Times are getting tight and if your paycheck is no longer stretching as far as it should, these factory shops guarantee a bargain. From footwear to free range chicken, books to bolognese sauce, factory shops are a great way to save whether you’re shopping for your next camping trip or monthly grocery run.
Also read: 21 different things to do in Cape Town
Bargain footwear
1. Access Park
Address: 81 Chichester Road, Kenilworth (there’s also one in Bellville)
Opening times: Monday to Friday 9:00 to 17:00, Saturdays 09:00 to 15:00. Some stores are open on Sundays.
Contact: www.accesspark.co.za
If there was one word to describe Access Park it would be “shoes”. There are shoe shops everywhere! From Nike to Hi-Tec, Havaianas to Puma and sandals to hiking boots, if it’s shoes you need you are bound to find them here. You can also shop for luggage, clothes, lingerie, homeware, stationery seafood and vegetables. And while you are there you can grab a bite to eat, have your car washed and even get a tattoo. With over 100 outlets and savings from 30-50% on branded items, it’s a full day out for the serious shopper.
2. Falke Eurosocks
Address: Corner of Fabriek and Oop Streets, Bellville South
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 9:00 to 16:15, Fridays 9:00 to 15:30, Saturdays 9:00 to 11:45
Contact: Tel 0219512137
Falke is known for top-quality sports socks. Joggers, hikers, bikers and tennis players can enjoy great discounts on their footwear at this factory outlet, which sells socks with minor defects (usually very, very minor) at vastly reduced prices. There are plenty of socks to choose from and there’s hosiery for ladies too. You are looking at about R30 for a pair of socks, but when we visited, there was a special on a pack of men’s sport socks (three in the pack) for R20 and ladies running socks for R12. Be aware that the shopkeeper takes a lunch break between 14:00 and 14:30 and the shop will be closed during this half hour.
Books
3. The Book People
Address: Unit 5, De Waal Park, corner of De Waal and Princess Vlei Road, Diep River
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 9:00 to 16:30, Fridays 9:00 to 15:45
Contact: www.bookpeople.co.za
The Book People have a huge range of beautiful children’s books, including activity books and cookbooks. You’ll also find a wide range of activity sets and educational games. While the main focus is on children’s literature, they do also have some books for adults including novels, cooking and gardening volumes and lovely colouring-in books for grown-ups. All the books are about R50 to R100 cheaper than your local bookstore, but the best bargains can be found in the second room where you can pick up five books for R100.
4. Bargain Books
Address: Corner De Waal and Greenville Road, Diep River
Opening times: Monday to Friday 9:00 to 17:00, Saturdays 9:00 to 14:00
Contact: www.bargainbooks.co.za
Bargain Books outlets can be found in suburbs around Cape Town, but I doubt there is one as big (and as overwhelming) as the one in Diep River! A massive warehouse filled to the brim with books of every genre imaginable. There are rows of A-Z by author, children’s books (including colouring-in books and activity books), travel guides and study guides, cooking and gardening books, coffee table books and audio books, along with puzzles and activity sets. You can usually save up to R50 on individual books or buy three books for R99. There’s also a table of books for R20 if you’re looking for a super-budget read. While you get lost in the world of crime novels, classics and gardening, the kids can be kept occupied at a small play area with toys and crayons.
Food
5. Compass Bakery
Address: Tramway Village (same complex as Meltz), Main Road, Diep River
Opening times: Mondays to Fridays 8:00 to 17:00, Saturdays 8:00 to 13:00
Contact: Tel 0217134483
If you love cakes, muffins and biscuits then this is the place to go! Compass are suppliers to a well-known chain store and you’ll find good quality baked items, sometimes with minor defects like irregular icing or miss-printed packaging, from as little as R13 for a large packet of biscuits, and carrot cake for R15. They have various specials on the day, including buy-one-get-one-free and extra discounts on items reaching their sell-by date. They also have a wide range of puddings, juices, nuts and fruit. Their spinach and feta pies are delicious too! Pensioners can enjoy a further 10% discount on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
6. Elgin Free Range Chickens
Address: South Palms Centre, 333 Main Road, Retreat (other factory outlets around Cape Town also available)
Opening times: Mondays to Fridays 9:00 to 18:00, Saturdays 8:30 to 14:30
Contact: www.freerangechickens.co.za
With reports of antibiotic-filled chicken meat on our supermarket shelves, there is no better time to get acquainted with the Elgin free range factory outlet in Retreat! There are various specials available each week, but even if the packs are not on special, you are still getting a good deal. For example you can pick up a 1kg whole bird for R50, garlic and herb chicken sausage (500g) for R25 and breast fillets (500g) for R25. They also have duck available, along with gravies, stock, pies and free range eggs. Plus, you can also grab some K-9 dog food for your pet while you there. The prices are so good that there is simply no excuse for not buying free-range chicken.
