September 4, 2025 • 18 mins
New Zealanders will finally get to experience the labyrinth that is an IKEA store from December 4.
The new Sylvia Park site in Auckland is one of the company’s largest in the Southern Hemisphere – about the size of three rugby fields.
There’ll be thousands of products available online and in store, and yes, they will be serving up their famous Swedish meatballs in a 426-seat cafeteria.
So, why do we get so excited about international brands setting up on our shores? And, is there enough appetite for IKEA to succeed where others haven’t?
Today on The Front Page, Quantum Jump CEO and marketing expert Ben Goodale is with us to explain the hype around one of the world’s leading retailers coming to our shores.
Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.
Host: Chelsea Daniels
Editor/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Jane Yee
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Kiyota.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a
daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Kiwis will
finally get to experience the labyrinth that is an Ikea
store from December fourth. The new Sylvia Park site in
(00:26):
Auckland is one of the company's largest in the Southern Hemisphere,
about the size of three rugby fields. There'll be thousands
of products available online and in store, and yes, they
will be serving up their famous Swedish meatballs in a
four hundred and twenty six seat cafeteria. So why do
(00:48):
we get so excited about international brands setting up on
our shores and is there enough appetite for Ikea and
their meatballs to succeed where others? Today? On the front Page,
Quantum Jump CEO and marketing expert Ben Gooddow is with
us to explain the hype around one of the world's
(01:10):
leading retailers. First off, Ben, what is the significance of
Ikea finally coming to New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I mean, I think there's a number of factors here.
It is a major, major retail brand globally and one
of Sweden's grade ex sports. I think to a certain extent,
the sheer fact that so many Kiwis already have Ica
products in their homes which they've may be brought back
from overseas or people are given to them, or they've
(01:43):
ordered in. And so it's a brand that almost feels
like it's been here for a while anyway, but a
bit actually planting itself. And it's very grounding for an
international brand like that to arrive in New Zealand, not
unlike a couple of years ago. I think we go, wow,
you know, we're we're finally there as a nation. We've
(02:04):
got an IQ, We've a Costco, We've got Nature and
m Sephora, Victoria's Secret out of the airport. You know,
brands which are you know, living in a country and
far flung in the furthest away part of the world.
In fact, I read today that we are the Ikea
store in Auckland will be the servist away from Sweden
(02:26):
store that they have. You know, it can be something
when when these brands turn up and they've got to.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Us in terms of Ikere, what makes it like I
suppose the international juggernaut that it is.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Firstly, I mean, the product is amazing, you know, it's there.
They're innovative, they're they're they're sustainable or as sustainable as
you can be within it with any category like that,
and they're pushing to be more sustainable forever. They their
focus on design is is fundamental to their success, you know.
(03:03):
Be I mean I remember as a as as as
you know, probably not long after I left store, going
to be opening of a first Ikea in London and
queuing up that day to get in and I didn't
even really know what Ikea was, something to do on
a on a Sunday, but but being bowled over by
by the design, you know, the that simple Swedish aesthetic
(03:29):
and you know it really it's not just furniture. Albeit
I also have cursed and I once foolishly brought a
foot on from my Ikea. And I'm sure if any
anyone watching this imagines, you know, flat pack assembling a
futon in a time where I did not own a
power drill, so I had to hand hands through it.
(03:51):
Every last through it was. I have the I have blisters,
and I was not a happy person. But but the
bouton was sensational.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
It's that's part of the fun of it, isn't it
the flat pack. I mean I say fun in quotation
marks because I personally don't think it's fun. But in
terms of I mean you mentioned London in that.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
What when?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
What would that have been?
Speaker 1 (04:12):
That was nineteen eighty eight.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, it was it the same kind of huge sensation
it was even then than it is now because in
the eighties you didn't have social media or the Internet
and things like that.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, it's funny. I was reflecting on that the other day,
I mean especially asked for it's almost I don't know
I remember it. I don't know why I was there.
