New complex allows wider product range

Press, 28 November 1989, Page 20

New complex allows wider product range

Countdown today opens its : new enlarged supermarket complex at Northlands in Papanui.

With three times the original floor space, Countdown Northlands is now 31,000 sq ft in size and offers 800-odd more product lines than in the past.

As well as an increase in size and product lines, there has been a subsequent increase in the number of specialist departments at Northlands and also the scope of existing departments. Mike Prendergast, the general manager of Countdown Foodmarkets, Ltd, said that today’s discerning customers required more specialist service and this was the aim of the greatly expanded Northlands operation.

“We have greatly increased the existing meat department while the produce section is more than four times bigger. Also, we have a delicatessen, an exciting new bakery and a brand new fish department. “All will be stocking the latest and freshest products as well as a wide range of convenience foods to cater for today’s changing eating habits and demand for excellence and ease of preparation,” he says. Northlands was the first supermarket opened by Countdown in 1981. There isi now a total of 14, with seven in Christchurch,

one each in Ashburton and Timaru, three in Dunedin and two in Invercargill. Throughout, the motto has always been “the best quality at the lowest price.”

Countdown Northlands has been expanded to cope with the greatly increased demand in the north-west area.

“Our research told us that the old building was inadequate to cater for the rising demand and that we needed more check-outs, more car parking and a wider range of services.

“All this has been achieved,” says Mr Prendergast.

“The new expanded operation has also meant employment for 55 more staff which nearly doubles our existing numbers. There are now 19 checkout lanes instead of the original 10, car parking space is nearly four times bigger and our product range and service has also increased dramatically,” he says. The advent of new

technology has also seen several changes with the weighing of products now being carried out at the check outs. Also at the

check outs are new cheque writing facilities and new vertical scanners to ensure efficiency and speed in this area.