7. Gatti Ice Cream Factory Shop
Address: 84 Ottery Road, Wynberg (other Western Cape outlets also available)
Opening times: Times vary according to season, but you will definitely find them open on Monday to Thursday 9:00 to 17:00, Fridays 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, Saturdays and Sundays 9:00 to 13:00.
Contact: Tel 0217975858
This factory outlet looks more like your local corner store, but if you are looking for Gatti ice cream at wholesale prices then it’s worth stopping in. Ice lollies are from R33 for 30 (or you can buy them singularly from R3 to R5) and 20 Cornettos for R119 (or get a family pack of 6 for R43). They have various tubs of ice cream available including two-litre tubs from R31 and frozen yoghurt (two litres) for R42. Five litre and 20 litre tubs are also available. If you’re looking for spices, you can get those here too for a bargain R6 a packet.
8. Liberty Foods
Address: 23 Bolt Avenue, Montague Gardens
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30 to 16:00, Saturdays 9:00 to 13:00
Contact: www.libertyfoods.co.za
You need to know your prices when you visit the Liberty Foods factory shop as some products are incredibly cheap (like HP Sauce for R22, tinned tuna for R10 and one litre of olive oil for R35), while others may be on a par with grocery stores. That said, this outlet is crammed full of grocery items and there’s no end to the tinned goods, pastas, polentas, nuts and dried fruit available. It’s also a great place to shop if you need large volumes: they have lots of catering-size containers of olives, peppers, chillies, cucumbers, butter beans, mayonnaise, chutney and more. There are plenty of banting products available and they also stock biodegradable cutlery and plates – perfect for your next camping trip!
9. Ina Paarman
Address: Block B, Diep River Industrial Park, Greenville Road, Diep River
Opening times: Monday to Friday 10:00 to 15:00, Saturdays 9:00 to 13:00
Contact: www.paarman.co.za
A two-roomed shop with rows and rows of Ina Paarman favourites, including pasta sauces (R10 cheaper than grocery shops), spices, salad dressings, cake mixes, marinades, chutneys, stuffing mixes and more. The real bargains can be found at the back where items are a fraction of the normal price, using a system based on red or yellow dots. For example, if you are lucky enough to find a yellow-dot beef bolognese sauce you’ll only pay R6 for it, R4 for a cheese sauce, R5 for chicken stock and R9 for a vanilla cake mix. Well worth a visit for those who like to cook with these well-known products.
10. Scansa Trade
Address: 20 Stella Road, Montague Gardens
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 17:00, Fridays 8:00 to 14:30
Contact: scansatrade.co.za
A tiny, one-roomed factory outlet that’s perfect for salmon and trout lovers. Buy fresh Norwegian salmon, smoked salmon, smoked mackerel, salmon and snoek pate, smoked salmon and trout roulades, caviar, mini fishcakes and sushi-making products including Kewpie mayonnaise, sushi rice, Nori and rolling mats. We particularly loved the bargain-priced mini salmon and trout fishcakes (R25 for 12) and the salmon pate (R17). They also stock springbok carpaccio.
11. Westhook Factory Fish Shop
Address: 15 Eagle Road, Okavango Park, Brackenfell
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 8:30 to 17:30, Fridays 8:30 to 17:00, Saturdays 8:30 to 14:00
Contact: www.westhook.co.za
This quirky factory shop, complete with fishing nets and flags hanging from the roof, is one of the best places we found to buy frozen seafood in Cape Town. Expect everything from hake fillets to soles, mussels and shrimps, all at excellent prices. They also sell bait fish for those who want to go fishing and there are spice packs, sauces and recipes available too. As a side business they have a range of holistic pet products available. If your hands smell a little fishy after digging in the freezers, there’s a water-less hand cleanser to use before you leave. Don’t forget your cooler box and ice blocks – you’ll regret it if you don’t take one!
12. Freezerland
Address: 268 Main Road, Tokai (other Cape Town outlets also available)
Opening times: Monday to Friday 9:00 to 17:30, Saturdays 9:00 to 17:00, Sundays 9:00 to 13:00
Contact: www.freezerlandfrozenfoods.co.za
This factory shop, opposite the Spotty Dog on Main Road, supplies many of the well-known chain stores and they have an assortment of frozen, ready-made convenience foods available for less than you would pay in the supermarkets. A few things you will find are chicken pieces, crumbed chicken, fish cakes, pizzas, lasagne, burger patties, samosas, spring rolls and puddings. They also stock cooking oils, spices and condiments. Great for large families on a budget.
