Today we will look at our largest retailer – Foodstuffs. The three Foodstuffs cooperatives supply around 132 New Worlds and 45 Pak N’ Save supermarkets around the country, as well as hundreds of 282 Four Squares and convenience stores. Foodstuffs also owns the Liquorland brand, with 75 stores.
Foodstuffs’ 2010 annual report summaries for all three cooperatives are now all available, with the Wellington Co-operative society’s reports released just recently.
Group Sales for Wellington has gone up 4.3% from last year, Auckland up 5.5% and South Island had 4% sales growth. Auckland and Wellington did better in 2009- supermarket sales were up more than 9% in the Foodstuffs Auckland area, and more than 7% in the Wellington area. South Island on the other hand, had recovered strongly from negative growth in 2008-2009.
Retail News
All Black star’s shops $1.1m short
He rarely puts a foot wrong on the rugby field, but All Black star Dan Carter’s failed fashion shop business owes creditors more than $1.16 million.
Thirty creditors are waiting while his Gas Clothing company is liquidated, and Carter will be among the first in line – as a secured creditor – to be repaid $210,000 that he sank into the venture from Carter Promotions Ltd, a company of which he is the sole director and shareholder.
Wayne’s new brand offers cheaper cuts
Auckland hairdressing entrepreneur Rodney Wayne is launching a new chain of salons, Stylexpress, which will aim at a different market.
“Stylexpress will be faster, less expensive,” said Wayne, who has been in the hairdressing business for 42 years and who also has the retail business Shampoo n’ Things.
Eric Watson’s clothing company suffers hit
Shares in Eric Watson’s United States casualwear company American Apparel plunged on Friday after the company announced its auditors, Deloitte and Touche, had quit amid concerns over its accounts.
It is the latest in a string of bad news for the NYSE-listed wholesaler and retailer.
Coffee drinkers embrace fair factor
Fairtrade – it’s the buzzword of “ethical” consumerism in the 21st century.
Many in the West sing its praises but fewer understand the complex forces governing the lives of Third World farmers from Burkina Faso to Bolivia.
Tainui Group back in black
After $61.1m turnaroundWaikato-Tainui’s commercial arms has had a $61.1 million turnaround, it reported yesterday.
Tainui Group Holdings and Waikato Tainui Fisheries recorded a net profit of $34.1 million for the year ended March 31 – a huge turnaround from 2009 when the tribe lost $27 million because of a writedown in asset values.
Next Home gets makeover
British fashion and homewares group Next is rolling out a more contemporary look for its standalone Next Home stores.
Designed by Dalziel and Pow, the new concept has been unveiled at Next Home in Cambridge.
“The recent opening in Cambridge introduces a number of new and refined treatments to the store, to develop a more contemporary and architectural feel. We tried to reflect the recent progress made in Next’s fashion stores, setting the store as a neutral backdrop and reducing the amount of finishes, whilst updating the current successful Home scheme,” says the company.
Levi’s, Brooks Bros launch joint range
Two famous US fashion brands are joining forces to launch a new collection of jeanswear for men: Levi’s Jeans, Made in the USA for Brooks Brothers.
Available at Brooks Brothers stores nationwide, online at www.brooksbrothers.com and in Brooks Brothers catalogs, the collection is the latest in an ongoing series of special collaborations for both brands and re-affirms a shared commitment to products that are “made in America”.
Polo Ralph Lauren plans SE Asian flagship
Marina Bay Sands, Singapore’s new integrated resort, will be home to Polo Ralph Lauren’s first luxury store in Southeast Asia.
The new 1676sqm two level store will showcase an exclusive assortment of Ralph Lauren’s premier collections, including Women’s Collection and Men’s Purple Label.
Heartfelt campaign to raise $1m for kids
Buying a heart-shaped treat or coffee in August will help raise more than $1 million to support Australian children born with heart defects.
Developed and sponsored by Retail Food Group Limited, the initiative will raise funds from special HeartKids treats purchased from Donut King, Michel’s Patisserie, Brumby’s Bakeries, Brumby’s Go!, bb’s cafe and Big Dad’s Pies.
Westfield announces dividend estimate
The world’s biggest shopping centre owner Westfield Group will pay a distribution of 32 cents per security for the six months to June 30.
The distribution represents half of the 64 cent per security distribution for calendar 2010, forecast by the company in February, Sydney-based Westfield said in a statement on Wednesday.
Woolies plans two giant NSW warehouses
The NSW Government has approved a $182 million concept plan for a 50 hectare employment site at the former Hoxton Park Aerodrome in Sydney’s west.
And the first anchor tenants confirmed for the Mirvac Group project are warehouses for Woolworths’ Big W and Dick Smith divisions.
Wedgwood opens Harrods flagship
Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood and Royal Doulton, part of the luxury lifestyle company WWRD, have unveiled their new international retail concept – in the heart of London’s luxury department store Harrods.
The retail strategy has been created by the WWRD design team in conjunction with retail experience design agency JudgeGill.
It uses what JudgeGill describes as “a materials palette and merchandising technique that re-creates the ambience of fine dining to make the product appear more tactile and encourage ‘handling’ and interaction with the product”.
Coffee chain gets healthy
Cafe chain The Coffee Club has expanded its menu, to focus on fresh, seasonally-available produce in a wider range of health-conscious meals.
Executive chef of the 220-strong chain, Dan Forrest, says the menu update is based on proprietary Nielsen research showing a growing appetite for more healthy menu options and value-for-money dining.
