News of the November 17 closure sparked concern for shoppers when it was reported last month, but Woolworths NZ has now confirmed the Cameron Rd site will be turned into a FreshChoice supermarket in coming weeks.
A Woolworths NZ spokesman said an agreement to open FreshChoice Greerton had been signed with new owner-operators, Alex and Laura Mason from Mount Maunganui.
“Alex and Laura have had their roots in the Bay of Plenty region for several years. They previously owned SuperValue Pauanui and ran a successful business, along with Laura’s daughter Abby. After a short break from the industry, they are returning to run FreshChoice Greerton,” the spokesman said in a statement.
The store would close on November 17 for the refresh, with an opening date yet to be confirmed.
He said eight of the 38 team members from the Greerton store had been redeployed to nearby Woolworths stores.
“The new owner-operators may advertise roles that our remaining 29 team members would like to apply for and we’ll help facilitate discussions between our team members and the FreshChoice owners. The recruitment process will be solely managed by the new owner-operators.”
He said Woolworths NZ’s primary concern was helping the Greerton team through the transition, including identifying new employment opportunities where possible.
The Woolworths supermarket in Cameron Rd, Greerton is set to close in on November 17 and be replaced with a FreshChoice. Photo / Sandra Conchie
In the statement, the Masons said they were excited “to bring a fresh new supermarket offering to the Greerton community”.
“We will be giving the store a refresh and look forward to reopening at the end of this month or early next month as Fresh Choice Greerton. We hope lots of locals come along and see what we’re all about.”
The initial closure announcement caused some concern in the community, particularly for the displaced staff and older or less mobile shoppers.
First Union Bay of Plenty organiser Hayley Derry earlier said about 19 of 38 staff employed at Woolworths Greerton store were members of the union, and some had worked at the store for more than two decades.
It was “great news” for the community that another supermarket would replace the Woolworths store when it closed and that any affected staff not redeployed to other Woolworths stores in the area have the opportunity to apply for positions at the new Fresh Choice store.
Woolworths NZ had offered affected staff the option of choosing redundancy if available to them, she said.
First Union was working with Woolworths NZ and affected staff to ensure they were supported throughout the process.
Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty Grey Power president Jennifer Custins said there was a lot of infill housing in the Greerton area and the supermarket closing would have had an “enormous impact” on many of those residents and the wider community.
Grey Power Tauranga & Western Bay of Plenty president Jennifer Custins. Photo / File
She said it was good news a new supermarket would open in its place with local owner-operators after an upsetting period for the community and staff.
Custins said it was not just seniors but mothers of young children who may have struggled to adapt to the loss of such a “vital community service” in their neighbourhood.
“Going to the supermarket for many people is not just about buying their essential food needs but gives them a sense of purpose and a reason to get up in the morning, get dressed and go out to socialise and engage with other people, including the supermarket staff.”
Before the FreshChoice announcement, Faye Mayo — the People’s Warden at the St George’s Anglican Church in Gate Pa — said she had launched a petition against the Woolworths Greerton closure and it had “hundreds” of signatures.
A Greerton resident signing a petition launched to fight the closure of the Woolworths Greerton store on November 17, 2024. Photo / Sandra Conchie
She said having no supermarket would have a “dramatic impact” on the community, particularly people with mobility issues, shoppers who struggled to use public transport, and those more vulnerable to the risk of social isolation.
The Bay of Plenty Times attempted to contact Mayo for comment on Tuesday about the FreshChoice announcement.
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.