I don't know how I knew it was going on.
Maybe there was an advert in the Evening Standard. It
wasn't far from my flat, but it felt big. I
remember going to work the net's day and wherever, you know,
people were talking about it, and so I guess it was.
(04:48):
It must have been on the news. It must have
been on the radio. Maybe there was a piece of
it in the Standard in the morning where people are
getting on the tube with their newspaper. But you're right,
I mean the I think it's fun. Only now, having
lived now with social media for ten fifteen years, we
almost forgotten. How did these things get shared and amplified
(05:11):
and so on. Before all that happened, but I guess
we just found other ways. I mean apartment of meals.
People talk to each other about it.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Do you think Ikea will have to adapt to the
Kiwi market or is Ikea just Ikea?
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Well? I think initially, I mean they are just Ikea
their product range. They're not going to develop products just
for this market. And are you know, not quite sure
what products we were uniquely we would uniquely need. I mean,
we're a lot different for the rest of the world. However,
they have done a lot of groundwork, which they've talked
(05:45):
about some of their media relations around going into Keiwi
homes and understanding what how key we use products, what
they need. I think probably understanding things like how key
we use their garages, you know, as well as their
outdoors and so on. So I think probably it will
be more they'll show up with the ranging because they
(06:08):
they'll have a vast array of ranges, but not everything
will be as appropriate in autund as it might be
in Tokyo or New York or whatever. So I think, yeah,
we'll get a profile which will be developed deemed appropriate
based on those insights.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
What do you make of the main freight partnership? Is
that something quite unique for those who don't know they're
going to be doing this main freight to home service
and the offer will take heavier items into people's homes
if that was their preferred option. That's quite revolutionary because
I always fret when I buy something or a piece
of furniture thinking am I going to fit it into
(06:48):
my car? Or am I going to be able to
carry this up my drive? So that's quite a unique
having a main freight you know, a couple of them
actually lug it into your house is quite special.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, well, they are operating distribution in some other markets,
especially where they don't have those those stores. I mean,
it's certainly a very smart, strong play for this market.
You know, the suddenly you know they've only got one store,
but it's almost like have they got twenty nine stores?
And we're also living in an evolved age of e commerce.
(07:25):
People's happiness buying online ever since Covid was a bit
of a game changer for online buying in New Zealand,
which is has always been a little bit behind the
rest of the Western world in terms of uptake on
e commerce. But it kind of makes sense for Ikea,
especially once people have some familiarity with products. You know,
(07:47):
if you're if you're living down country and your your
friend is that it shows you shows you their foot
on which they're really delighted with, and you go, well,
I'll have one of those, you know. You you can
just order one and you can pick it up from
your main freight delivery, so it's aluld have it delivered
into the house. So I think it's going to allow
their distribution to be really powerful, and for other brands
(08:08):
that are in that that, especially about heavier furniture offering,
it's going to put some pressure on it.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Your opening is also going to allow many New Zealanders
for once again experience the loved Swedish meatballs that they
remember from visiting Ikea stores overseas. I think all of
us who have lived overseas, and I did so for
some time, are very familiar where you put an itinerary
together for your key, we friends and family coming to
visit you, and they say that's very lovely, but can
we go to ikeamost and whether it's in Chicago or
(08:45):
London where I was for some time, they say that
looks great, But let's get to the Ikea quickly, please.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
The only reason I can think of for Ikea that
that mat would perhaps not make it work so well
here is that because there's been an absence in the
market of ike for so long. The likes of Kmart
and the warehouse have their own flat pack furniture, obviously
not to the scale of as Ikea, but people have
(09:12):
gotten you know, cupboards and bookshelves and desks and things
like that already. Do you think that ike as products
will hit as hard as it would have without those competitives,
or do you think Kmart and the warehouse and the
like should just give up now?
