1st Class Fruit & Veg: New shop opens in Basingstoke

1st Class Fruit & Veg opened in Wote Street on Saturday, August 3, stocking everything from tropical mangos to earthy spuds.

The family-run business, located in the unit previously occupied by CeX, sells "hundreds" of different fruits and vegetables, catering to the needs of the people of Basingstoke.

Owner, Ahmed Alkhudhary, 31, told the Gazette that "business has been going well in the first three weeks".

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Ahmed Alkhudhary is the owner of 1st Class Fruit & Veg (Image: Newsquest)

He said: "We have been open for nearly a month and it has not been bad, some days we have been packed out."

Ahmed explained how the shop, which currently stocks a wide selection of summer fruits, will change produce seasonally.

He said: "Our fruit and veg will change with the season, for example, cherries just finished and now we have watermelons.

"Some will always be available throughout the year."

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A selection of the fruits available (Image: Newsquest)

Ahmed, who has previously run shops in Reading, identified a lack of a greengrocer in Basingstoke and explained how he saw the opportunity to give the people what they want.

He said: "The market stalls are the only other place that sells fruit and veg, but the market is only on two days a week. We are open seven days a week.

"Basingstoke doesn't have a greengrocer in the town centre so I wanted to open the shop for the people who are asking for it."

While Ahmed's shop stocks traditional fruits such as apples, oranges and strawberries, it also has quite a few that you won't usually find in Basingstoke.

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Chilli peppers on offer (Image: Newsquest)

He said: "We have soft fruit, all types of veg, and many, many international produce.

"There is guava, passionfruit, dragonfruit, lots of things you won't always find in Basingstoke, very unique fruits."

Price-wise, 1st Class Fruit & Veg certainly lives up to its name, with a multitude of special offers throughout the store, including four for £1 on chilli peppers and mixed fruits, plus a number of multi-buy options for nearly every product.

Ahmed said: "People come in and are surprised by what we have, people can choose and select from all different types.

"Come and try our stuff, we have something for everyone."