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| Vovo Telo Bakery |
There is a constant stream of customers moving in and out of 44 Stanley's newest addition, Vovo Telo Bakery. I have come to interview co-owner Marisa Evans about the bakery's success and its participation in Artlogic's Food/Wine/Design Fair in November of this year.
Marisa gestures around the room: “I can't tell you how many foreigners, particularly French people, we have in here every morning. You get to know the locals as well because we've managed to form a community here in a relatively short period of time”.
With its roots firmly in Port Elizabeth, avid globetrotters Matthew Repton, Marisa and her husband David Evans, started the original Vovo Telo.
Matthew had journeyed to Madagascar 3 years ago on one of his regular surfing trips and stayed overnight in an old hotel of the same name. Sitting outside one morning, he noticed an old man riding past on a bicycle in the rain, with a basketful of bread strapped to the back. Inspiration struck, and 3 years later Vovo Telo found a home in a dilapidated business complex in Richmond Hill.
Marisa tells me that the bakery was slow to kick off, being situated in an area with massive retail potential but outwardly grungy and off the map for most Port Elizabeth residents. As word of mouth spread and the demand for hand crafted bread and quality coffee increased, the presence of Vovo Telo and the resulting foot traffic in the area sparked off a wave of urban renewal. “We provided something that people didn't realize was missing until they tasted the coffee and bread.” Marisa explains. “From the start, the focus was on selling products that are crafted by time and effort. Wherever possible, we use locally sourced organic ingredients, stone-ground flour and free-range eggs, and recycled materials. We all decided that it was important that at least one of us had to be at the shop every day. People want to be hosted.”
South Africa has been slow to catch on to the international trend of 'High Street shopping'; being able to do all your grocery purchases in one area and chat with the owners and crafters. There is an increasingly prevalent move away from mass-production and anonymous, expensive packaging.
Marisa emphasizes that Vovo Telo puts time and money into the product, rather than elaborate shop décor and other unnecessary frills. I take note of the strong, simple motifs and interior design that give the shop at 44 Stanley its unique appeal. Marisa indicates the iconic Vovo Telo bunny and the heart-shaped curlicue in the mural on the back wall, the work of designer Alta Stegmann. “We browse through décor magazines every now and again, and the Richmond Hill store had a strong French feel, but we have slowly adopted a local flavour. We also take note of design when we travel, but we're careful not to let it influence us too much.
When I ask about the success of the 44 Stanley store, Marisa smiles and shrugs. “We still wonder about it every now and again. I think we're fortunate in a way, but we're also passionate about what we do. The bakery is a bit of an escape for us. It needs to be fun, otherwise it wouldn't be worth it.”
There are plans in the works to spread out from Milpark and offer the same quality pastries, breads, sandwiches and coffee further North, seeing as on weekends customers drive from as far as Pretoria to enjoy a Vovo Telo cappuccino.
When we speak about Vovo Telo's participation in the upcoming Food/Wine/Design Fair from the 26th to the 28th of November at the Sandton Convention Centre, Marisa agrees that the bakery is ideally positioned to fit in with the event.
The Fair will emulate a market setting, with visitors able to taste, test and purchase some of South Africa's finest fresh produce in addition to bespoke design and craft. Established, owner-run and managed businesses have been selected by the curators of the Fair according to strict criteria and the Fair provides a relaxed, casual setting for the public to learn more about manufacturing processes and the story behind the various products, which have been sourced from both South Africa's rural areas and its cities.
Matthew McClure
Food/Wine/Design Fair
Hyde Park Corner Johannesburg
011 482 4459
Vovo Telo Bakery
44 Stanley Ave, Milpark
011 482 4139 |
