Te Awamutu's Woolworths Supermarket in 2009 prior to its demolition after the new Countdown was built behind it. Photo / Cathy Asplin
Te Awamutu's Woolworths Supermarket in 2009 prior to its demolition after the new Countdown was built behind it. Photo / Cathy Asplin
It is back to the future for Te Awamutu’s Sloane St supermarket - supermarket giant Countdown is spending $400 million on a transformation plan that will see supermarkets rebrand back to Woolworths by early 2024.
The signage of the stores would start changing in the next couple of months but the complete rebranding would take some time - with the entire network of 194 Countdown stores taking a couple of years to switch.
Between 2009 and 2011 all Woolworths stores in New Zealand were rebranded to Countdown.
In Te Awamutu it was an even larger project - the town got its second large-format supermarket following the development of Pak‘nSave in Cambridge Rd.
It was the first large-format Countdown in Waipā, built on the existing site behind the previous store, which was able to continue operating.
That store was then demolished to make way for the new carpark and on December 2, 2010 the new store opened.
The Woolworths name first appeared in Te Awamutu in Alexandra St. It closed after a SuperValue was built by a local operator on the current Countdown site.
It then became Woolworths when the supermarket chain bought him out.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said Woolworths had a long history in New Zealand, opening its first New Zealand store in Wellington in 1929.
It has been 14 years since the Countdown brand slowly replaced Woolworths and Foodtown stores in New Zealand with the last stores rebranding in 2011.
Brad said the change of name was just one part of the supermarket’s planned transformation.
“I’m excited by the announcement and what it means for our continued commitment to New Zealand and its ongoing importance to Woolworths Group,” he said.
“The next stage of our transformation and the rebranding of our stores to Woolworths Supermarkets New Zealand means we’re doubling down on our transtasman connection to bring the very best to our Kiwi customers.”
Woolworths Supermarket in Sloane Street in 1981. Photo / Dean Taylor
Woolworths NZ said the changes also included a “refreshed loyalty programme” with the launch of Everyday Rewards for New Zealand planned for early 2024.
The company planned to invest more than $400m over the next three years upgrading the store network, with a focus on older stores across Aotearoa.
South Island customers would see the opening of a state-of-the-art Christchurch Fresh Distribution Centre in 2024. The Auckland Fresh Distribution Centre opened in 2022.
Managing director of Countdown and Woolworths Group New Zealand, Spencer Sonn, said the supermarket retailer had been working hard to become a better business and it was time “to accelerate that change”.
“Having had the privilege of leading the New Zealand team for over two years now, I know there’s a lot that people love about what we do, and none of that will be going away,” Spencer said.
“In the coming months and years, you’re going to see us bringing the best of the Woolworths brand across the Tasman and equally sharing the best of what we have here with the broader Woolworths Group. We’re changing for the better and a name change for our stores is just one part of that.”
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 Ōtahuhu, Auckland
1981: Rattrays Wholesale Group establishes Countdown Supermarkets and opens its first store in Northlands, Christchurch
1993: Countdown and Foodtown business come under Woolworths New Zealand ownership
