Olà vida family
We thank you for all your support, care and appreciation during these uncertain times. Having to temporarily close all our stores was a significantly difficult moment in our lives and something no-one would have contemplated. Certainly, we have not had to deal with an event like this in the 18 years that vida has been in existence. However, it was completely understood and necessary and we believe that we will be stronger for it as a nation, as a business and as individuals.
As South Africa’s national COVID-19 alert level will be lowered to level 4 on Friday 1 May, we are excited to announce the following:
- We will re-open many of our high street cafes, in order to deliver coffee, food and all our other beverages to your homes. We will do this with our partners, Mr D And Uber Eats. So for those working, studying and still on lockdown at home, we will be offering delivery, across selected suburbs and city centres, ensuring safe delivery of your vida favourites to your doorstep. In 2019 we recognised the importance of coffee and food delivery and have thus been successfully delivering coffee and food with Mr D and Uber for the past 8 months. Their systems and processes are world-class, payment is seamless and more importantly, during this period of lockdown (and beyond), they have adopted the strictest hygiene protocols. This gives us and I’m sure yourselves the comfort you need. For details on which stores we are opening, the stores we will add in the forthcoming days and the extensive delivery menu, please visit either our website or see all the information on the respective delivery apps. Please also note you may also purchase all our coffee beans and capsules through these apps.
- Secondly, in partnership with Shell, we will be opening most of our stores on Shell forecourts. Should you need to refuel or replenish essential items we will be there to serve your favourite caffè. A list of these stores is also available on our website / here.
- Thirdly, we will also be opening in selected corporate environments where consumers are returning to work in accordance with company policy and the rules related to Level 4.
Another important message is that we will continue to ensure that you are able to prepare your own favourite vida coffee at home, through the availability of our full capsule and bean ranges, online at Takealot and the Online Beverage Store.
Again, please visit our website for stores and delivery platforms and the listing of forecourt stores that will be open. Each week, as we go forward we will add additional stores and update the platforms operating at our stores. Trading hours are also in accordance with level 4 restrictions.
We would not be able to open without our teams in stores and head office. We have prioritised health and safety for them and yourselves and they are waiting to prepare and serve you that much-anticipated shot of coffee and happiness. A massive vida thank you to our passionate team members who are returning to work to make this possible.
During the period leading up to the lockdown and particularly since lockdown on the 27th March, so many South Africans have been affected terribly by the COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to work with our longstanding partners, SA Harvest, to find additional ways to rescue and donate as much of our ingredients and food surplus as possible to support our local communities and reduce food waste.
We will also continue to donate to our essential workers in the Health Care Industry who are tirelessly working on the front lines to cure the sick and protect us. To date, we have delivered much-needed coffee to various hospitals to help those on the frontline get through the long hours and days.
We take pride in the health and safety standards we have in our stores and we’re dedicated to creating safe, delicious food and coffee, prepared and served by our team members. We remain vigilant and in contact with the DoH to ensure that we receive all relevant communications and implement the required and correct measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Prior to lockdown and as we open stores from 1 May, we will continue to implement the following procedures across delivery, forecourt and corporate stores:
- Baristas will sanitize their hands before and after every single caffè is made. This is in addition to every 30 minutes with soap and water for 20 seconds.
- Gloves are compulsory when preparing food, and masks are compulsory for all store staff.
- Staff to be monitored daily and anyone with flu-like symptoms will be escalated immediately.
- To encourage social distancing in our forecourt and corporate stores, all store staff will be placed on rotational shifts, while we will also add floor decals, remove tables and chairs and encourage grab & go orders.
- Delivery stores will operate under restricted hours from 09:00 to 17:00.
- Social distancing guidelines will be followed in our stores between staff members and delivery partners, keeping at least 1 meter apart.
- All surfaces (tabletops, sanitizers, card machine touch pads, door handles, etc.) are cleaned on the hour, throughout the day.
- We offer our customers alcohol-based hand sanitisers at our store entrances and at the point-of-sale.
- All takeaway lids, stirrers and sugars have been removed. The barista will offer you what you require upon request.
- We will pause the use of reusable cups, for now, however, we will still honour the R2.00 discount if a customer brings in their cup.
- We encourage the use of safe payment methods in-store using the vida Mobile app, SnapScan or card tap technology to avoid cash or card handling. All orders received through. Mr D and Uber are prepaid.
- Contactless pick-up is encouraged through the Order Ahead feature on the vida mobile app.
To read more, please visit https://vidaecaffe.com/life-coffee/covid-19/ and if you have any questions at all please get in touch via feedback@caffe.co.za OR 087 820 4128.
Finally, we trust that you are following all the necessary precautions to keep yourself and those close and special safe and healthy and that you play your respective role in this challenging but necessary phase of fighting this global pandemic.
On behalf of myself and all our staff, particularly the teams in stores, we can’t wait to serve you again.
Obrigado!
Darren Levy
