At 15, Daniel Malcolm took a part-time job on the checkout at PAK’nSAVE Hornby, never expecting he’d help run the store one day.
His strong work ethic and dedication to the team led Malcolm through various roles and departments, eventually rising to Operations Manager—a position that brought him closer to his long-term goal of owning his store.
“I started at PAK’nSAVE Hornby as an after-school job to earn some pocket money, working on checkout and collecting trolleys,” said Malcolm.
“But the store’s commitment to career growth drew me in. After high school, I tried tertiary education, but I quickly found that hands-on learning was a better fit, and the opportunities here just kept growing.”
Over the past decade, Malcolm has built his skills with the training and mentorship of the store’s owner-operators, Kerri Lee-Lissington and Blake Lissington, whose support has been crucial to his development.
“They believed in me, helped me grow, and weren’t afraid to give me a nudge when I needed it.”
Malcolm said that most people think working at a supermarket is all about scanning groceries and stocking shelves, but he said it is so much more than that.
“It’s a 24/7 business, with plenty of opportunities to develop and grow your career.”
Lee-Lissington said the store has a long-standing commitment to developing and investing in its team and providing pathways and opportunities to build meaningful careers.
“We’re committed to nurturing potential and investing in team members like Daniel who go the extra mile,” said Lee-Lissington.
“It’s a collaborative, fast-paced environment in which we work, and we always look to provide our team members with the right amount of challenge and opportunities to grow while offering them support and guidance to get ahead.
She added it had been great to see his journey, taking on multiple roles across departments and excelling in them while continually building his knowledge and expertise.
While juggling his daily work in the store, Malcolm has also completed a leadership management course as part of the Foodstuffs South Island Learning and Development Programme pathway to store ownership.
“No two days are the same, and having that autonomy in my role is inspiring. PAK’nSAVE’s culture is incredible – everyone’s here to support each other, and we’re all working towards a shared purpose,” said Malcolm.
His advice to those thinking about a career in the supermarket industry was not to hold back and not be afraid to pursue what you want.
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