13. Breco Seafood Factory Shop
Address: 4 Printers Way, Printers Park, Montague Gardens
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 16:45, Fridays 8:00 to 16:30, Saturdays 8:30 to 12:30
Contact: breco.co.za
Breco branded seafoods can be found in most seafood factory shops, but if you want to go directly to the source then this is your best bet. They have various special offers every week – when we visited they had crumbed squid rings (1kg) with a bottle of tartare sauce for R60. Otherwise you will find good bargains on frozen seafood mixes, yellowtail, snoek, hake, haddock, prawns, mussels, shrimps, samosas and spring rolls. They also stock a range of sushi-making products.
Miscellaneous
14. Kolnicks Linen
Address: Corner of De Waal and Princess Vlei Rds, Diep River (other Cape Town outlets also available)
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30 to 17:00, Saturdays 8:30 to 13:00
Contact: www.kolnicks.co.za
If you’re looking for good quality linen for a bargain price then you are bound to find something here. This factory shop feels more like a smart showroom, complete with beautifully made up beds, baskets overflowing with towels and shelves lined with pillows and bath products. A Sheraton hollow-fibre double duvet will cost you R200 and a winter duvet cover set costs R180 (including two pillow cases). Many of the items in here are slightly factory-soiled, but if you’re not the sort to worry about a small mark on the inside of a duvet cover or a miss-stitch in a luxury bath towel then Kolnicks is for you. This is hotel-quality linen for a fraction of the price.
15. Merrypak
Address: 45 Morningside Road, Ndabeni
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30 to 16:30, Saturdays 8:30 to 12:30
Contact: www.merrypak.co.za
Merrypak states on their website that they have over 20000 products under one roof and we think they may have underestimated that figure! Merrypak has always been a firm favourite with Capetonians who like arts and crafts, and over the years it has expanded into a massive warehouse with everything you could ever wish for when it comes to packaging, painting, crafting, stationery and kids’ parties. You’ll find tins, boxes, buckets, miles of bunting, wrapping paper, tissue paper, paper serviettes, glass jars and bottles, foil containers, biodegradable cutlery, foil containers, canvases, paints and paper cups. The list goes on and on. Along with being a very reasonably priced one-stop arts and crafts shop, they have a rather nice café where you can enjoy a cappuccino or cold drink while tucking into breakfast (served with a morning paper) or lunch. The menu is almost as big as the shop and also at bargain prices – plus there’s free WiFi.
16. Continental China Factory Shop
Address: Range Road, Blackheath
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 8:15 to 16:30, Fridays 8:15 to 15:15, Saturdays 8:00 to 13:00
Contact: continentalfactoryshop.co.za
If you’re setting up home or sprucing up your camping set and in need of crockery, then take a trip to the Continental China Factory Shop. The place is massive and everywhere you look you’ll find rows of mugs and jugs and stacks of plates and bowls in every style and colour imaginable. They also sell glass products, including water bottles and Console jars. If you’re feeling peckish after all your shopping (or need strength to get through the myriad items available), they have a small coffee shop where you can get breakfast, toasted sandwiches, salads and sweet treats for an extremely reasonable price.
17. The Candle Factory Shop
Address: Unit 6, Honeywell Road, Tokai (outlets also in Maitland and Brackenfell)
Opening times: Monday to Friday 8:30 to 17:00, Saturdays 8:30 to 14:00
Contact: www.thecandlefactoryshop.co.za
Candles are not cheap and we were not entirely sure if the prices here are much cheaper, but there’s excellent quality on offer and it’s definitely a one-stop-shop if you’re looking for candles and candle holders. There are square candles, round candles, short candles, long candles, floating candles white candles, colourful candles and packs of tea lights. You can pop these into all manner of candle holders available in the store, including lanterns, colourful jars and ornate cages. They also have handy lists of estimated candle-burning times.
18. Cape Twines & Packaging
Address: 177 Albert Road, Woodstock
Opening times: Monday to Thursday 8:00 to 17:00, Friday 8:00 to 16:00, Saturdays 8:00 to 13:00
Contact: capebaggroup.com
Cape Twines and Packaging is the wholesale retail division of the Cape Bag Group – manufacturing rope, twines, bags and sheeting for the agriculture, and industrial sectors. Here you’ll find great deals on tarpaulins, shadecloth, hessian and netting, plus ropes and chords, bags and natural fibre products.
So those are our favourite factory shops in Cape Town. Have we missed any that you can recommend? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to know where you go!
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