Grocery Challenge Sources Regional Excellence

April 30, 2004

For immediate release

Grocery Challenge Sources Regional Excellence

The regional competitions saw 12 finalists named as potential new business leaders for the Upper North, Lower North and South Island regions for the annual Heinz Wattie's Grocery Challenge.

Carl Wareham works as a Store Manager at Food Town Lower Hutt and is one of the winners who will head to Auckland in May to compete for the national title.

"I'm so happy to have won the regional competition," says Carl.

"I've considered entering this competition for a while and am thrilled to have such a great outcome and I'm looking forward to the national competition."

The Heinz Wattie's Grocery Challenge aims to help committed and enterprising stars of the industry become even better than they thought they could be. For the national competition, the 12 regional finalists will be put through demanding mental, team building and leadership challenges.

There will be a Gala Dinner naming the national winners at the end of May. There are two winners covering both the corporate and store industry levels. Both will win a trip to an Australian development course to further their leadership skills.

Heinz Wattie's Managing Director, Nigel Comer is passionate about the quality of business leaders the competition brings to light.

"Winners of the Heinz Wattie's Grocery Challenge are the best in their industry and potentially will go on to run businesses with multi-million dollar turnovers," says Nigel.

"With such a high calibre of regional winners we know that once again this year we have an exceptional field of competitors heading through to the national competition."

Nigel says that the Challenge is a perfect partnership for Heinz Wattie's and the supermarket industry. 2004 sees Heinz Wattie's celebrate its fourteenth year of running the Grocery Challenge. Heinz Wattie's is proud to be encouraging education and excellence within the grocery sector.

Regional winners:

Name Brand/HO Position Joe Feeney 09 275 2526 Favona Rd Marketing Brand Manager Steve Barnes 09 918 6774 WW @ Gull Area Manager Jonathan Gray 0274 674 441 FT/WW Area 6 Area Manager Matthew Riesterer 09 621 0700 CO Gilmours P O Box 27 479 Mt. Roskill AUCKLAND H/O Tania Goodall 09 621 0600 Foodstuffs (Auckland) Ltd 60 Roma Road Mt. Roskill AUCKLAND H./O Keith Whiteman 07 855 6069 FT Chartwell Store Manager Carl Wareham 04 569 3993 FT Lower Hutt Store Manager Beth Maughan 04 569 3993 FT Lower Hutt SAM Marijke Kershaw 04 472 6435 Foodstuffs Wellington Ltd P O Box 38 896 Wellington Mail Centre Head Office Steve Williams 04 569 3027 Hutt City New World P O Box 30 374 Lower Hutt Store Justin Ludlow 03 445 1577 Cromwell New World P O Box 150 Cromwell Store Rebecca Parish 03 353 8700 FS (SI) Ltd 165 - 169 Main North Road Christchurch Head Office

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