Our History

 

Similar co-operatives were set up in other parts of the country including Wellington (1922) and Christchurch (1928) and Otago/Southland (1948). Initially the buying groups traded under different names, but in 1935 the name Foodstuffs was adopted by all the original co-operatives.

Since then the organisation has continued to evolve. There have been mergers over the years between the smaller regional co-operatives that make up the three co-operatives that exist today - Foodstuffs (Auckland) Limited, Foodstuffs (Wellington) Co-operative Society Limited and Foodstuffs South Island Limited.

The evolution of Foodstuffs has included several key developments which have helped the organisation continue to grow. In 1963 the New World group was formed, and the PAK'nSAVE group began with the opening of the first store in Kaitaia in 1985.

Key moments in Foodstuffs' history:

• 1923 - first co-operative formed in Auckland by J Heaton Barker
• 1924 - Four Square branding on members' stores
• 1928 - Christchurch co-operative formed
• 1935 - all co-operatives renamed Foodstuffs
• 1937 - Pams brand launched
• 1948 - Foodstuffs (Dunedin) Ltd established
• 1948 -  Four Square introduces New Zealand's first self-service retail grocery
• 1949 - Foodstuffs (Southland) Ltd established
• 1958 - Foodstuffs (Dunedin) Ltd and Foodstuffs (Southland) Ltd amalgamate to form Foodstuffs (Otago/Southland) Ltd
• 1963 - New World group formed
• 1964 - Foodstuffs purchases James Gilmour and Co Ltd
• 1972 - Foodstuffs' jubilee year. Sales now exceed $60 million
• 1985 - first PAK'nSAVE store opens in Kaitaia
• 1988 - Foodstuffs (Otago/Southland) Ltd and Foodstuffs (Christchurch) Ltd merge to become Foodstuffs (South Island) Ltd
• 1990 - collective wholesale turnover surpasses $2 billion
• 1995 - Foodstuffs (Auckland) annual sales pass the $1 billion barrier for the first time. The three companies now share nearly 54 per cent of New Zealand's wholesale grocery business
• September 1996 - launch of Fly Buys in New World
• 2000 - collective wholesale turnover surpasses $4 billion
• December 2002 - first fuel site established at Tamatea PAK'nSAVE
• 2003 - Pams becomes sponsor of CanTeen
• June 2007 - first self-checkout system in New Zealand introduced at Moorhouse Avenue PAK'nSAVE
• 2008 - New World becomes an Elite sponsor of Netball New Zealand
• 2010 - Gilmour's moves to owner/operator model
• 2012 - Raewood Fresh purchased in South Island