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Oh? No, I mean I think it's always I mean,
first of all, I mean, the people like to have choice,
and you're going to have loyal shoppers that km loyal
shoppers at the warehouse. Ike is going to come in
and it won't be for everyone, and I think in
a way probably, I mean, it'll be interesting in both
retailers have been doing research on what might happen once
(09:50):
I care in market and how does it maybe reshape
their ranging. You know, they may go down a price
pointing strategy, or you know, if there's resistance flat pack
do do they have less? You know, maybe not quite
so flat pack not more ready to go. And also,
(10:10):
I mean fundamentally is for business they're in. I mean
I think provided they can they can see an appropriate
ROI they'll you know that they'll stick at it, but
they probably need to. It may make them think about
the ranging and what you know, because they may find
they get really disrupted in some areas but maybe less
so in others.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Can you show some examples of perhaps international brands that
we've gotten quite excited about and that have actually thrived
in New Zealand. Of course I'm thinking initially straight off
the back. Costco, for example, that was huge when I came.
I went to Costco on the second weekend that it
was open, and I regret it. It was terrifying.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah. Well, actually I went the opening day. You can
tell I'm a bit of an opening day junkie, and
I went round and it was, Yes, it was quite
quite the thing. I mean, the cues for crowds, that's
the trap for traffic was I deliberately part of the
little way away and I walked in. I decided I
didn't want to get stuck in the car park. I
(11:14):
think part of the big thing was with the sheer bars,
the smiles on people's faces, the cues for the for
the one dollar hot dogs, and and I think just
the you know, Costo, like I hear, it's a scale thing.
You know, it's big and you know very much. You know,
a retail a retail cathedral, and so yeah, that babe,
(11:37):
I mean certainly in Costco is just hasn't got quieter.
You know, like the the ques, especially at weekends are
are quite incredible, although they do pretty well at pumping
people through, but yeah, anytime you want to go over,
you're going to see it's going to be pretty busy.
And the cue for their their hot roast chickens and
things is never seems to diminish. They just get wiped out.
(11:58):
So I mean, yeah, they've done well. I mean some
others have found a little bit harder. I think, you know,
Sephora has found a little bit harder. Obviously. You know,
the top Shop brand came into New Zealand, although it
wasn't it wasn't directly owned by top Shop itself, so
it was through a local partnership, so it didn't have
the same financial dynamics that it would be a fit
(12:21):
have been the actual brand owner coming in in terms
of margin. So I think they found a bit tougher
because they opened up at a magnificent site on Queen
Street and it was a really lovely store, and foot
traffic to it looked pretty good. But I think just
getting those most margin aspects of your overhease too high,
it's just very hard in retail. And you know, we've
had other brands here, I mean, you know, Laura Ashley
(12:44):
body Shop and so on. It's still kind of come
and gone, but they they've also been having challenges. You know,
some retail brands go through challenges globally anyway, just as
trends change. I mean, the retail chain it's not quite
on the same level as I here. But the ones
who are really killing it over here of time in
his chemist Warehouse, and you know, they they've really tapped
(13:05):
into something that you know, we didn't really have that
large scale, low cost chemist pharmacy offering and all those
brands before. And you know they, I mean I just
saw yesterdays a new one going up to Stabba Road
and go wow. They I mean, they're they're they're just
going gamebusters.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Yeah, They're popping up everywhere, aren't they. I mean, if
you could waive a magic wand and have an overseas
retailer come here tomorrow, or really look at New Zealand
as a really good option, what would it be. I
know what my couple are, so I've been advocating for
Audi to come here for a long time. They've just
grown roots in Australia. And then another one that I
(13:51):
was thinking of the other day, would would we would
we like a Walmart or something here?
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Well, in a way, the warehouses a Walmart, so I think,
I mean, who knows, maybe of Walmart could buy the
warehouse and then that would that that would be interesting
the an Audi, Yeah, I mean the the I mean obviously, yeah,
it's maybe strange to a whole other podcast conversation would be,
(14:19):
you know, the whole supermarket thing and the you know
and but but you know, oldie, you know to come in.
