We’re shaking off the winter blues and getting ready to start soaking up some sun!
With summer on the way we know many of you are well into your Christmas planning. This is a busy time for suppliers, growers and retailers and I hope you have a prosperous season. It was great to see many of you recently at our in-person supplier update and discuss plans for the coming months.
We’re looking forward to working closely with you to enable the joint success of our businesses, and to meet the ever-changing needs and demands of New Zealanders.
In this issue of the Lowdown we’ve compiled some of the most interesting and important updates from across the business. We profile the incredible people at Matakana Berries; share some of the
great community work we’ve been doing; give you an update on our transformation journey and celebrate MILKRUN’s first birthday. It’s a packed issue and we hope you enjoy it.
I’d like to end with a big thank you to all the amazing people who help us provide the best food and groceries to Kiwi customers across the country. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without you. So, thank you.
Ngā mihi nui,
Matakana Berries
Pieter De Wet Commercial Director, Woolworths New Zealand
Matakana Berries are a family business that have been growing strawberries since 1981. One of their biggest achievements is seeing the passion and love of growing strawberries living on in their next generation with their son Matt.
With a different way of thinking, new ideas, new techniques and passion, Matakana Berries feel prepared for the future. After dealing with the aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle last season which led to a shortage of strawberry plants, this season is just starting and looking better than ever. With some sunshine there will be plenty of juicy, red strawberries for everybody to enjoy!
The people at Matakana Berries are grateful to have an amazing team who have been on this journey with them, and who are as excited and passionate about strawberries as they are!
Quality and presentation are of the utmost importance to them. The strawberries should be the “hero”. The team at Matakana Berries passionate about what they do and want customers to choose and trust their product. It is important to them that the customer has the same experience every time they choose MBC strawberries.
Supporting our local communities
Growing for Good Finding Circular Solutions to Waste
This year’s winners are 11 schools from Northland all the way to Canterbury, whose clean green ideas range from cleaning polluted waterways to repurposing old laptops, and planting micro forests.
Teacher Bridget McLaughlin from Te Totara School in Hamilton says that “the act of growing vegetables allows our students to connect with nature. Our children won’t care and protect our environment if they aren’t connected to it and our garden space hopes to encourage this connection in a fun and inviting way.”
She further adds that “when surveyed, many of our children don’t know where vegetables come from. Hardly any children had ever eaten anything they had grown which can be attributed to most whanau living on small sections with no gardens. By giving the students the opportunity and skills to garden, we hope to give excess kai to whanau and encourage the community to become involved.”
Congratulations to all our winners, who will receive a share of $50,000 in grants, so they can get their hands dirty for a good cause. Read more about each of the winning ideas here: https://www.woolworths.co.nz/ info/community-and-environment/ growing-for-good-grants
We’re proud to be working with the incredible textile recycling team at ImpacTex and the circular solutions specialists All Heart NZ to give new life to some of our outdated jackets.
Embroidered patches are being added to cover logos and the jackets are being delivered to the All Heart store in Manukau. From there they’ll go out to meet community need across Aotearoa New Zealand.
There are some jackets that can’t be redistributed and the innovative people at ImpacTex even have a solution for that! They’re turning them into fibre boards for signage, packaging or acoustic panelling.
Our commitment to waste prevention extends beyond food and we’re delighted to be working with the great teams at All Heart NZ and ImpacTexa big thank you for the support.
Young Farmer of the Year
After months of buildup and hundreds of Woolworths lunches, the Young Farmer title for 2024 was finally decided in July.
As well as joining the sponsor family, Woolworths supplied several hundred lunches across eight events for the AgriKids and Junior Young Farmer competitors, and $15,000 in Woolworths gift cards for winners and placegetters across all categories.
The Grand Final was held in mistwreathed Hamilton this year and the Te Waotu Bushwhackers from South Waikato took out the AgriKids title, while Shamus Young and Hayden Drummond from Otago Boys’ High School were Junior Young Farmer champions.
The senior title narrowly went to 23 year old George Dodson from Canterbury, who was able to don the ‘Cloak of Knowledge’ and hold the prized trophy aloft. At Woolworths we have loved being part of this essential event in the rural calendar.
Sustainability Teaming up to address period poverty
Our updated emission reduction targets
In our Woolworths Group 2024 Sustainability Report, we affirmed our support for sustainable food production across New Zealand and Australia. Building on our progress in reducing our emissions, we’ve updated our scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions reduction targets to align with a 1.5 degree pathway. We’ve also updated our ‘net zero’ deforestation target to aim for ‘no deforestation’ across our primary deforestation linked commodities, with a target date of December 2025.
