Farmlands widens Taranaki catchment to Hawera

Farmlands widens Taranaki catchment to Hawera

Rural retail co-operative Farmlands Trading Society is continuing its expansion into the Taranaki market today announcing it will open a second store just six months after entering the region.

Farmlands Chief Executive John Newland said the company planned to open a store in Hawera in November following the success of Farmlands Stratford, which opened in October.

“A second store in the Taranaki confirms our commitment and confidence in the region. It demonstrates that our initial decision to open in Stratford was been very worthwhile,” Mr Newland said.

“The level of interest by Taranaki farmers to Stratford has been overwhelming, they were looking for greater choice and increased product ranges. They have welcomed the increased competition in the region and we know they will be looking forward to another store opening, “he said.

Farmlands further expansion in Taranaki has several objectives including capturing more of the region’s estimated $85 million-plus rural retail market and ensuring farmers benefit from increased competition.

“We have made a serious investment into the Taranaki region and are committed to growing the business from the ground up,” Mr Newland said.

The purpose built Hawera store will be developed beside the town’s former saleyards site. The store will be a similar size to the one at Stratford and will have a staff of four.

Mr Newland said opening in Hawera is a personal highlight as it is his home town and he still has family living in the town.

“The Newland family has been involved in the rural sector in Hawera for many years and it’s great that we can bring Farmlands to the town,” he said.

Hawera services mainly dairy farmers plus a number of other rural enterprises from a wide catchment area of the South Taranaki district.

Work on building the new store will begin within a month. Farmlands expects to have 500 Shareholders by the end of the year.

Hawera will be Farmlands’ 30th store. Earlier this year the shareholder-owned co-operative opened a store in Whangarei, as it moved to have a strategic catchment throughout the North Island.

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