It's it's just with such a you know. One of
your other questions before is you know, we are a
very small market for which is why I here. Of
taking their time to come here. They have been richer
solutions before that, all richer market options to go into.
(14:40):
So it's when people do come here, it's because they've
worked out or they think they've worked out how to
make money. I mean brands. For me selfishly, it's I'm
quite passionate about some overseas apparel brands. So there's one
particular favorite of mine is an Italian brand ORed Boggy,
and it's it's a it's a web brands, so you know,
(15:01):
basically you can buy it online. They they they they
ship out of Australia, but if you actually want to
go to a store, you usually have to be in Italy.
But the chances of from companies in a rather slim.
But then you know, maybe moving back and be said
for some of some other things in the old days,
I would have said I would have loved to have
had a Virgin Megastore here because that was a place
(15:22):
I spent an awful lot of time in the in
the eighties and nineties. But as you know, music and entertainment.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Shopping is when we used to have records and CDs.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Records and CDs and Virgin Megastore was like the ultimate place.
Mad and Tower Records of the ultimate places, but they
don't really exist in the same way now, so it's
not quite the same call.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
What would convince someone like another one over in Adelaide's
just got a couple of t K Max's and a
unique cloth. And then there's another another Japanese brand that
we were talking about before. I think it's Moojie. What
would make you know one of those brands actually look
at New Zealand, what do we have to do well?
Speaker 1 (16:07):
It may partly be seeing some of these other international
operators succeeding. So I mean Costo, I don't know whether
Ike have been IQ have been coming for years, and
I don't know whether Costo actually getting in and breaking
ground and buildings helped ive Ike similar confidence to come
(16:28):
into market. It's probably, I mean for them, it's probably
seeing what is the economic situation, what what is working
or thriving in New Zealand and and identifying market gaps.
You know what isn't being said? I think that's what
you know. Come back to Chemist Warehouse. Why they've done
well is there was nothing like it in market, and
you know, the the established retailers of day to day
(16:51):
pharmacy goods were we're doing in a in a much
more traditional way. So they've come in discounted, but also
the arranging is very very different, you know. I mean
another brand that would be really interesting over here is Primark,
which is you know again, fast fashion, super cheap. You know,
it's you can you can get kitched out for so
(17:13):
little and they and they their stores are massive over
in particular the UK and multi floor pretty much pick
up whatever you want. I would have thought the prime
Ark would kill over here. Actually it would if they
come back to your point, why would they come here?
They would just had to establish but there was a
market gap that wasn't being served well by the existing
(17:37):
insisting players.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Thanks for joining us, Ben.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
You're welcome. It's been a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You
can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage
at nsidherld dot co dot enz. The Front Page is
produced by Jane Ye and Richard Martin, who was also
our editor. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the Front Page
on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune
(18:06):
in on Monday for another look behind the headlines.
Kiyota.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a
daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Kiwis will
finally get to experience the labyrinth that is an Ikea
store from December fourth. The new Sylvia Park site in
(00:26):
Auckland is one of the company's largest in the Southern Hemisphere,
about the size of three rugby fields. There'll be thousands
of products available online and in store, and yes, they
will be serving up their famous Swedish meatballs in a
four hundred and twenty six seat cafeteria. So why do
(00:48):
we get so excited about international brands setting up on
our shores and is there enough appetite for Ikea and
their meatballs to succeed where others? Today? On the front Page,
Quantum Jump CEO and marketing expert Ben Gooddow is with
us to explain the hype around one of the world's
(01:10):
leading retailers. First off, Ben, what is the significance of
Ikea finally coming to New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I mean, I think there's a number of factors here.