We value the great work already underway across our network of supply partners, and we’ll continue collaborating with and learning from farmers, suppliers, industry and government to do our bit to support thriving food systems for a better tomorrow. We would like to offer a sincere and heartfelt thank you to all those partners who have participated in our Value Chain Emissions Programme. It is through your support and involvement that we can pave the way for a better tomorrow.
Stay tuned for more information as we are always looking at how we can best support and collaborate to further the reduction of emissions across the value chain. In the meantime, all of our suppliers across Woolworths Group are welcome to join our annual Value Chain Emissions Programme. This offers tools for benchmarking, tracking progress and other resources and guidance to support your sustainability efforts.
Better Tomorrow Award
Thank you to our 25 inspiring suppliers who entered our first suppliernominated Better Tomorrow Award.
Our sustainability and merchandise team are diving into the entries and we look forward to announcing the results at the Supplier Awards on October 24.
To register your interest or learn more, please email us at sustainability@ woolworths.co.nz
In collaboration with our fantastic supply partners, we recently partnered with the charity The Period Place to address period poverty. A recent survey revealed that half of respondents experience financial stress due to their menstrual cycles.
The national campaign, which ran from August 12 to September 8, encouraged customers to purchase participating period products from brands such as U by Kotex, Libra, Carefree, Stayfree, Tampax, Organic Initiative, Tom Organic, Bonds, Vagisil, Femfresh, Evamay, and Essentials. For each product sold, our generous partners donated a single period product to The Period Place.
Woolworths further contributed a $20,000 cash donation to The Period Place. The initiative aimed to alleviate period poverty and provide period products to those who cannot afford them, benefiting hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders.
We’re delighted with how the second year of this important campaign has gone, and thank our incredible partners for getting on board.
Primary Connect+
“Women in Logistics” – Amber Richards, Senior Business Development Manager
Throughout her career, Amber Richards, Senior Business Development Manager at PC+, has excelled in delivering things fastwhether it be food, people, or products. Her journey into logistics began in 2006 at Melbourne Metro Railway, where she transitioned from a Learning and Development Specialist to a business improvement role.
Tasked with driving change and embedding strategic solutions across the rail network, Amber earned her Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma and became a qualified facilitator. These skills paved the way for a Project Manager role at Mondelēz International. After successfully managing projects and POS activations, Amber shifted her focus to the supply chain division, becoming the Logistics Operations Manager.
After five years managing NZ Logistics, 3PL, and carrier contracts at Mondelēz, Amber joined Primary Connect in 2020 as Operations Manager.
“When I joined PC+, I prioritised building strong relationships with our DCs, carrier partners, and internal stakeholders,” says Amber. “This way, when we wanted to innovate, they trusted our advice and understood the rationale.”
In 2021, Amber transitioned to her current role leading the PC+ sales team. “Having worked supplier-side, I understand what our customers need and the critical importance of being first on-shelf,” says Amber. “I’m passionate about challenging the status quo and finding smarter ways to enhance supply chains. That’s what drives me.” Amber thrives on
MILKRUN Celebrates First Birthday in New Zealand
MILKRUN, the online grocery delivery service, recently celebrated its first birthday in New Zealand. Since its launch, Kiwis have flocked to the app, loving the ease and convenience. To mark the occasion, MILKRUN has compiled some interesting stats on how the service is utilised.
problem-solving and developing tailored solutions with her team.
“I’m passionate about expanding our offerings into international ocean freight, 3PL warehousing, and coastal movements, while continuing to excel in domestic freight,” Amber says.
“Delivering the full end-to-end process has been a career highlight. The growth potential for PC+ is enormous, and the momentum is incredible.”
The Super Seven
It’s the biggest season for retail spending, is your brand going to win?
From Click Frenzy to Black Friday and of course Christmas, there is no bigger period across the retail calendar than the last 7 weeks of the year. But as customer behaviour continues to evolve, success isn’t guaranteed and brands need to respond.
Cartology’s omnichannel Retail Media solutions across Woolworths are here to ensure you get your brand in the basket during this important retail season.
What’s driving the super seven?
1. It’s a season, not just a day! More customers are thinking, planning and buying for Christmas and the season, seven weeks out!
2. Digital is powering the journey From planning early to seeking inspiration and managing their grocery budget, digital is the front door and plays a crucial role at driving in-store conversion.
3. Customers are feeling the pressure Cost of living is placing increased pressure on the basket with purchases more considered than ever before..
The season builds from 7 weeks out, with customers open to influence
They’re attending multiple occasions over the season
58% attend 2 or more gatherings which represents an opportunity to leverage multiple occasions for brands to be part of during the celebrations season.
