My local Woolies has had one massive glow-up… becoming Gauteng’s first Food Emporium and only the second of its kind in the entire country.
Johannesburg, South Africa (30 August 2026) – The Woolworths at Dainfern Square has had a massive makeover and officially reopened as Gauteng’s very first “Woolworths Food Emporium”. And seeing as I live around the corner… how could I not go and have a look? So, straight after gym yesterday, I made my way to the “new” store to see what all the fuss was about.
I’m not going to lie… it does feel elevated.
Woolworths officially unveiled the Dainfern Square store as its first “Food Emporium” in Gauteng last week, making it only the second of its kind in South Africa after the first opened in Durbanville, Cape Town.
The Food Emporium is Woolworths’ flagship food format, bringing its biggest food offering together under one roof. But the difference isn’t just that there are more things to buy or bigger grocery aisles. The whole store has been designed around different experiences, with dedicated foodie alcoves, specialist counters and little nooks and crannies that make wandering around feel a lot more interesting. And all those “speciality” areas really feel special. There’s an expanded artisanal bakery filled with freshly baked breads and pastries, dedicated butcher and fishmonger counters staffed by people who actually know their stuff, a huge specialist cheese counter with local and international cheeses, freshly prepared sushi, an elevated pantry packed with premium local and international products, and a beautifully revamped florist. Like, it’s BEAUTIFUL! The florist.
There’s also a “What’s Cooking Bar”, where customers can find recipe inspiration and taste different things. Woolworths believe this is less about convenience and more about an “experience”.
“Our customers are looking for more than just convenience,” says Chan Pillay, CEO of Woolworths Food.
“They want quality they can trust, greater choice and fresh ideas for every meal. The Food Emporium is our way of bringing all of that together in one place, creating a shopping experience that reflects the innovation and passion for food that defines Woolworths.”
My favourite little “alcove” is the sweet section. It is, for lack of a better word… the cutest. There’s something wonderfully Willy Wonka-ish about it. The way everything is displayed and the atmosphere they’ve created. Music is also playing in that section that totally adds to the feeling that you’ve wandered into a little sweet shop inside a bigger store.
There is one thing I’m not completely sold on yet… the exit. Previously, you could walk through the store and leave in the way we have all become accustomed to. Now there’s a dedicated passage that takes you round the back of the shop, out towards the front. At the moment, it feels a little dark and a little bland, especially compared with how bright and beautiful the rest of the Emporium is. It runs alongside the new “Wine, Spirits and Beer Shop”, which is still getting its final touches. I’m guessing it will all feel much brighter and more complete when that section opens in the next day or two. And if I’m being fair, I think the biggest reason I don’t like the new exit is because it’s different. Humans are funny like that. We get used to walking one way for years, somebody moves the door and suddenly we have “feelings” about architecture. Give me a week or two and I’ll probably have forgotten there was ever another way out.
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Dainfern is unlikely to be the last. While Woolworths has not yet announced where its next Food Emporiums will open, the retailer has made it clear that these next-generation stores form part of a broader strategy to evolve its physical retail offering.
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