The much anticipated New World Redcliffs in Christchurch has opened its doors.
New World Redcliffs owner-operator Julia Spence says: “We are not only providing a much needed supermarket to the community once again, but also around 100 jobs for local Cantabrians. The Eastern suburbs have been through a lot since the Canterbury Earthquake and being able to bring back a much needed supermarket to the community is just wonderful.”
“We have an excellent team on board and the rebuild has gone smoothly which means we are opening right on plan. It’s not a moment too soon either as we have had a steady stream of customers knocking on the door asking when we will be open,” she says.
The new store, which has been built on the site of the previous New World, is a significant milestone for the Redcliffs community and Foodstuffs South Island Limited. The store is the final of the rebuilds following the Canterbury Earthquakes. A total of four rebuilds and three new builds have now been completed including New World St Martins, Kaiapoi, Ilam, Wigram and Redcliffs; and PAK’nSAVE Rangiora and Wainoni.
The original New World Redcliffs store closed its doors four and a half years ago following the February 2011 earthquakes due to irreparable damage.
Supporting home grown products and suppliers is also something Spence is passionate about. “We have so many great tasting products available right on our door step, from local wines to prime beef and specialty cheeses, and I can’t wait to bring them to our customers,” she says.
The new three-storey supermarket is one-of-its-kind in the South Island. With a 1700 square metre floor area, its modern design provides a welcoming shopping experience with plenty of natural night and five full-service and five self-service checkouts for customer ease and convenience. The customer entrance is via pedestrian ramp, lift or stairs in the spacious undercover ground-floor car park. The store has a range of sustainability features such as LED lighting and CO2 refrigeration and is working towards ambitious recycling goals.
Roger Davidson, General Manager Property and Retail Development, Foodstuffs South Island says, “We’re very pleased to be completing the final post-earthquake rebuild in Christchurch. Collectively these seven New World and PAK’nSAVE stores provide 1,135 jobs; and our future plans include another new store, New World Ferry Road, which set to open in mid-2016. As a proud Kiwi company based in Christchurch, Foodstuffs South Island has never wavered in its long-term commitment to the Canterbury region.”