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A foul-mouthed fruiterer has challenged ALDI to match his low prices for fresh fruit and vegetables as Aussies continue to be hit with rising grocery bills.
Johnny Kapiris, the proud owner of St Bernards Fruit and Veg in Rostrevor in Adelaide’s east, revealed what he really thought of the prices at the chain in a cheeky photo taken at the front doors of his local store.
In the not-so-subtle snap, the greengrocer has dropped his jeans and pointed his backside to the camera as he declared war on the supermarket giant.
Mr Kapiris told Facebook users they could purchase broccoli for $1.99 a kilo and strawberries for $3.99 a punnet at his store this week and invited ALDI to match the low prices for fresh produce.
‘Match that you imported f****, I am your master,’ he captioned the photo.
‘Karen comments will be deleted and blocked.’
Johnny Kapiris, the proud owner of St Bernards Fruit and Veg in Rostrevor in Adelaide’s east, revealed what he really thought of the German supermarket chain in the cheeky snap
Mr Kapiris told Facebook users they could purchase broccoli for $1.99 a kilo and strawberries for $3.99 a punnet at his grocer and challenged ALDI to match his low prices
The straight-talking fruiterer has become known for his expletive rants about the rising cost of fruit and vegetables across Australia.
In June, he blasted corporations for using inflation as an excuse to overcharge for fresh produce, labelling them ‘money-hungry f***s’.
Mr Kapiris told Daily Mail Australia he had taken the photo to encourage residents to buy their groceries from local independents, rather than large corporations.
‘I’ve been bantering with ALDI for a long time,’ he explained.
‘When I do my bantering I go full steam ahead. I don’t have millions of dollars to spend on advertising but I have a set of balls and I can say the truth.’
The grocer explained that his friction with the German supermarket began over five years ago when he owned a greengrocer in Adelaide’s south.
The shop was ultimately forced to closed with Mr Kapiris placing some of the blame on an ALDI store that opened in the same area.
When asked why he had a particular gripe with ALDI he said the chain was the last supermarket to ‘come on board’ and had landed in an already saturated market.
Mr Kapiris (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he had taken the photo to encourage residents to buy their groceries from local independents, rather than large corporations
‘Coles and Woolworths have been around since I was born,’ Mr Kapiris explained.
‘ALDI were the last ones here and they’re a foreign company.’
The grocer hopes his social media stunts encourages people to shop local and said in recent weeks locals have been flocking to St Bernard’s.
‘My shop is flat out, it’s always been a busy store,’ the grocer said. ‘Aldi has given me inspiration to go full steam ahead.
‘The whole idea is to get some attention and independence for local businesses.
‘We need to grow some balls and not let them run us out of business. People need to take a look around before we’re all gone.’
ALDI did not provide Daily Mail Australia with a direct comment on the image and. instead pointed to the supermarket’s most recent Price Report.
The report found that buying groceries at ALDI is at least 15.6% cheaper than at other supermarkets, saving an average family $1,555 per year – even if they are already buying the cheapest products at a competitor store.
Facebook users were divided over the attack on ALDI with some questioning why Mr Kapiris didn’t pick on other supermarkets and others labelling him a ‘legend’
‘The price gap widens significantly to 24.7% when comparing ALDI prices to the equivalent branded products, saving the average family $2,468 per year if they usually buy branded groceries,’ the report states.
It also found that over three-quarters (78%) of Aussie shoppers had reduced their purchases in the last 12 months to save money, with plans to do the same next year.
Facebook users were divided over the attack on ALDI with some questioning why he didn’t pick on other supermarkets and others labelling him a ‘legend’.
‘Mate, you are a serious legend, I wish you were here in NSW, it would be an honour to buy from you. Keep up your great work!’ one man wrote.
‘Why you only picking on ALDI? Have you seen the prices at Coles and Woollies?’ another asked the grocer.
‘Australia currently exports more than it imports and fresh vegetables sold by Aldi are ALL locally produced. Just saying to keep it REAL,’ another said.
‘But your attacks on ALDI are funny as hell.’
Mr Kapiris told Facebook users they could purchase broccoli for $1.99 a kilo (pictured) and strawberries for $3.99 a punnet at his store this week and invited ALDI to match his low prices
An eccentric Australian greengrocer has ranted that other stores are using inflation as an excuse to jack up prices and explained how he keeps his prices so low in a viral video (pictured, Johnny Kapiris, left with his wife and business partner Leannda)
The greengrocer has previously called on politicians and corporations to reduce living costs for families and battlers.
‘Every f***er in Australia and the world is using inflation for an excuse to jack their f***ing prices up so they can f*** everyone,’ Mr Kapiris said in the now-viral video.
He was also flooded with praise for his brutal honesty on social media.
‘I suppose they say that because I’m passionate, and I’m real. I don’t sugarcoat nothing mate,’ he previously told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I think my first policy would be to take the fuel tax off to drop the fuel price for the consumer and businesses.
‘Government help has got to start with utility bills. Water, gas and electricity bills should all be capped or discounted.
‘I’d also want to cut power costs, but the idiots went and sold everything off to overseas companies so they can’t tell them what prices should be.’
Mr Kapiris explained that by cutting the costs of utilities, hardworking Aussies would have more money to spend on the economy.
‘The more people have left in their pocket at the end of the week, the more they’ll put back into the economy,’ he said. ‘The government just tells us inflation is going up but they do nothing to actually help us.’
The grocer tries to insulate customers from additional costs and as soon as he can buy fruit and vegetables at lower prices he passes the prices on.
‘So if we’re paying $14.99 a kilo on broccoli and then we get a load for $4.99, we automatically pass that on, we don’t milk it for a couple of weeks and try to get away with it like some shops do.’
Mr Kapiris claims retail corporations have a totally different perspective on business to family-owned operations.
Mr Kapiris says the onus is on the consumer double-check that they are getting value when they go shopping
‘They’re driven by shareholders, they need to show big profits to shareholders so that more people will invest in their business. With independents, you’re family owned and operated and literally in the community.’
Mr Kapiris said retailers can still stop prices from rising exorbitantly – if they put their customers first.
Because the role of big retailers is different from family-owned businesses, Mr Kapiris says the onus is on the consumer double-check that they are getting value when they go shopping.
‘The main thing is for the consumer to open their eyes, and to know where they’re going to put their money before they get it out of their wallets,’ he explained.
‘So open your eyes and be more savvy instead of going somewhere just because it’s convenient.’