Bigger, better Four Square Te Puna opens its doors to the community

Bigger, better Four Square Te Puna opens its doors to the community  

When Pritesh and Dipti Bhikha first came across Four Square Te Puna in 2009, they knew they had found something special. Originally from Fiji, the couple spent months visiting Four Square stores across the North Island before deciding on Te Puna – a community that welcomed them and felt like home.  

Over the past 16 years, they have turned Four Square Te Puna into more than a place to pick up your groceries - it's become the spot where neighbours chat and catch up while buying what they need. For many in Te Puna, a visit is part of their everyday routine.  

Dipti says they’ll often have neighbours meeting at the store instead of at home, “Life gets busy, and this has become a place where people can pause and take a moment together.”  

Now, the couple are opening a new Four Square Te Puna store, built just behind the original, marking the next chapter for the community hub. As part of the Foodstuffs North Island co-operative, they’re among hundreds of owner-operators serving communities across the North Island. The new store meets growing demand for more space and range, with the 1969 building having reached its limits. 

 “We had completely maxed out the space,” Pritesh says. “This brand-new store gives us the chance to offer more - especially in fresh food and overall range.” 

At nearly twice the size, the new store offers more choice for locals, with a bigger produce section and improved butchery and seafood. It means the team can keep things great value day to day, while also offering more fresh and convenient options. There’s also an expanded range of ready-to-eat favourites: hot pies, sandwiches, chicken and chips - alongside barista coffee and scoop ice cream.  

Popular services including Lotto and NZ Post will remain, while the layout has been designed to make shopping quicker and easier, adding an additional checkout and new self-checkouts. 

Outside, customer convenience has also been improved, with a new carpark created, following the demolition of the old store, with 31 spaces for customers.

“When we took the team inside the new store for the first time, their reaction was amazing. The first thing they said was, ‘it’s so big!’ It’s a huge step up from what we’re all used to,” Dipti says. 

The expanded new store will also create new job opportunities in the area, with the team expected to grow from 14 to up to 20 team members. The larger store will also help meet the needs of a growing community, where heavy traffic into Tauranga has made local convenience increasingly important. 

“We hear it all the time - people don’t want to sit in traffic if they don’t have to,” Pritesh says. “If we can make life easier for our customers, and keep things local, that’s a big win.” 

Ben Waru, acting Head of Four Square at Foodstuffs North Island says the new store reflects what Four Square is all about, “You can really see the pride Pritesh and Dipti have in their store – they've built something that reflects both their hard work and what their customers are asking for.”  

That same commitment to keeping things local extends beyond the store, with Pritesh and Dipti continuing to support nearby schools and the local Te Puna rugby clubs - staying closely connected to the community that has supported them over the past 16 years. For them, the new store is a practical step to keep supporting the Te Puna community into the future.

 “This is our dream.” says Dipti, “We’ve never even built a house before, and now we’ve built a brand-new store from scratch. It’s something we’ve been working towards for years, so seeing it come together is an incredible feeling.” 

“When the signage went up, it really hit us,” adds Pritesh. “Seeing words like ‘your local fresh store’ and ‘friendly neighbourhood store’ - that’s exactly what we’ve always wanted to be.” 

With the same sense of connection that has defined the store for the past 16 years, Pritesh, Dipti and their team are ready to carry that community spirit into a bigger, better space for Te Puna locals. 

The new Four Square Te Puna store will be open 6:00am – 7.00pm seven days a week. 

Fast facts: 

• 4-6 roles created for locals
• 622 sqm store 
• 5,500+ products
• 3 team member operated checkouts 
• 3 self-scan checkouts 
• 31 carparks