A year of huge change in the grocery sector just got more interesting with Woolworths NZ’s announcement it is rebranding its Countdown stores back to the Kiwi icon Woolworths name. Woolworths first started as a general merchandise store in Wellington in 1929 and was...
Online grocery startup Supie says it is planning physical stores as it builds towards its goal of being a potential third major grocery retailer behind Foodstuffs and Countdown. Founder and CEO Sarah Balle has told Interest.co.nz it has signed up about 55,000...
The return of Arnott’s to manufacturing in New Zealand after 25 years is an encouraging move, says Raewyn Bleakley. She was speaking after the company today opened a new 4000 square metre factory in Auckland that it expects will make 7.5 million packs of crackers and...
New Zealand won’t follow France and the UK in introducing grocery price caps, Commerce Minister Duncan Webb has told Interest.co.nz The website reports the UK government is planning a voluntary cap on the price of basic food items such as milk and bread, similar...
The extent of the damage to the food industry from Cyclone Gabrielle is slowly becoming clearer. A report by Stuff shows both the domestic and export markets will be hit hard. NZ Apples and Pears says the Hawke’s Bay pipfruit crop would be 33% smaller because of...
The food industry is still trying to understand the impact Cyclone Gabrielle will have on the food supply but there will be gaps on supermarket shelves, says FGC Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley. She says it is very early days in understanding the impact, but the areas...
The second of two webinars designed to help FMCG leaders through the immediate and longer-term significant impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle will take place next Monday, March 13. It has been organised by the NZ Food and Grocery Council and NZ Food Safety – Haumaru...
It’s too early to tell exactly what effect the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle will have on the food and produce supply, FGC Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley says. She says: “There’s no way this utter devastation won’t have an effect, but I think it’s too early to...
FGC is continuing to work on CO2 impacts and long-term options as Todd Energy’s Kapuni production plant returns from its scheduled shutdown. Thanks to members’ participation in our survey on the shortage, we have been able to give government officials a...
The forced sale of some supermarket assets is still an option as the Government tries to boost competition and combat rising prices, according to a new report. The report was commissioned by the Government. NZ Herald business reporter Kate MacNamara obtained it, along...
The select committee considering the Grocery Industry Competition Bill has made public the submissions it received on the bill. FGC was one of the 29 submissions, which also included Woolworths NZ, the Commerce Commission, Consumer NZ, Night ‘n Day, The Warehouse...
FGC Chief Executive Raewyn Bleakley sat down this week with Sean Plunket of The Platform to discuss current grocery issues. On the agenda: rising prices and consumers shopping around CO2 supply issues affecting food suppliers options for more retail competition in the...
