The wait is over. After weeks of rumours and speculation, Countdown Ponsonby finally opened its doors this morning. As highly anticipated, the brand-new store has a different format, with an offering more attuned to the needs of this iconic suburb and its residents.
Countdown Ponsonby manager, Jason McQuoid
“The Ponsonby community can expect a fresh premium shopping experience,” store manager Jason McQuoid told SupermarketNews. Despite being just 28, McQuoid has already held an impressive number of managing positions within the company and is approaching this new role with a great deal of energy, focusing on both team development and customer service. “I believe that if you have a happy and engaged staff, they will better serve customers and meet their expectations.”
Compared to other Countdown stores, Ponsonby offers an expanded fine wine and craft beer range, a broader health foods section, a cheese bar, an instore pharmacy and a much larger category of grab-and-go foods. But it doesn’t stop there; the company has recently committed to welcome more small suppliers on its shelves, and Countdown Ponsonby is part of this strategy with over 2,000 new products from more than 100 new vendors.
“Service will also be next level, with the food specialists who will assist our customers to select the right ingredients,” said McQuoid. “We have a wine expert, Anton, who will help customers choose the perfect bottle of wine, and Hohepa, our meat manager, who was NZ Apprentice Butcher of the Year in 2015.”
