COMING TO A STORE NEAR YOU…
Step right up, step right up!
You thought you’d seen it all? Well, feast your eyes on this. We’re putting the super back into supermarket!
A store so big, every person in your piddling little town – er, I mean delightful village – can go shopping at the same time, and still have room to swing a cat.
(We also offer pet insurance. More on that later.)
There’s nothing like it within cooee.
Well there is at Pakenham, but that’s a whole 15 minutes away – a lifetime in this fast-paced world.
Which is why Koo Wee Rup (pop. 2802) finally has its own Woolworths: One square metre of floor space for each and every one of you.
Why go to skanky Franky the fruiterer when you can come here?
Forget about those unsightly blemishes: all of our apples are cleverly chosen from one supplier to ensure consistency. Then, they’re cloistered in our cold rooms to make them nice and crunchy. Why put up with pineapples in summer and oranges in winter when you can have fruit year-round sourced from the four corners of the globe?
As for Bruce the butcher, I’ve heard he minces the meat with his bare hands. Ew.
The further away from the beast, the better (and I’m not just talking about Bruce’s personal hygiene here).
You wouldn’t even know our beef came from a dirty old cow.
Lovingly vacuum-packed by a spiffing machine-that-goes-ping, it retains all its freshness with the added bonus of sodium nitrite (not proven to be harmful to humans).
Think about the advantages; the economies of scale; the vertical integration.
Hop in your car, insured by Woolworths, fill up the tank using your 4c a litre discount docket, load your trolley with home brands, then buy a bottle of wine from the BWS on the way home.
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26 Responses to this article
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Vanessa June 12, 2012
And what of Aldi? Are they any better? I live in a small country town and we drive 30 mins into the ‘big smoke’ to purchase our fortnightly shopping at Aldi. I am not sure where they stand in this debate and would love somebody to let me know. We are lucky that we still have our locally owned, small supermarkets in town however, it would be far too expensive to do our main shop there but we buy our bits and pieces from there when needed. Fruit and veg is bought from the local supplier who sells locally grown produce and our local butcher who uses his hands to make the mince. We also have a milk factory that produces diary products from the local dairy cows and we have our own chickens for eggs. Oh and did I mention that locals pass on excess, home grown fruit and veg (or bottled jams and pickles). I do feel blessed.
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Tracey June 12, 2012
Hi Vanessa,
You make an excellent point. While Coles and Woolies control up to 80 per cent of the grocery market, Aldi owns more than 200 stores along Australia’s east coast. Most of its products are owned by the chain – the old vertical integration thing again. There’s some interesting info on http://www.ethical.org.au
Cheers
Tracey -
Julie June 12, 2012
My husband works for a food company – organic and natural – and their products can be bought online and delivered to your home. There are other options, but it takes time to go and find them – and then you’re still heading to the supermarket for something. Sadly, the one-stop-shop just seems to win out.
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Michelle June 12, 2012
I used to delight in ‘travelling’ to other areas to see their stores, sample new and unsual local delicacies & occasionally take some home. This is no more. I can nolonger go anyware without being ‘samevilled’. We drive cars alike, live in cookie cutter houses & shop at the same chain stores all over the country and in most cases the world.
Take a stand, buy from a ‘single shop front store’ avoid the multi store mall and save yourself from being a carbon copy of what the Duopolists want in a ‘loyal’ shopper-
Margaret June 12, 2012
Joined up with Aussie Farmers Direct 2 months ago. Best descision I have made in a good while. Was shopping 3 times a week to buy the ‘freshest’ produce from grocer but also Aldi and someitmes Coles and Woolies. We all know how old the fruit and veg is when we buy it, so regulrly threw some fruit and veg out. Epiphany….Have not thrown out a sinlge piece of either since receiving Farmers Direct. All Aussie produce! Their milk is delicious and worth the few cents more. Orange juice, yoghurt, cheese, meat all good. Give it a go people, my ‘team players’ are fussy and not easily pleased. Gives me more ‘me’ time such as this quality reading and Hoopla reply.
