Woolworths New Zealand

Woolworths New Zealand Limited (formerly Progressive Enterprises) is the second largest grocery company in New Zealand (behind Foodstuffs), with revenue of NZ$6.2 billion for the year to June 2018. Alongside Foodstuffs, Woolworths NZ forms part of the New Zealand supermarket duopoly.

For the former New Zealand supermarket chain owned by Woolworths New Zealand, see Woolworths (New Zealand supermarket chain).

Woolworths New Zealand Limited
Woolworths NZ (2018–present)
Progressive Enterprises (1949–2018)
FormerlyProgressive Enterprises
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryRetail
Founded9 February 1949 (9 February 1949)
(as Progressive Enterprises)
FounderBrian Hall Picot
Tom Ah Chee Edit this on Wikidata
HeadquartersFavona, Auckland, New Zealand
RevenueIncrease NZ$4,957 million (2008–2009)
Increase NZ$208 million (2008–2009)
OwnerWoolworths Group (2005–present)
Number of employees
18,000
ParentWoolworths Group
(Previously by Foodland associated Limited)
Subsidiaries
Websitewoolworthsnz.co.nz

Progressive Enterprises Limited was once owned by the Western Australian Supermarket Group FAL – Foodland Associated Limited which operated Action Supermarkets, Supa Valu Supermarkets and Dewsons Supermarkets. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian Woolworths Group.

History
  • 1948: Progressive Enterprises Limited was established on 9 February 1949 by the Picot family.[1]
  • 1961: Progressive Enterprises became the parent company to Foodtown Supermarkets Limited.
  • 1974: Albert Gubay opens the first 3Guys store. Progressive Enterprises purchased the chain in 1987, and rebranded or closed them throughout the 1990s with the store in Hillcrest, Hamilton being one of the last when it closed in January 1998.
  • 1988: Progressive Enterprises became part of Australian business Coles Myer
  • 1992: Coles Myer relaunched Progressive Enterprises onto the New Zealand stock exchange as a public company.

On 25 May 2005, it was announced that Woolworths Limited, one of Australia's largest retailers, would be purchasing Progressive Enterprises along with 22 Action stores in Australia. The deal was worth approximately NZ$2.5 billion and culminated in the official transfer of assets on 24 November 2005.

In 2006, company workers at three distribution centres initiated industrial action in an attempt to win a collective employment agreement and pay rise.[2] The company responded by suspending grocery distribution centre operations and allowing suppliers to send stock directly to supermarkets.[3]

Also in 2006, the company was awarded the Roger Award For The Worst Transnational Corporation Operating in New Zealand.

On 15 August 2007, Progressive Enterprises announced employees on youth rates or under the age of 18 would get paid adult rates, which in some cases can be up to an 80% pay increase. The average pay increased from $9.00 to $13.50.

In August 2011, Progressive Enterprises won a marketing award.[4] On 22 June 2018, Progressive Enterprise Limited renamed to Woolworths New Zealand Limited.

In June 2022, Woolworths New Zealand established a wholesale business, New Zealand Grocery Wholesalers, following the release in March of a Commerce Commission report on competition in the New Zealand grocery sector.[5] The government gave Woolworths and Foodstuffs one year to establish substantial wholesale agreements or face additional regulation.[6]

In July 2023, Woolworths New Zealand announced the rebranding of all Countdown Supermarkets to Woolworths.[7] The rebrand is expected to be completed in early 2024.

Store brands
Entrance to a Fresh Choice supermarket

Woolworths NZ runs the following grocery store chains:

  • Countdown: 194 supermarket stores
  • SuperValue: 40 stores – convenience supermarket stores, run as a franchise
  • FreshChoice: 30 stores – Higher quality supermarket with a large range, run as a franchise
  • Woolworths: 9 supermarket stores

It operates online grocery shopping in the name of Countdown.[8]

Logo used from 2018-2022

Former operations

Product brands
  • Countdown
  • Freefrom
  • Macro
  • Essentials
  • The Odd Bunch

Former product brands
  • Signature Range
  • Naytura
  • FreshZone
  • Basics
  • No Frills
  • Woolworths Select
  • Home Brand

See also

References
  1. Harris, Catherine (3 August 2012). "Kiwi supermarket, education leader dies". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  2. Business & Money
  3. "Supermarket Suspends Distribution Centres". XtraMSN. 29 August 2006. Archived from the original on 1 September 2006. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  4. "Home". Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  5. Enerva, Kaycee (16 March 2023). "Woolworths to supply Circle K stores in New Zealand". Inside FMCG. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  6. "Minister gives supermarket duopoly ultimatum over wholesale deals". RNZ. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  7. Shaw, Aimee (18 July 2023). "Countdown supermarkets to rebrand back to Woolworths". Stuff News. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  8. Countdown Online Shopping
  9. "Foodtown, Woolworths brands on way out". The New Zealand Herald. 21 September 2009. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
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