From tech to trolleys: Meet the owner-operator behind New World Te Atatū
The countdown is on for the opening of New World Te Atatū, with just over 40 days until the doors open on Tuesday, 11 August.
The building fitout is entering its final stages, with all shelving and racking now installed throughout the store. Grocery products will begin filling the shelves this week, while New World signage will soon appear outside, marking another milestone as the new supermarket comes to life.
When it opens, New World Te Atatū will offer the peninsula a full-service supermarket with fresh produce, an instore bakery, butchery, seafood and deli, alongside everyday grocery essentials. The store will also bring greater choice and another competitive shopping option for the Te Atatū Peninsula, alongside a continued focus on quality fresh food, value and friendly local service.
Behind the new supermarket are Owner Operators Scott and Ashleigh Jackson and their two children, Barry (6) and Bella (4). For Scott, opening New World Te Atatū is the fulfilment of a dream that began when he was a child, inspired by watching his mum run McDonald's restaurants.
"My mum was a McDonald's franchise owner when I was growing up and watching her run a business inspired me to try and become an owner operator one day. I knew I wanted to run my own business, but burgers weren't really my thing."
After completing a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Otago, Scott worked in technology before heading overseas on his OE. When he returned to New Zealand in 2013, he left the corporate world behind and took a job stacking shelves as a Grocery Assistant at New World Eastridge.
"It probably looked like an unusual career move, but I knew exactly where I wanted to end up. Sometimes you've got to take a step backwards to get where you want to go."
Just 18 months later, Scott became Owner Operator of Four Square Paihia in the Bay of Islands. To make it work, he moved north while Ashleigh stayed in Auckland to continue her career as a Digital Marketing Manager. The plan was always that if they earned the opportunity to own a New World, they would both go all in.
"We made some sacrifices along the way, but we always had the same goal. Every step brought us closer to where we wanted to be."
After completing the Foodstuffs approved owner operator programme, the couple later became Owner Operators of New World Tawa, where they spent the last five years building strong community connections, before the opportunity arose to return home to Auckland and open a brand-new supermarket.
"Opening a new store from the ground up has always been on our career bucket list. We get to build our own team, create the culture from day one and shape the kind of supermarket we want to be."
Scott says Te Atatū already feels like the perfect fit.
"It reminds me a lot of Tawa. It's a close-knit community on the edge of a big city. We want to be part of the community, support local groups where we can and build a supermarket people enjoy shopping in."
Recruitment is progressing well, with around two-thirds of the store's 90-strong team now hired.
"The response has been incredible. We closed applications after just three days because of the level of interest. We've met some fantastic people and can't wait to bring the team together."
Scott says seeing the store take shape has made the countdown to opening feel very real.
"It's exciting to see the store changing every day. Once the shelves start filling with products and the New World signs go up, it’ll really start to feel like a supermarket. We can't wait to welcome the Te Atatū community through the doors on opening day."
Scott's supermarket journey
- 2013: IT Business Analyst
- 2014: Grocery Assistant, New World Eastridge
- 2017: Owner Operator, Four Square Paihia
- 2020: Completed Foodstuffs supermarket owner operator programme
- 2021: Owner Operator, New World Tawa
- 2026: Owner Operator, New World Te Atatū