New southern supermarkets rolled out
Supermarket giant Foodstuffs is continuing to invest in its South Island store network by opening new supermarkets and refurbishing existing properties.
During 2017 Foodstuffs South Island has invested $17 million in a 3100-square-metre supermarket in the Prestons subdivision in northeast Christchurch.
New World Prestons is expected to open in February next year, creating 100 new jobs.
Foodstuffs South Island’s general manager of property and retail development, Roger Davidson, said a $6m refurbishment of one of the company’s original stores, Pak’n Save Moorhouse in Christchurch, would be completed in December.
It opened in 1990 and was the first to have self-checkouts in 2007.
When complete, Pak’n Save Moorhouse will look and feel like a new store, Davidson said.
In July, Foodstuffs announced plans to move its central Christchurch store from South City Shopping Centre to a new site in Durham St.
‘‘This work will take place in 2018 and will require an investment in the region of $20 million. This new 3685sqm store will be larger and offer a more modern shopping experience for our customers.’’
Work will also continue on Project Chilly Bin – a new
28,551sqm temperature-controlled distribution centre that Foodstuffs is building in Hornby.
The project’s first stage will be completed in September 2018 and its final completion date will be July 2019. Foodstuffs purchased the site in 2010 and began planning in 2014.
‘‘This new facility will double chiller capacity and lift freezer capacity by half, expanding the range of products and seven-daya-week deliveries.’’
Davidson said Foodstuffs was creating 115 new jobs with all of its South Island refurbishments and new stores.
A new 973sqm Four Square Tekapo store that opened in June
2017 cost $3.4m and employs 15 people. ‘‘It is four times bigger than the old Four Square store we had in Tekapo,’’ he said.
A 450sqm extension of Pak’n Save Timaru was completed this year, representing an $8m investment, while New World Alexandra has had a significant expansion of 1000sqm, representing a $12m investment.
During the past 12 months Foodstuffs South Island posted sales worth $2.9 billion, an increase of $96m or 3.3 per cent on the previous year.
The growth occurred in a period of low inflation and was attributed to the opening of three new stores and higher market share of existing outlets.
The gross profit was $341m, with $262m returned to members of the co-operative.