It is a major, major retail brand globally and one
of Sweden's grade ex sports. I think to a certain extent,
the sheer fact that so many Kiwis already have Ica
products in their homes which they've may be brought back
from overseas or people are given to them, or they've
(01:43):
ordered in. And so it's a brand that almost feels
like it's been here for a while anyway, but a
bit actually planting itself. And it's very grounding for an
international brand like that to arrive in New Zealand, not
unlike a couple of years ago. I think we go, wow,
you know, we're we're finally there as a nation. We've
(02:04):
got an IQ, We've a Costco, We've got Nature and
m Sephora, Victoria's Secret out of the airport. You know,
brands which are you know, living in a country and
far flung in the furthest away part of the world.
In fact, I read today that we are the Ikea
store in Auckland will be the servist away from Sweden
(02:26):
store that they have. You know, it can be something
when when these brands turn up and they've got to.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Us in terms of Ikere, what makes it like I
suppose the international juggernaut that it is.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Firstly, I mean, the product is amazing, you know, it's there.
They're innovative, they're they're they're sustainable or as sustainable as
you can be within it with any category like that,
and they're pushing to be more sustainable forever. They their
focus on design is is fundamental to their success, you know.
(03:03):
Be I mean I remember as a as as as
you know, probably not long after I left store, going
to be opening of a first Ikea in London and
queuing up that day to get in and I didn't
even really know what Ikea was, something to do on
a on a Sunday, but but being bowled over by
by the design, you know, the that simple Swedish aesthetic
(03:29):
and you know it really it's not just furniture. Albeit
I also have cursed and I once foolishly brought a
foot on from my Ikea. And I'm sure if any
anyone watching this imagines, you know, flat pack assembling a
futon in a time where I did not own a
power drill, so I had to hand hands through it.
(03:51):
Every last through it was. I have the I have blisters,
and I was not a happy person. But but the
bouton was sensational.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
It's that's part of the fun of it, isn't it
the flat pack. I mean I say fun in quotation
marks because I personally don't think it's fun. But in
terms of I mean you mentioned London in that.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
What when?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
What would that have been?
Speaker 1 (04:12):
That was nineteen eighty eight.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, it was it the same kind of huge sensation
it was even then than it is now because in
the eighties you didn't have social media or the Internet
and things like that.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, it's funny. I was reflecting on that the other day,
I mean especially asked for it's almost I don't know
I remember it. I don't know why I was there.
I don't know how I knew it was going on.
Maybe there was an advert in the Evening Standard. It
wasn't far from my flat, but it felt big. I
remember going to work the net's day and wherever, you know,
people were talking about it, and so I guess it was.
(04:48):
It must have been on the news. It must have
been on the radio. Maybe there was a piece of
it in the Standard in the morning where people are
getting on the tube with their newspaper. But you're right,
I mean the I think it's fun. Only now, having
lived now with social media for ten fifteen years, we
almost forgotten. How did these things get shared and amplified
(05:11):
and so on. Before all that happened, but I guess
we just found other ways. I mean apartment of meals.
People talk to each other about it.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Do you think Ikea will have to adapt to the
Kiwi market or is Ikea just Ikea?
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Well? I think initially, I mean they are just Ikea
their product range. They're not going to develop products just
for this market. And are you know, not quite sure
what products we were uniquely we would uniquely need. I mean,
we're a lot different for the rest of the world. However,
they have done a lot of groundwork, which they've talked
(05:45):
about some of their media relations around going into Keiwi
homes and understanding what how key we use products, what
they need. I think probably understanding things like how key
we use their garages, you know, as well as their
outdoors and so on. So I think probably it will
be more they'll show up with the ranging because they
(06:08):
they'll have a vast array of ranges, but not everything
will be as appropriate in autund as it might be
in Tokyo or New York or whatever. So I think, yeah,
we'll get a profile which will be developed deemed appropriate
based on those insights.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
What do you make of the main freight partnership? Is
that something quite unique for those who don't know they're
going to be doing this main freight to home service
and the offer will take heavier items into people's homes
if that was their preferred option. That's quite revolutionary because
I always fret when I buy something or a piece
of furniture thinking am I going to fit it into
(06:48):
my car? Or am I going to be able to
carry this up my drive? So that's quite a unique
having a main freight you know, a couple of them
actually lug it into your house is quite special.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Yeah, well, they are operating distribution in some other markets,
especially where they don't have those those stores. I mean,
it's certainly a very smart, strong play for this market.
