From Fochville to Potchefstroom: the Jacobs family serves up success

The Fochville Coffee & Bistro has become a much-loved local gem, but its story is one of resilience, reinvention and a shared passion for food.

The restaurant was originally started by Anna Jacobs in May 2019, but just as business began to flourish, the world came to a standstill when Covid forced the entire country into lockdown. During those uncertain months, Jacobs asked her ex-husband Wimpie and his wife Sandra if they would be interested in taking over the business. The couple didn’t hesitate.

“With Wimpie’s excellent business skills and my food service management qualification and extremely delicate flavour palate, we were determined to take the bistro to new heights,” says Sandra. “We opened for takeaways during lockdown whenever it was allowed, and as orders came in, we started to see the potential. We got more and more excited and soon realised that we truly loved running a restaurant.”

Today, Fochville Coffee & Bistro offers a cozy yet lively dining experience. The restaurant seats 35 guests inside and 25 outside, with two intimate bar areas; one indoors (with eight seats) and one outside (with six seats). The focus, however, remains firmly on food rather than alcohol.

The Jacobs recently unveiled a brand-new menu, boasting an impressive variety of dishes from scrumptious starters to marvellous mains and decadent desserts. But it is their perfect pizzas that keep their customers coming back for more.

Says Sandra: “Our regular pizza bases are thin and crunchy, although customers can opt for a thick base if that’s what they prefer. Our toppings – of which there are 17 different varieties – are generous, and we use only locally sourced fresh ingredients.”

The restaurant’s signature pizza is The Bistro, which features a secret base sauce topped with garlic, steak strips, ribs, ham, cheddar and mozzarella. It’s currently battling for the top spot with another crowd favourite – the Biltong & Cream Cheese Pizza.

For the non-meat eaters, The Vegetarian is definitely the favourite and comes topped with butternut, feta cheese, balsamic onions and mozzarella.  

“It’s also my go-to pizza! I’m a huge vegetable fan. But pizza is such a versatile dish, so I think anything goes! If you can get the flavour combination right, fly with it!”

The Fochville Coffee & Bistro is once again taking part in the Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge. Last year, the eatery proudly came in at number eight in South Africa – a result that brought new energy to their business.

“After last year’s success, our pizza sales went through the roof! This gave us the confidence to dream bigger and in a few weeks’ time we will open the doors to our new venture, Duco’s Eatery which will be located in Potchefstroom.”

Opening on 1 November, Duco’s Eatery will feature the same bestselling dishes that make the Fochville Coffee & Bistro so popular. Located at Palm Square, 1 Maree Street, the restaurant will have a fresh and modern design, courtesy of Sandra and her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Sunel Dupper.

“We’re focusing on quick bites with big flavours! Duco’s will be a takeaway-style eatery, emphasising sustainability with recyclable containers and cutlery. Our menu will include light meals, baskets, burgers, sweet treats – including my amazing home-made cakes – and 11 different pizzas. Plus, we’ll serve the best coffee in Potch, along with freezos, milkshakes, hot drinks and boba tea!

The name Duco’s blends family and future and is derived from Du (from Dupper) and cos (from Jacobs). Sunel’s father, Koos Dupper, who has extensive restaurant management experience, has joined forces with Sandra and Wimpie in a partnership that is aimed at eventual franchising.

“We’re building a brand for our children,” says Sandra proudly.

From surviving lockdown to launching a second restaurant, the Jacobs family’s story is one of passion, persistence and plenty of pizza. Whether it’s Fochville or Potchefstroom, one thing’s certain, their warm hospitality and generous flavours will keep the customers satisfied. And who knows, they could even make it into this year’s Top 3 in the Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge.

Fochville Coffee & Bistro can also host small events, overseen by Sandra, with her experience as a wedding planner and decor specialist.

Fochville Coffee & Bistro is located at 10 Dorp Street, Fochville, and is open Monday to Saturday from 07h00 to 20h00. Tel: 060 962 0653 for bookings and follow them on social media @fochvillecoffeebistro.

Duco’s Eatery opens November 1 and will be located at Palm Square, 1 Maree Street, Potchefstroom. It will open Monday to Sunday from 07h00 to 20h00. Tel: 072 302 2541
and follow them on social media: @ducos_eatery.

About the Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge

The Porcupine Ridge Pizzeria Challenge celebrates South Africa’s best pizza makers. Any licensed restaurant that serves pizza can enter, provided they offer at least two Porcupine Ridge wines (one red and one white or rosé) and display official promotional material. Diners can vote by scanning a QR code or visiting votepizza.wine.

Voting runs until October 31, with participants allowed up to 10 votes per email address.

What’s at Stake:

• Winning pizzeria: bragging rights, a custom winner’s paddle, Porcupine Ridge wine and marketing materials valued at R40 000, plus vouchers and wine for staff
• Runners-up: receive Porcupine Ridge wine, marketing support, and staff vouchers
• Voters: weekly prizes include wine and pizza accessories, with a grand prize of an EarthFire Tabletop Pizza Oven, a year’s worth of pizza (up to R2 000), and five cases of Porcupine Ridge wine — a total value of R10 000

For more details or to cast your vote, visit: votepizza.wine.

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