The first Woolworths store (formerly Countdown) opened in Bethlehem, Tauranga. Photo / Alex Cairns
The first Woolworths store (formerly Countdown) opened in Bethlehem, Tauranga. Photo / Alex Cairns
New Zealand’s first rebranded Woolworths supermarket opened yesterday morning with long-serving local staff members at the fore.
Bethlehem’s former Countdown is the first of the supermarket giant’s New Zealand stores to make the change as part of the company’s $400 million, three-year nationwide transformation plan.
The company is rebranding back to Woolworths from early next year, 12 years after the brand left the New Zealand market.
Signs in stores have started changing and will take a couple of years to complete across the network of 194 Countdown stores.
The branding U-turn announcement met some backlash last month, with many querying the decision to spend millions rebranding during a cost-of-living crisis. Countdown said the cost would not be passed on to consumers.
At the Bethlehem store, which has had a $5m renovation over the past five months, Woolworths New Zealand managing director Spencer Sonn emphasised the $400m was about improving stores for staff and customers, “not about changing the signage”.
He said the Bethlehem store, which opened nearly 20 years ago as Countdown, would set the standard for Woolworths in New Zealand.
Changes included a dedicated drive-up area for online customers, electronic shelf labels, a new tearoom for staff, new uniforms, and a “fresh and modern look and feel” storewide. Customers would also have upgraded fresh produce, deli, bakery and seafood areas, more self-checkouts and new aisles with more than 1700 new products on the shelves.
Woolworths Bethlehem store manager Dwaine Geddes has worked for the company for 27 years, starting in Hamilton 27 years ago at Big Fresh.
Woolworths Bethlehem store manager Dwaine Geddes. Photo / Alex Cairns
He had been the store manager at Bethlehem for a decade and said the reopening was “a special moment for me”.
The reopening festivities included $500 in grocery vouchers being given to food rescue groups Good Neighbour and The Salvation Army, kapa haka by students from Te Wharekura o Mauao, and Sonn being presented with a korowai (cloak) by supermarket staff.
The ribbon was cut by three women who had been working for the company for decades, including checkout supervisor Sarah Banks.
Woolworths New Zealand managing director Spencer Sonn (second from left) and employees cut the ribbon to reopen the Bethlehem store. Photo / Alex Cairns
Banks started at the store nearly 20 years ago, having come from Big Fresh in Auckland.
She said she had stayed over the years due to the job security and stability.
“This morning was a nice event, it was good to see so many people thanked for their work and to see the kapa haka performance.”
The history of Woolworths in New Zealand
1929: First Woolworths store opens in Wellington’s Cuba St, trading as a general merchandise store.
1958: First Foodtown owned by Progressive Enterprises store opens in Ōtāhuhu, Auckland.
1981: Rattrays Wholesale Group establishes Countdown Supermarkets and opens its first store in Northlands, Christchurch.
1993: the Countdown and Foodtown businesses come under Woolworths New Zealand ownership.
2005: Australian Woolworths Ltd acquires FAL and its Progressive Enterprises stores, including the Woolworths New Zealand chain.
2009-2011: All Woolworths and Foodtown stores rebrand to Countdown.
2018: Progressive Enterprises changes its name to Woolworths New Zealand.
2023: Countdown announces rebrand to Woolworths Supermarkets New Zealand.
2023: First Woolworths in New Zealand, formerly Countdown, reopens in Bethlehem, Tauranga.
