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Grocery company in New Zealand From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Woolworths New Zealand Limited (formerly Progressive Enterprises) is the second largest grocery company in New Zealand (behind Foodstuffs), with revenue of NZ$6.2 billion for the year to June 2018. Alongside Foodstuffs, Woolworths NZ forms part of the New Zealand supermarket duopoly.
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Woolworths NZ (2018–present) Progressive Enterprises (1949–2018) | |
Formerly | Progressive Enterprises |
Company type | Subsidiary |
Industry | Retail |
Founded | 9 February 1949 (as Progressive Enterprises) |
Founder | Brian Hall Picot Tom Ah Chee ![]() |
Headquarters | Favona, Auckland, New Zealand |
Revenue | ![]() |
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Owner | Woolworths Group (2005–present) |
Number of employees | 18,000 |
Parent | Woolworths Group (Previously by Foodland associated Limited) |
Subsidiaries |
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Website | woolworthsnz |
Progressive Enterprises Limited was once owned by the Western Australian Supermarket Group FAL – Foodland Associated Limited which operated Action Supermarkets, Supa Valu Supermarkets and Dewsons Supermarkets. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Australian Woolworths Group.
On 25 May 2005, it was announced that Woolworths Limited, one of Australia's largest retailers, would be purchasing Progressive Enterprises along with 22 Action stores in Australia. The deal was worth approximately NZ$2.5 billion and culminated in the official transfer of assets on 24 November 2005.
In 2006, company workers at three distribution centres initiated industrial action in an attempt to win a collective employment agreement and pay rise.[2] The company responded by suspending grocery distribution centre operations and allowing suppliers to send stock directly to supermarkets.[3]
Also in 2006, the company was awarded the Roger Award For The Worst Transnational Corporation Operating in New Zealand.
On 15 August 2007, Progressive Enterprises announced employees on youth rates or under the age of 18 would get paid adult rates, which in some cases can be up to an 80% pay increase. The average pay increased from $9.00 to $13.50.
In August 2011, Progressive Enterprises won a marketing award.[4] On 22 June 2018, Progressive Enterprise Limited renamed to Woolworths New Zealand Limited.
In June 2022, Woolworths New Zealand established a wholesale business, New Zealand Grocery Wholesalers, following the release in March of a Commerce Commission report on competition in the New Zealand grocery sector.[5] The government gave Woolworths and Foodstuffs one year to establish substantial wholesale agreements or face additional regulation.[6]
In July 2023, Woolworths New Zealand announced the rebranding of all Countdown Supermarkets to Woolworths.[7] The rebrand is expected to be completed in early 2024.
Woolworths NZ runs the following grocery store chains:
It operates online grocery shopping in the name of Countdown.[8]