FOUR SQUARE GROCERS MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30879, 12 October 1965, Page 27

FOUR SQUARE GROCERS MAINTAIN INDEPENDENCE

Pool Buying Helps Keep Costs Down

How can a small grocer maintain his independence and yet face the threat of chain stores which undercut his prices and challenge, with big staffs, the personal service which he can offer? This was the problem facing grocers in the 1920’5. As times got harder some grocers were ready to cut their losses and surrender. But a handful had a spark of determination left.

The Four Square story is the story of these men and their ideal. The organisation stems from a meeting 45 years ago, convened by the secretary of the Auckland Master Grocers’ Association, Mr J. H. Barker, to discuss the formation of a buying group.

Their idea was to poo! the buying power of the private grocers—and their experience in offering a personal service, each in his own area.

The ideal was to maintain the status and situation of the family grocer, whose personal service and local interest had always been an integral part of the community. Apart from the indifference of many grocers, those at the first meeting had also to overcome the opposition of the merchants and the lack of interest of the manufacturers.

Gradually the barriers were broken down. One by one the small grocers joined the cooperative, and with every new member another dent was made in the armour of the chain stores. It was about this time that members began the search for a distinctive name, something to distinguish the organisation among its customers.

Mr Barker, now company secretary, was doodling on his calendar pad one day while discussing possible trade names over a telephone. During the conversation, he discovered he had drawn a square around the date. It

was Jiily 4, 1925, Independence Day. And it was later agreed this would be a fine symbol for the united independent grocers. Four Square has come a long way since those days. Associations have been

formed with other groups, larger warehouses have been built and new services are being introduced. But through its many changes Four Square has and will remain essentially the same organisation, one which provides all the benefits of bulk buying and yet maintains its independence. This idea of a true grocery co-operative has now been followed by progressive Australian independent grocers. In New Zealand the number of Four Square store operators is well in excess of 1500.

Grocers have co-operated under the Four Square colours to give service and realistic prices to their valued customers. Four Square was founded by New Zealanders for New Zealanders and is a fine example of well-organised private enterprise. Its members aim to keep it that way. Self-service stores in England and on the Continent have shown a keen interest in the Four Square training scheme for young grocers. In fact, overseas curiosity has been tinged with envy for several overseas groups have sought information on the scheme with the idea of introducing something similar themselves.

Four Square executives, grocers and staff members have often returned home from overseas convinced that their staff training scheme is unique. They have found that the only comparable system is in

England, but schemes there are not run privately but by polytechnic schools. Apparently the lack of trained staff overseas has impeded the development of schemes.