Store formats
Four formats. One brand standard.
The format is chosen for the town, not for the applicant's ambition. We would rather put a busy entry-format store in a town of 40 000 than a half-empty flagship.
Compare the four formats
Xpress
Suburban infill or small-town arterial.
- Floor area
- 60 – 90 m²
- Fitment
- 1 fitment bay
- Vehicle lifts
- —
- Branded vehicle
- —
- Staff at opening
- 3 – 4, including the owner-operator
Best for. A first-time franchisee with deep roots in one town.
- Single fitment bay, drive-in counter, full Novax® range
- The fastest format to open — roughly 90 days from signature
- The leanest staffing and the lowest fixed-cost base
- No vehicle lift, so no GBX Condition Report at this format
Xpress Store
Suburban high street on a through road.
- Floor area
- 90 – 120 m²
- Fitment
- 1 fitment bay
- Vehicle lifts
- 1 vehicle lift
- Branded vehicle
- —
- Staff at opening
- 4 – 5
Best for. An operator who wants under-vehicle capability from day one.
- The smallest format that can put a vehicle on a lift
- The smallest format that can perform the GBX Condition Report
- Deeper holding than Xpress across the common start-stop sizes
- Suits suburbs and towns of roughly 40 000 people and up
Xpress Plus
Suburban hub or secondary town on a busy arterial.
- Floor area
- 120 – 180 m²
- Fitment
- 2 fitment bays
- Vehicle lifts
- 1 vehicle lift
- Branded vehicle
- Branded vehicle optional
- Staff at opening
- 5 – 7
Best for. An experienced operator ready to run a team and a workshop.
- Two-bay workshop with a lift for under-vehicle access
- Deeper stock holding across AGM and EFB start-stop sizes
- Room for a trade counter alongside the retail counter
- Suits towns of roughly 60 000 to 200 000 people
Xpress Flagship
High-traffic regional hub.
- Floor area
- 200 – 280 m²
- Fitment
- 3 – 4 fitment bays plus mobile fitment
- Vehicle lifts
- 2 vehicle lifts
- Branded vehicle
- Branded vehicle included
- Staff at opening
- 7 – 9
Best for. A senior operator, or a multi-site investor with an operator in place.
- Multi-bay workshop, two lifts, mobile fitment capability
- The deepest range in the network, including full AGM coverage
- Regional stock support for nearby Xpress, Store and Plus outlets
- Fleet and trade capacity from day one
What every format has in common
The same brand standard, the same Operations Manual, the same free test on every visit, the same trained technician on duty in every trading hour, the same Novax range, the same POS and CRM, and the same audit regime. A customer should not be able to tell from the counter experience which format they walked into.
On investment by format. We do not publish a price per format, and you should be sceptical of any franchisor who does without qualification. What a store costs turns on the site, the landlord's tenant installation and the opening stock mix. Entry-format turnkey investment starts at R950 000 excluding VAT on an indicative basis. Your figure, itemised line by line, comes in the qualification interview and again in the Disclosure Document.
What a store looks like
Built to one specification.
The two images above are design concepts produced for this brand and are clearly labelled as such. They are not photographs of trading stores and no store is represented as looking like this today. The only trading store in the network is the Alberton flagship, photographed on the home page and on the About page.
The standards
What you commit to maintaining.
These are conditions of the franchise. Read them before you apply rather than after — if any of them irritates you now, they will be intolerable in year three.
Trade the approved range only
12V vehicle batteries, chargers and battery accessories. No household, inverter, solar or other category without written approval.
Buy only from approved suppliers
Stock, equipment, uniforms, signage, IT and branded consumables come through us or our nominated suppliers.
Trade the published hours
Monday to Friday 07:30 to 17:00 and Saturday 08:00 to 13:00, locally adjusted only on written approval. Public holidays per the published roster.
A free battery test on every visit
No exception. A printed report is handed to the customer before any quote is given.
A written quote before any work starts
Valid seven days, signed by the customer before fitment begins.
Owner-operator presence
Physically present for no less than 80% of trading hours in year one, and 50% after that.
A trained technician on duty
During all trading hours, with PPE compulsory in the fitment bay and fitment to the manufacturer's torque specification signed off on the job card.
Used-battery handling
Bunded, ventilated, lockable storage. A movement register signed on every uplift. Collection only by approved licensed recyclers.
Brand-standard livery
Exterior, fascia, interior, uniforms and vehicle wraps match the brand guidelines exactly. Refurbishment to the then-current specification every five years.
Audit
A quarterly brand and operations audit, a monthly external mystery shopper, and annual safety, IT and POPIA audits. Findings become a corrective action request with an owner and a deadline.