alida fits our mould and ethos as the first Gauteng franchisee. As a family friend who we have known for many years, it feels natural welcoming her with open arms to join the Praia Prawns family.”
Alida and her intrepid team would like to thank Morningside Shopping Centre and the new family of customers for the warm welcome.
“We are looking forward to growing and connecting with everyone in the Morningside community.”
Located in: Morningside Shopping Centre
Address: Rivonia Rd, Morningside, Sandton, 2196
