Progressive Enterprises managing director Ted van Arkel said yesterday [Wednesday] that it is looking at phasing out either the Woolworths or Foodtown brand.

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Van Arkel also said the group has decided to rebrand its eight Big Fresh stores as Countdown or Woolworths supermarkets. Progressive’s Australian parent Foodland Associated bought the Woolworths group last month and has been working since on its restructuring.


Combined Woolworths/Foodtown advertising leaflets will be delivered next month, in the first deliberate message to shoppers that the two have merged.


Following the merger, ten senior Woolworths executives have been made redundant, and the Woolworths name could be next to go. “I’d like to think by the end of next year we will have made that decision,” Van Arkel said.


Progressive now has 151 company-owned supermarkets, 41 franchised Fresh Choice and SuperValue stores, 26 Woolworths at Gull convenience stores, and the Woolworths online store, reported the New Zealand Herald.

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