- Designed for our future and to deliver great value for customers at PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square, Gilmours, Liquorland and Fresh Collective
- Construction starts in 2018 with completion scheduled for late 2020, as next stage of Foodstuffs’ nearly 100-year commitment to New Zealand
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 2018-Feb-08 — /EPR Retail News/ — Foodstuffs North Island has announced that it is moving its primary Distribution Centre (DC) and Support Office from its long term home in Roma Road in Mount Roskill and building an exciting and innovative complex at The Landing, Auckland Airport.
Chief Executive Chris Quin, says Foodstuffs North Island has been at its current site for 53 years and is rapidly outgrowing that space.
“We’ve been an important part of New Zealanders’ lives and communities for nearly 100 years and we plan on being around for many years to come. To do this we need better facilities to deliver what our customers at PAK’nSAVE, New World, Four Square, Gilmours and Liquorland and Fresh Collective need from us for the future. We’re planning significant future growth across the business and our success depends on being nimble, efficient and continuing to attract the best talent, who work in an agile and collaborative way.”
Foodstuffs has made some big changes over the past few years, guided by its purpose of making sure New Zealanders get more out of life. Foodstuffs’ supermarket customers, along with Gilmours and Liquorland, have seen major changes including the introduction of New World Clubcard, online shopping, support for Kiwi children in partnership with Eat My Lunch and new and improved Pams and Value products. The team has also been working on major sustainability programmes designed to drive waste out of the business and look after New Zealand’s environment.
Behind the scenes Foodstuffs has been working hard to improve efficiency and allow the business to keep prices low and quality and service high.
“Key to our success is developing a world-class supply chain to ensure we have a great offer for our customers in store and online every day. This new 65,000m2 distribution centre and 5 Greenstar rated office complex will be at the heart and will enable our Co-op to work more collaboratively and effectively.”
It’s also proposed to consolidate three Foodstuffs facilities in Auckland into one best-in-class complex. The Co-op will continue to operate two DCs and a Support Centre in Palmerston North and a Support Centre in Wellington.
As part of these changes Foodstuffs North Island is proposing to close the Rotorua DC at the end of 2020 and move those operations to the new DC. Quin says, “In making the decision to build the new DC, we have been looking at all the options possible to make the Upper North Island operations as efficient as possible and fit for purpose over the next 30 years. Long term, we believe that the best option is to support our Upper North Island stores with one purpose-built Ambient DC.
“We wanted to share our proposal to close the Rotorua DC with our teams early in the project. If the proposal does go ahead, we feel it would be the right thing to do to give the team lots of notice and time to plan for the change.”
Foodstuffs North Island has yet to decide the future of its Roma Road site and will be working closely with a number of stakeholders, including local government, to determine the best use of the land in the interests of Auckland. “The Mt Roskill site is now considered almost inner-city – and we’re excited about unlocking this space.”
Quin says, “Right now, it’s about continuing to deliver for customers every day. We’ll remain at our legendary home in Mt Roskill until the new site is ready in 2020 and then we’ll be packing up and moving out to a bright, new, expansive future at The Landing.
“Our customers’ needs are changing fast and we believe all New Zealanders deserve more of what matters to them. For some this is more inspiration, more choice, more convenience, more value and more help making healthier food choices. For others, it’s all these things and more. We need to make sure we’re ready to face these changes head on.
“Based at the gateway to Aotearoa, our 100% New Zealand owned company will have a fantastic new centre with service at its heart. We’re totally committed to playing a key role in New Zealand’s future and helping meet the needs and aspirations of our team and customers.”
MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Foodstuffs Communications Team Phone: 0800 376 3342
Source: Foodstuffs