Doors open at Countdown Fairy Springs

Countdown’s brand new Fairy Springs store has been officially opened today by Cabinet Minister and local MP Todd McClay.

The opening, which was attended by Mayor Steve Chadwick and members of the Rotorua community, also featured the presentation of a trolley of groceries for the local Salvation Army food bank.

Minister McClay said it is encouraging that Rotorua is continuing to attract big investment to the city.

"This development means more jobs for local people and is another sign that Rotorua’s economy has turned a corner.

"Thanks to high visitor numbers and strong export markets, the local economy is experiencing strong growth. This investment by Countdown shows confidence in Rotorua as a good place to do business."

Rotorua Mayor, Hon Steve Chadwick extended her congratulations to Countdown for the vote of confidence that launching a new supermarket signals for the city.

"This is an outstanding modern food store that not only delivers a high standard in grocery retailing, but it also provides a welcome and timely boost to a local economy that’s clearly growing every day.

"I’m particularly pleased that its opening heralds a substantial number of new and permanent jobs for our local people," said Chadwick.

Store Manager Steve Green says he is excited to be a part of this brand new Countdown, and can’t wait to get to know all of the store’s new customers.

"There has been a big build up to today’s opening and the amount of effort that has gone into getting the store ready today has been phenomenal. Countdown Fairy Springs brings with it 89 new jobs, and we’re excited and proud to welcome those new staff members into the Countdown team.

"We couldn’t wait to open the doors of the new store and let everyone see what we have on offer. The new store includes both a full production bakery and a sushi bar which we’re sure our customers are going to love," says Mr Green.

Countdown’s Acting Managing Director, Pat McEntee, says, "We're really excited to be bringing our extensive range of food and groceries to the Fairy Springs community.

"We're committed to helping Kiwi families’ eat well for less, by providing a great range of groceries at low prices everyday, as well as a wide range of products on special every week," Mr McEntee says.

Fairy Springs will join Countdown’s Food Rescue programme, which has donated $3.5 million worth of food to food banks around New Zealand in the last year.

The new store has been designed with Countdown’s latest features and includes wider aisles, a more expansive fresh produce department and energy efficient fittings and equipment.