New owner-operators of New World Winton, Hayden and Alice Flannery, have said the role feels like they’ve come home.
“My parents grew up in Tapanui, so I spent a lot of time in Southland as a kid, and Alice and I lived in Gore in 2018, so it’s been a bit of a full circle moment for us moving back here with our children,” said Hayden Flannery.
“We’ve been fortunate to be matched with a store with a well-established team who knows their community. The last few stores we’ve worked in have taught us to be adaptable and take on feedback. We want to continue doing that here.”
His retail journey began as a teenager as a grocery assistant at New World Halswell. Over the last six years, he has held senior roles at various New World stores in the South Island, most recently as store manager at New World Mosgiel.
Alice left the hospitality industry in 2018 to join Hayden as Operations Manager at New World Gore. The couple has worked together ever since, and they love Winton.
“Winton is a tight-knit community that supports each other in anything and everything that happens here. Our girls, Ava and Ellie, have settled in easily and made some friends whilst we thoroughly enjoy getting to know our incredible team and the warm and welcoming locals.”
The couple also felt honoured to be able to help support local charities and sports clubs and give back to their customers where they can.
“We’re always open to taking on feedback from our customers and finding ways that our store can better serve the local community,” Hayden says.
Each New World is uniquely tailored to its respective community. New World Winton’s offerings include freshly baked goods, butcher's cuts, and deli selections to cater for every type of shop. They have also showcased local products, stock locally made honey and fudge from Winton, and oysters down the road in Bluff.
“There are a lot of things you can do as an owner, but the most important to us are caring for our people, continuing to foster growth amongst our team, and supporting our community. We feel fortunate to be on this journey and to have been allowed to join the amazing team at New World Winton.”
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