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Polly June 12, 2012
I used to live in Koo Wee Rup as a youngster. They had a general store there that you could by litterally everything, books, newspapers food, material, hardware and lots more. It was a real Aladdins cave,
I can rember buying my first pair of grovey bathers there and a pair of pink hotpants!
hmmm …. maybe this was the Aldi of the past and we just didn’t know it
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Lisa Aherne June 12, 2012
What is freaking me out about Woolies is the proliferation of their own brand products, so that brands I have used and loved for years disappear from their shelves. I must check the own brand labels to see if these products are made in Australia. The stand over tactics of Coles with their new wheel locks on shopping trolleys is a major concern. If I am not able to wheel a trolley all the way back to my car within the centre carpark, then they have certainly lost this customer. I am lucky to have a locally owned butcher shop and also a fruit and veg outlet close by. And you can’t beat the farmer’s markets for fresh seasonal produce.
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Joan Woolley June 12, 2012
If I could shut the doors of Coles and Woolies and give the little guy a go I would. I was told that in England Tescos rules the roost, gone are the little shops that have traded for years they have been totally pushed out of business, the unfortunate side is they just can;t compete. I like to go to farmers markets if I can and support them.
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Joan Woolley June 12, 2012
If I could shut the doors of Coles and Woolies and give the little guy a go I would. I was told that in England Tescos rules the roost, gone are the little shops that have traded for years they have been totally pushed out of business, the unfortunate side is they just can;t compete. I like to go to farmers markets if I can and support them.
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Janita June 12, 2012
I have recently moved to smallish country town, and was concerned about my ‘convenience and choice’. I shop at the local butcher – who grows the beef -, I shop at the local fruit shop,I shop at the local clothes stores I shop at the local grocery store and IGA wshere other customers and assistants smile. there is everything I NEED here. I only shop in a big town 1 1/2 hours away for my makeup and perfume and (because I like to cook ) some deli lines. The local wineries provide excellent food wine and entertainment. The country drives are picturesque and numerous and old country pubs provide cold beer and a chat with a friendly local with stories to tell.Everything shuts at 12 o’clock on Saturday in the South Burnett
I LOVE it. because I have the time – I have slowed to enjoy life. I have more social outings here than ever before. I hope THOSE TWO don’t ever come and disturb my peace -
sam June 12, 2012
But guys, what about the pensioners and low income earners who live in rural areas. They already pay at least 10c a litre more for petrol. Produce that has to trucked in, is more expensive and to be able to go to one of the larger chain stores and save money on the weekly buget is a bonus. It is all very good going to go and buy your homemade chutneys at the farmers markets and a meat for the BBQ at the local butchers if you are a tourist up for the weekend.
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Margi Macdonald June 12, 2012
What a bitter irony for many rural communities.
My local fruit n’ veg guy regularly hears of growers who’ve been brought to their knees because they committed to selling very cheaply to the supermarkets.
Rumour has it that after they’re bankrupt and locked out of their properties, the supermarkets – aided and abetted by the banks- move in and buy the farms.
I know this is heresay- yet it sounds like the ultimate in market control, with the big players owning every component of the supply chain… and lordy lord, if it comes to pass, we’re are going to pay for it with overpriced goods, less biodiversity and choice, and the decimation of family farms. -
Manion June 12, 2012
It’s happened in the UK. The high street is dead and buried whilst Tesco offers everything from groceries to personal loans. It’s sad but even though I try and buy local as much as possible, I still end up spending money at Coles each week. It’s about consumers taking action wherever possible. Some people simply can’t afford to buy from their local butcher/baker.
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royce June 12, 2012
Friday last week, my 28 yo daughter went down to our local supermarket…IGA..so smaller, but they didn’t have a couple of lamb shanks to make up enough for tea.
Says I: “What about the butcher?’
She hadn’t even considered going to the town butcher..and was very impressed that he pulled out a full half carcase and sawed off the shanks on the spot!
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Tracey June 12, 2012
Ha ha Royce – great story. I do worry that, within a generation, people will be so accustomed to shopping in large grocery stores that they will forget about the small traders. And thanks for the earlier suggestion about Aussie Farmers Direct. I think we all have to be proactive about this.
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Rosie June 12, 2012
Tesco’s Supermarket in England, which Woolies and Coles seem to be basing their business model on, is in it’s 3rd quarter of loss, Yay! So even when you rule half the kingdom you can still get into trouble.