You know, the suddenly you know they've only got one store,
but it's almost like have they got twenty nine stores?
And we're also living in an evolved age of e commerce.
(07:25):
People's happiness buying online ever since Covid was a bit
of a game changer for online buying in New Zealand,
which is has always been a little bit behind the
rest of the Western world in terms of uptake on
e commerce. But it kind of makes sense for Ikea,
especially once people have some familiarity with products. You know,
(07:47):
if you're if you're living down country and your your
friend is that it shows you shows you their foot
on which they're really delighted with, and you go, well,
I'll have one of those, you know. You you can
just order one and you can pick it up from
your main freight delivery, so it's aluld have it delivered
into the house. So I think it's going to allow
their distribution to be really powerful, and for other brands
(08:08):
that are in that that, especially about heavier furniture offering,
it's going to put some pressure on it.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Your opening is also going to allow many New Zealanders
for once again experience the loved Swedish meatballs that they
remember from visiting Ikea stores overseas. I think all of
us who have lived overseas, and I did so for
some time, are very familiar where you put an itinerary
together for your key, we friends and family coming to
visit you, and they say that's very lovely, but can
we go to ikeamost and whether it's in Chicago or
(08:45):
London where I was for some time, they say that
looks great, But let's get to the Ikea quickly, please.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
The only reason I can think of for Ikea that
that mat would perhaps not make it work so well
here is that because there's been an absence in the
market of ike for so long. The likes of Kmart
and the warehouse have their own flat pack furniture, obviously
not to the scale of as Ikea, but people have
(09:12):
gotten you know, cupboards and bookshelves and desks and things
like that already. Do you think that ike as products
will hit as hard as it would have without those competitives,
or do you think Kmart and the warehouse and the
like should just give up now?
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Oh? No, I mean I think it's always I mean,
first of all, I mean, the people like to have choice,
and you're going to have loyal shoppers that km loyal
shoppers at the warehouse. Ike is going to come in
and it won't be for everyone, and I think in
a way probably, I mean, it'll be interesting in both
retailers have been doing research on what might happen once
(09:50):
I care in market and how does it maybe reshape
their ranging. You know, they may go down a price
pointing strategy, or you know, if there's resistance flat pack
do do they have less? You know, maybe not quite
so flat pack not more ready to go. And also,
(10:10):
I mean fundamentally is for business they're in. I mean
I think provided they can they can see an appropriate
ROI they'll you know that they'll stick at it, but
they probably need to. It may make them think about
the ranging and what you know, because they may find
they get really disrupted in some areas but maybe less
so in others.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Can you show some examples of perhaps international brands that
we've gotten quite excited about and that have actually thrived
in New Zealand. Of course I'm thinking initially straight off
the back. Costco, for example, that was huge when I came.
I went to Costco on the second weekend that it
was open, and I regret it. It was terrifying.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah. Well, actually I went the opening day. You can
tell I'm a bit of an opening day junkie, and
I went round and it was, Yes, it was quite
quite the thing. I mean, the cues for crowds, that's
the trap for traffic was I deliberately part of the
little way away and I walked in. I decided I
didn't want to get stuck in the car park. I
(11:14):
think part of the big thing was with the sheer bars,
the smiles on people's faces, the cues for the for
the one dollar hot dogs, and and I think just
the you know, Costo, like I hear, it's a scale thing.
You know, it's big and you know very much. You know,
a retail a retail cathedral, and so yeah, that babe,
(11:37):
I mean certainly in Costco is just hasn't got quieter.
You know, like the the ques, especially at weekends are
are quite incredible, although they do pretty well at pumping
people through, but yeah, anytime you want to go over,
you're going to see it's going to be pretty busy.
And the cue for their their hot roast chickens and
things is never seems to diminish. They just get wiped out.
