Huckleberry, the organics grocer, has signed the first wholesale agreement with Woolworths New Zealand. The deal will provide Huckleberry with a greater range of groceries at competitive prices for its customers.
Huckleberry has grown from a single small specialty shop to four grocery stores on the North Island and a booming e-commerce site.
"The partnership with Woolworths' wholesale business is a big win for our customers as we can access a much broader organics range at better prices thanks to their volumes and scale. We have always had a steadfast commitment to products and produce from New Zealand, plus now we can add so much more variety from around the world. It's exactly what the industry and our customers need during this time of high inflation," said Darren Guo, Huckleberry Managing Director.
Darren Guo, Huckleberry Managing Director
After the Commerce Commission reported on the grocery industry, Woolworths released expressions of interest for a wholesale partnership in June.
"We are a large retailer in the New Zealand market, but small by international standards, so we understand some of the frustrations that Huckleberry experiences in accessing range and good prices. We know that we're in a better position to help provide that access than smaller NZ-based businesses, and we're committed to doing that for the benefit of Kiwi consumers," said Steve Sexton, WWNZ's Director - NZ Grocery Wholesale and Local.
Steve Sexton, WWNZ’s Director - NZ Grocery Wholesalers and Local
"It's going to need a bit of experimentation as we work through order quantities, demand, delivery and logistics, and test and learn so we can quickly scale for other wholesale customers in the future. We are currently in discussions with more than 50 retailers and other organisations who have reached out to us. The grocery sector is built around fast-moving goods and efficiency which does present challenges working with small, one-off retailers, but it's our view that we can do this - and we're giving it a really good shot to make a difference,"
