Countdown Lincoln Road opening fuels local job creation

Countdown Lincoln Road opening fuels local job creation

21 November 2013: Countdown has opened its 167th store today on Lincoln Road in Henderson, creating 44 new jobs as part of its 100-strong team, including 14 for previous Work and Income clients thanks to a partnership with the local Waitakere Work and Income branch.

The 4,082m² store, which also features Countdown’s sixth Pharmacy, will be officially opened at 7.45am by local MP for Waitakere and Minister for Social Development, Hon Paula Bennett.

Store Manager Abhi Dharwarker, a West Auckland local, says “We are really excited to be open for business here in Henderson. It’s a fantastic site within the growing Waitakere community, and we’re committed to providing our local customers with great fresh food, a modern shopping experience and value for money here at Countdown Lincoln Road.”

“I’m proud to be leading a team of 100 people, 44 of whom are brand new to the Countdown business. We’ve been working hard to get the store ready for opening day, with lots of training so we are more than ready for the Christmas rush. I’d encourage locals to come down and say hi – we have a lot going on this opening week, and can’t wait to show you the new store,” he says.

Countdown is one of the largest employers in New Zealand, with more than 18,000 team members throughout New Zealand. In preparation for the Lincoln Road opening, together with traditional recruitment channels, Countdown worked closely with the local Work and Income branch to shortlist and interview a pool of potential candidates. This partnership has seen 14 local people employed and trained by Countdown, ready to start at the Lincoln Road store.

Regional Commissioner for Social Development Auckland, Isabel Evans says: “We’re delighted to be working with Countdown to access employment opportunities for the local community – the impacts of this are far reaching, benefiting not only the individuals themselves, but their families and whänau and the community as a whole. We look forward to building on this partnership into the future.”

Located on the corner of Lincoln Road and Universal Drive, the new store has been designed with Countdown’s latest design features and includes wider aisles, a more expansive fresh produce department and energy efficient fittings and equipment.

It also features the sixth Countdown Pharmacy in New Zealand, and will offer the popular Click & Collect service, as well as an expanded new layout for clothing and kitchenware merchandise.

“It’s fantastic to have the Countdown Pharmacy here at Lincoln Road, as it offers a real one-stop-shop service for our customers,” says Mr Dharwarker. ”

The new store also features a Lotto outlet in the foyer; a full-service bakery baking fresh good daily; service deli and seafood department and more than 200 car parks. It has 17 checkouts, including six assisted checkouts, three express checkouts, six self-serve checkouts and two self-serve checkouts with conveyor belts, so customers have more options when it comes to scanning and paying for their shopping themselves.

To help celebrate the opening, Countdown Lincoln Road has a range of activities and local specials to welcome in the community. This will include facepainting, sampling, demonstrations, and giveaways right through to the weekend.

Countdown has opened six new stores this year which is part of a drive to serve our customers even better and cater for growing communities in key areas. A total of 50 new Countdown stores have opened since 2000.

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