Johannesburg is Refreshi's fastest-growing market. Since we launched in Gauteng, the City of Gold has become our second-largest region — with 27% of all Surprise Bags on the platform sold in the greater Johannesburg area.

Whether you're in Sandton, Rosebank, Morningside, Melville, or Fourways — there's a Refreshi bag near you. Here's everything you need to know.

Where to find Refreshi bags in Johannesburg

Refreshi is live across a wide range of Johannesburg neighbourhoods, with new stores joining the platform regularly. Current partner categories in Joburg include:

Delis and specialty food — Premium deli counters with daily surplus from prepared foods, charcuterie, baked goods, and ready meals.

Coffee shops and cafés — End-of-day surplus from Johannesburg's thriving café scene.

Restaurants — Kitchen surplus from full-service restaurants in business and residential areas.

Convenience and petrol station forecourts — Grab-and-go food from service stations across the city.

Hotels — Restaurant and buffet surplus from Johannesburg hotel properties, particularly in the Sandton CBD.

When to check the app

Different stores list bags at different times. A general guide for Joburg:

Coffee shops and cafés: Late morning through to early afternoon.

Delis: Mid-afternoon through to 30–60 minutes before closing.

Restaurants: From around 4pm for dinner service surplus.

Hotels: Late afternoon through early evening after service periods close.

Enable push notifications for your favourite stores and you'll get an alert the moment bags drop.

Tips for getting the most out of Refreshi in Joburg

Move fast. Johannesburg is our highest-demand urban market outside Cape Town. Popular bags — especially from premium delis and well-known coffee chains — sell out quickly. Order as soon as you see the notification.

Explore beyond your suburb. Some of the best-value bags are in commercial areas like Sandton and Rosebank where large hotel kitchens and premium restaurants generate high-value surplus daily.

Build a routine. The best Refreshi users in Joburg check the app at the same time every day — usually mid-morning and again in the late afternoon. Consistency beats luck.

New to Refreshi?

If this is your first time, here's the quick version: download the app, allow location access, browse stores near you, pay in-app, and collect your bag during the store's collection window. It takes under five minutes to set up and your first bag could be tonight's dinner.

Are you a Johannesburg store owner?

If you're a food business in Johannesburg with daily surplus — a restaurant, deli, café, bakery, hotel, or convenience store — Refreshi can have you live and selling bags within a day. There's no upfront cost and no complicated setup.