Even though I do shop at said supermarkets and it is for convenience, what I don’t like is how they say, “it is what the consumer demands!” Is it really? Their business is being driven purely by the shareholder and it’s greed and need for profit. Pure and simple.
Would it make a difference if every sensible and caring person decided to stop shopping at these two and get their food from the many alternative sources. Damn it! I am going to give it a go. Wish me luck… -
MrsP2011 June 12, 2012
Is there a point to this story? We’ve already covered, canvassed, bemoaned, griped blah, blah, blah every issue on this subject on The Hoopla over the past 12 months or so. This is not just specific to Coles and Woolworths. Go into any Westfield Shopping Centre and – to use Wendy’s word – they are all ‘samey’ too. My nearest big shopping centre is Mackay – 150 kms away. Caneland Central is “the place to go” (sarcasm). I might as well be shopping in my old stomping ground, Westfield Plaza at Parramatta. Now there’s a case for ‘market domination’.
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The Hungry Mum June 12, 2012
I am worrying about this more and more. I do shop at the Big Two but not for meat or fruit & veg. I used to drive past both of them to go to Franklins but that is in the process of being transformed into a ‘generic superbarn’ – almost everything will be generic products.
The Big Two know they have got everyone’s business so they are very complacent. I have stopped buying generic products from the Big Two after reading about Australian manufacturers having to close down. -
Astrid June 12, 2012
Would love to shop at the smaller stores, but for some reason down where I am the level of customer service is sub standard in comparison to the big names. Yes, there is the odd store with exceptional service, but overall it is quite poor.
I once went into a chicken store to politely enquire what stock they had for Christmas and I was led out the door by the grumpy owner. Just a “no sorry” would have sufficed and the chances were I would have bought something else, instead he lost all future sales from me,
Sadly as well for regional area there are not the markets that the cities have. -
Pedant June 12, 2012
Toilet roles? Or toilet rolls!
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Paula June 13, 2012
I find this article curious. What IS wrong with convenient, consistently high quality and affordable food?
If Aussie farmers can’t produce the product cheap enough then they need to get into another business, just like anyone ofther business-operator who isn’t competitive.
What is wrong with sourcing food from overseas if it meets our quality and health standards and is cheaper?
A one stop shop with affordable, high quality food is what many time and cash poor families need. They dont have time to shop around and quite often local produce is more expensive.
I think those of us with more time and money to spare, really don’t spare a thought for the shopping needs of those who have less.
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The Huntress June 13, 2012
I am so fortunate to have the pleasure of not having to use my local Coles very often. Fruit and veg and other basics (bread, milk, eggs, juice, etc.) come home delivered by Aussie Farmers Direct. I am so lucky to have a REAL, locally owned, bakery within walking distance. I have 2 amazing specialist butchers within a short drive (one even stocks interesting cuts and meats at all times! Fancy a roast partridge for dinner – no problems! Crocodile fillet? Go for your life! Ostrich egg omelette? My pleasure). I like to use Asian grocers for a lot of my other bits and pieces and I only utilise Coles for my Diet Coke, loo paper, tissues and when I’m desperate. For sheer quality, choice and a greater sense of community (not to mention a rise in the availability of trades such as butchery and baking) I am all for supporting the small, local community stores.
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Caroline June 21, 2012
How I have saved thousands of dollars each year, and time:
I get up at the same time as I normally do on a weekday (5:30am), get changed, and have breakfast.
I organise my week’s meal plan, and shop at a certain bakery for my bread and rolls.
Fruit and vegetable market that is less than thirty minutes’ drive from my home.
At around 9am, a butcher’s that is nearby opens. Good thing that their weekly specials commence on this day. Regardless, there are plenty of poultry and red meat options available, and some reasonably priced packs.
All the meat items are placed into chill bags. Lastly, driving to a warehouse that supplies many of my household’s essential items to stock up my pantry, cleaning cupboard, and refrigerator.
After arriving home, everything is unpacked, and I commence preparing whatever can be cooked and frozen for that week.
Note: not one of these places charges a parking fee, I get good service at all of these places, and instead of needing multiple trips, most of these items can be bought on a morning’s journey.
I am saving time, money, and my household is eating healthier at home.
*N.B. If it is an emergency supply, or the item is on sale at a major supermarket, I will shop there for that product – usually stock up.*
