After operating out of the local athletics club for 15 months, New World Taumarunui has opened its doors. The new store was a $14 million investment on a site Foodstuffs has been operating on for over 50 years. It sits at 2,200 square metres, 40 percent larger than the previous store, and includes the latest design and technology features.
©Michael Bradley Photography Limited.
“When my family and I came to Taumarunui in 2020, we knew a new store was in the pipeline. It was only due to the support of the community that we were able to move into the athletics club and keep trading. Arriving in town during a global pandemic was a great way to connect with the locals. We had teachers from Turaki Primary School across the road helping us stack shelves in the athletics club so we could open for business and the whole community reached out. I’m extremely grateful for the support we received,” said Aiyad Khan, New World Taumarunui Owner-Operator.
Foodstuffs North Island is thanking the community by upgrading the Athletics club building.
The Athletics Club
“Our builders and electricians will be at the athletics club for the next couple of weeks as part of a really significant makeover. The club rooms are in for a full refurb and modernisation, with all the other areas getting a well-deserved facelift. We’ve got LED lighting in and security cameras set up and will also replace the hot water tanks and give the outside a good general tidy-up to make it better than ever before. It’s our way of saying thank you to the people of Taumarunui.”
The new store has a larger range of fresh produce, an upgraded bakery, deli, butchery, seafood counter and frozen department. It will also offer local favourites such as sushi, fried bread, hāngī pork and pigs heads. It features a specially commissioned five-metre tōtara carving called ‘Nau Mai Ki Te Ao Hou’ that depicts the Māori food gods, 98 carparks and six self-checkouts.
©Michael Bradley Photography Limited.
“Rural Taumarunui and the lifestyle that comes with it is just fantastic. Living around farms and animals is something I had growing up and my family and I love it here. While this is my first store, it feels like my third, having operated from the old store, the temporary store, and now we’re finally here!”
The opening was celebrated with a ribbon cutting by Janet Brown and Joy Levein, two Grocery Assistants that have been with New World Taumarunui for 28 years.
New World Taumarunui is located at 10 Hakiaha Street, Taumarunui, 3920 and is open seven days a week from 7am to 8pm.
