Ikea will open its first New Zealand store on December 4.
That’s a Thursday three weeks before Christmas.
The announcement comes two years after Kiwi Property sold 3.2ha of land in Mt Wellington, Auckland, to the Swedish retailer.
“It’s been quite a journey,” said Fabian Winterbine, Ikea Australia and New Zealand expansion manager.
“We announced back in 2019 that we were coming. We’re on the home stretch now, and we’re super excited to bring Ikea here to all the people of New Zealand.”
The Sylvia Park store will have 28 motorbike parking bays and electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
It will also have click-and-collect facilities and about 7500 products, the crowd at the announcement heard.
Ikea said it had tested multiple scenarios relating to traffic and would run trials to iron out any bottlenecks.
The food court will have 426 seats and, yes, Swedish meatballs are on the menu.
Ikea said the store was deploying numerous sustainability features.
Solar panels would generate 40% of the store’s energy needs. Rainwater harvesting, insulation on all sides, LED lighting and a second-hand furniture buy-back programme would be in place.
Ikea said it had received 25,000 applications for its 500 job places.
Mirja Viinanen, Ikea Australia chief executive and chief sustainability officer, said the retailer worked with an employment agency to assess applications.
“I can promise that we go through all the applications ... What are the needs, what kind of roles we have, what are the preconditions for different roles?
“We have a lot of different roles when it comes to operating a retail business, and then everybody will get the chance, a fair chance.”
The crowd heard the Auckland store would be the company’s furthest outlet from Sweden.
“Today is a big day for Kiwis, but it’s also a very big deal for all of us at Ikea around the world,” a company executive told the crowd.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Ikea’s arrival was genuinely exciting for New Zealand and a positive sign for foreign investment.
“It means more jobs.”
He also joked that Ikea would help young Kiwi couples.
“There’s nothing quite like assembling flat-pack together.”
Luxon told the Herald he first got acquainted with Ikea when he was a young man flatting in London.
He also said he met some Ikea owners in the Netherlands in June.
“I talked about the fact that we’re making changes to our Overseas Investment Act to welcome capital here.”
He said many cities and countries around the world wanted an Ikea.
“So we have to be competitive and we have to really make that process as simple and as easy as possible for them to want to continue to invest in our country.”
On a tour of the new store, Luxon was told that, every fortnight, 30 to 80 new workers started at Ikea.
The company had a global training scheme, and some Auckland staff would be trained in Australia.
The shop will have living room, kitchen and bedroom installations and a children’s play area.
“We are piloting a new kitchen experience in New Zealand,” an Ikea staffer told the tour group.
The food court will have a view of Maungarei (Mt Wellington).
The store will also have a bistro offering hot dogs and cinnamon buns.
Luxon said the store was a significant investment in New Zealand.
He hoped the Government’s commitment to reducing red tape in big development projects would encourage other large investments.
Before the announcement, Luxon met Ikea representatives and Kiwi Property chief executive Clive Mackenzie.
“Thank you for your support,” Mackenzie told him.
Mackenzie said the store would make use of a new covered walkway for shoppers coming from Sylvia Park mall.
Auckland Swedish folk band The Swedish Bandits were playing.
Ikea also provided samples of Scandinavian cuisine, especially dairy and fish dishes, including gravlax (cured salmon) and aged cheese quiche.
Representatives of Ngāti Pāoa opened the event.
The crowd heard the tribe were eager to work on the “Swiwi” (Swedish-Kiwi) partnership.
The store is about the same size as three rugby fields.
Ikea operates in 31 other countries and on Monday announced a network of 29 pick-up points nationwide.
The collaboration will mean NZ Post handles smaller parcels such as accessories and soft furnishings, while Mainfreight will move bulkier items such as bookcases and sofas.
Mainfreight will also deliver door-to-door and, under its “Mainfreight 2Home” offer, will take heavier items into people’s homes if that is the preferred option.
Ikea was founded by Ingvar Kamprad, a self-confessed alcoholic who eschewed luxuries and frequently used public transport.
“If I start to acquire luxurious things, then this will only incite others to follow suit,” Kamprad was quoted as saying in 2008, when the Daily Mail said he was worth £15.7 billion ($39.38b at that time).
He died in 2018 at the age of 91.
Ikea Group’s largest franchisee is Ingka Holding, headquartered in the Netherlands.
Ikea Retail is Ingka’s core business with about 400 Ikea stores and a presence in 31 countries.