African Breese Imports

If only we had one of these stores in California! Visiting some family in West Van. My mothers side of the family in South African /​Zimbabwean. So jams are all delicious, biltong amazing, snacks and treats there is a good selection. We also bought a cute little bowl made out of telephone wire which was imported. Can’t wait to come back again some day!

Small store located in a strip mall offering South African foodstuffs, spices, candy, toiletries and curios.
Frozen sausages, unbaked pies, meat, jerky. Canned foods, bottled preserves, teas. Pretty much everything you’d need to prepare that traditional South African meal, and products for cleaning up too.
A great store for everything South African!

Love this place! I shop here when I need some rusks. Get some biltong and some boerewors. Must always remember to grab a few Fizzers!

Very interesting little store with a mix of South African grocery items and trinkets for the house, including ostrich egg holders — for ostrich eggs, of course. They had just the one beautifully decorated egg on the Saturday I popped in, but it is apparently a popular Christmas gift.
The friendly atmosphere can lead to clients chatting with staff for quite a while, so if you have a question, you’d better just get in there and ask instead of waiting forever for them to finish.

I stop in here regularly for SA goodies. Merinda and team is always very friendly. If you lucky you also get to chit chat with her parents and other customers. It is a bery friendly environment.
The store not only have great groceries but loads of African nick nacks. It is great for gift buying. Everything is very reasonably priced.
Visited them today and got some home made rusks, melktert and the best ever meat pies.
I am going back next Satuday to get more pies!

Bear with me. I have to backtrack a little to explain how I found myself at this shop on a recent glorious summer day. I’m a fan of Sharlto Copley. I know he’s only been in a pair of films but he was excellent in both… plus I know quality so that’s my excuse. Anyway, he posted on FB that he’d be doing a low-​key meet and greet at this SA shop while in town filming. Having nothing to do on that particular Saturday, I figured why not. How often would I get a chance to talk with an actor who I respected (and yes, found handsome), right?
I found the shop’s website and e-​mailed with some general questions. I received a prompt and pleasant response from Marinda Breese, one of the owners. She answered all of my questions even putting up with my second e-​mail with similar kindness. I decided to go for it. I woke up early, packed a few snacks, dropped the top and headed north to Vancouver.
I arrived early for the meet-​and-​greet so I milled around the store for a while. I saw many items that I knew I’d be taking home: chocolates, Branston Pickle, Ouma Rusks, Schweppes Bitter Lemon and biltong… lovely varieties of biltong! I asked the woman behind the counter if she was Marinda and then introduced myself. She was happy that I could make it and we chatted for a few moments. She told me her husband Tom had done some boerewors rolls in the back if I was hungry. Mmm… those are so good! I don’t know if they have them usually but if they do, indulge and buy one.
After a while, more fans arrived to the shop. You could tell who was there for their usual shopping and who was there for Sharlto. He and his girlfriend arrived after being stuck in some traffic, generously spoke with every single person there and signed anything that people asked. I don’t want to dwell too much of the awesomeness of meeting him or anything but it was damned cool way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
Okay, back to my review of the shop. It was very clean with all of the labels faced outward, neatly arranged. There was plenty of SA goods, enough to placate the homesickness for any South African. After the fans dissipated, I did my shopping. I grabbed the items I mentioned above along with a huge Cadbury’s Turkish bar, Black Cat peanut butter (packed with peanut power!), some single serve bottles of Ribena and a bottle of Peri-​Peri sauce!
I’d definitely return if I was in the area and I’m in Vancouver often. There’s plenty of free parking, just take care to notice which spots are marked for other shops. Tom and Marinda were super-​friendly and the elder couple who also worked there (parents?) were very kind. They easily earned the elusive fifth star for their customer service and sheer friendliness. Stop in if you’re able and see what I mean!