They’re planning earlier for Christmas
92% of customers plan their Christmas meals up to a month before. Inform and inspire them around usage occasions with time and cost saving solutions.
The shopping starts early With the rise of shopping events including Click Frenzy and Black Friday, 89% of customers start shopping before December. Don’t rely on the seasonal Halo to drive sales, ensure your brand has strong salience at the key moments of decision making.
The building blocks to a winning Super Seven
1. Be visible and salient in your category to stand out through the noise as competition increases.
Role of media: Ensure your brand maintains a consistent share of voice over the duration of the 7 weeks.
2. Communicate value over and above price - Christmas is a high pressure and high cost time of year for customers, with value top of mind. It’s important to remember there are multiple ways to communicate value so consider your brands proposition and how you convey that to have the most success in retaining or converting customers.
Role of media: Amplify your product USP messaging.
3. Build seasonal contextual relevance. With so many occasions throughout the 7 week period, customers are seeking solutions for their needs. Provide alignment to usage occasions and provide inspiration to customers.
Role of media: Connect your brand to key occasions and customer needs, creating contextual alignment for your brands.
4. Drive brand excitement and mental availability. Excite customers with a unique brand offering as they plan for entertaining, stocking up or gifting.
Role of media: Drive awareness and mental availability of your brand with customers and excite them with themed Christmas creative.
From sofa to shelf, Cartology can take your brand closest to customers as they search, seek inspiration, plan and buy across the biggest seven weeks of retail spending.
From priming customers when they browse online to the critical moment at shelf when purchase decisions are made, Cartology’s Retail Media channels can help your brand be seen, considered and chosen.
Ready to win the season? Contact your Cartology representative or info@cartology.co.nz for more information
Woolworths Transformation Journey
Woolworths New Zealand’s Transformation Journey Continues with Latest Store Conversions
Our ongoing transformation journey has been taking great steps forward with the recent conversions of six more stores to the Woolworths New Zealand banner since July. A special mention to the incredible transformation at the Bureta Park, Victoria Street, and Tawa. In F24 we brought a total of 72 stores into the Woolworths family. This brings the total number of converted stores to 78, with more to follow in the coming months.
Bureta Park
Reopening on Thursday, 22nd of August, our Bureta Park store has joined the Woolworths team. To mark the occasion the festivities began with a blessing, speeches, and representatives from Good Neighbour (Food rescue partner) and Salvation Army.
The store has undergone fantastic upgrades, including a refreshed online shopping offer with a dedicated entrance and direct to boot service, allowing customers to remain in their cars while groceries are loaded. An extended selfservice checkout area, new chilled cases in the produce department, and brandnew “food for now” and “food for later”
cases with a rapid warming oven in the deli offer more options for quick, readymade meals.
New shopping trolleys, including mobility and child-friendly options, and a brand-new mobility scooter for customers’ use are also available. The store has a completely refreshed look with LED lighting, new flooring, and a refreshed customer toilet facility.
Over 1900 new product lines have been introduced, including 1150 in grocery and 350 in perishables. For team safety, new bollards have been installed at the store front, and new team amenities (Bathrooms, Office, and Team Room) have been added.
Customers have responded positively to the changes, praising the store’s new look and expanded range of products.
Your key Merchandise and Replenishment team contacts.
Andre Visser
General Manager of Woolworths Food Company New Zealand
E: andre.visser@woolworths.co.nz
James Miles
General Manager of Meat, Seafood, Bakery & Value Chain
E: james.miles@woolworths.co.nz
M: 027 355 8527
Tucked into the heart of Auckland’s CBD Woolworths Victoria Street reopened its doors on the 15th of August after undergoing an incredible renovation.
Victoria Street’s doors first opened in January 2012; this is its first renewal and what a fantastic result for the team and customers. The renovations before a fresh feel and new life to the busy store. Included in these renovations were; an increase in the size of the bakery preparation area; improvements to the team room facilities; upgraded all signage within the store to make it easier for customers.
Ryan McMullen
General Manager of Fruit and Veg
E: ryan.mcmullen@woolworths.co.nz
M: 027 444 2032
Please reach out to your category or merchandise manager as your first port of call but if you need to get in touch with one of the merchandise leadership team, you can find their details below.
Angela Deehan
General Manager of Everyday Needs, General Merchandise and Pharmacy
E: angela.deehan@woolworths.co.nz
M: 027 444 077
Mark Bell
General Manager of Quality and Food Safety
E: mark.bell@woolworths.co.nz
M: 027 243 4315
Tash Toswill
General Manager Replenishment New Zealand
E: natasha.tosswill@woolworths.co.nz
M: 021 823 083
Greta Taylor
General Manager Grocery Food, Liquor, Perishables and Deli
