A fresh chapter has begun for Te Kūiti shoppers as their local SuperValue has officially transitioned to a FreshChoice supermarket.
The change has brought a modernised look, an expanded product range, and more technology to the King Country town.
Owner-operator Tim Xing is leading the transformation. Originally operating a liquor store and a dairy in Auckland, Xing took over the Te Kūiti business in 2019, admitting that the initial transition to a full supermarket brought its share of nerves.
“Stepping into a full-scale grocery store was a big change, and at the beginning, there were definitely some nerves as I learned every part of the supermarket business,” he said.
“Slowly, piece by piece, we got the hang of it. The community here has been so welcoming, and I feel completely at home.”
FreshChoice Te Kūiti has undergone a full refresh, highlighted by upgraded refrigeration that better showcases fresh produce, butchery, and chilled ranges.
“It’s taken a few months of hard work to get everything in place, but seeing our store come together has been fantastic. Our food looks great in the new fridges, and with better temperature control it stays fresher,” added Xing.
Alongside the physical facelift, the supermarket has introduced electronic shelf ticketing to streamline daily operations and free up team members so they can spend more time assisting and connecting with local customers.
For local residents, the rebranding represented more than just a new sign above the door.
Te Kūiti shoppers now have access to a wider variety of groceries, a smoother shopping experience, and the Everyday Rewards program to earn points and redeem vouchers on their shop.
“A couple of customers told me they’re quite surprised because so many things changed and it totally looks different. They’re very happy to come back to shop here because we’ve got a lot of new products.”
Supporting the local community remained central to how Xing runs the store. He has been actively involved in the day-to-day running of the store and maintains strong community ties, supporting local groups and clubs, along with sharing surplus stock whenever possible.
His mission is simple: keep elevating their standards and deliver a great product range and shopping experience to their community.
“Our goal is to give our community more choice, and make sure customers are happy with the environment,” he added.
“We want our people to have a great experience with us so they come back. My advice to people in our local community is to come and see us, and have a look.”
For Tim Cartwright, Executive General Manager, FreshChoice, the transition to FreshChoice marked an important step in bringing the network together under one banner.
“It’s exciting to see Tim and his team make the transition to FreshChoice. Our journey to convert all SuperValue stores to FreshChoice is nearly complete, with only four stores left to go,” said Cartwright.
“It’s a great milestone for our brand, but most importantly, for our owner-operators and local customers.”
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