(11:58):
So I mean, yeah, they've done well. I mean some
others have found a little bit harder. I think, you know,
Sephora has found a little bit harder. Obviously. You know,
the top Shop brand came into New Zealand, although it
wasn't it wasn't directly owned by top Shop itself, so
it was through a local partnership, so it didn't have
the same financial dynamics that it would be a fit
(12:21):
have been the actual brand owner coming in in terms
of margin. So I think they found a bit tougher
because they opened up at a magnificent site on Queen
Street and it was a really lovely store, and foot
traffic to it looked pretty good. But I think just
getting those most margin aspects of your overhease too high,
it's just very hard in retail. And you know, we've
had other brands here, I mean, you know, Laura Ashley
(12:44):
body Shop and so on. It's still kind of come
and gone, but they they've also been having challenges. You know,
some retail brands go through challenges globally anyway, just as
trends change. I mean, the retail chain it's not quite
on the same level as I here. But the ones
who are really killing it over here of time in
his chemist Warehouse, and you know, they they've really tapped
(13:05):
into something that you know, we didn't really have that
large scale, low cost chemist pharmacy offering and all those
brands before. And you know they, I mean I just
saw yesterdays a new one going up to Stabba Road
and go wow. They I mean, they're they're they're just
going gamebusters.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Yeah, They're popping up everywhere, aren't they. I mean, if
you could waive a magic wand and have an overseas
retailer come here tomorrow, or really look at New Zealand
as a really good option, what would it be. I
know what my couple are, so I've been advocating for
Audi to come here for a long time. They've just
grown roots in Australia. And then another one that I
(13:51):
was thinking of the other day, would would we would
we like a Walmart or something here?
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Well, in a way, the warehouses a Walmart, so I think,
I mean, who knows, maybe of Walmart could buy the
warehouse and then that would that that would be interesting
the an Audi, Yeah, I mean the the I mean obviously, yeah,
it's maybe strange to a whole other podcast conversation would be,
(14:19):
you know, the whole supermarket thing and the you know
and but but you know, oldie, you know to come in.
It's it's just with such a you know. One of
your other questions before is you know, we are a
very small market for which is why I here. Of
taking their time to come here. They have been richer
solutions before that, all richer market options to go into.
(14:40):
So it's when people do come here, it's because they've
worked out or they think they've worked out how to
make money. I mean brands. For me selfishly, it's I'm
quite passionate about some overseas apparel brands. So there's one
particular favorite of mine is an Italian brand ORed Boggy,
and it's it's a it's a web brands, so you know,
(15:01):
basically you can buy it online. They they they they
ship out of Australia, but if you actually want to
go to a store, you usually have to be in Italy.
But the chances of from companies in a rather slim.
But then you know, maybe moving back and be said
for some of some other things in the old days,
I would have said I would have loved to have
had a Virgin Megastore here because that was a place
(15:22):
I spent an awful lot of time in the in
the eighties and nineties. But as you know, music and entertainment.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Shopping is when we used to have records and CDs.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
Records and CDs and Virgin Megastore was like the ultimate place.
Mad and Tower Records of the ultimate places, but they
don't really exist in the same way now, so it's
not quite the same call.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
What would convince someone like another one over in Adelaide's
just got a couple of t K Max's and a
unique cloth. And then there's another another Japanese brand that
we were talking about before. I think it's Moojie. What
would make you know one of those brands actually look
at New Zealand, what do we have to do well?
Speaker 1 (16:07):
It may partly be seeing some of these other international
operators succeeding. So I mean Costo, I don't know whether
Ike have been IQ have been coming for years, and
I don't know whether Costo actually getting in and breaking
ground and buildings helped ive Ike similar confidence to come
(16:28):
into market. It's probably, I mean for them, it's probably
seeing what is the economic situation, what what is working
or thriving in New Zealand and and identifying market gaps.
You know what isn't being said? I think that's what
you know. Come back to Chemist Warehouse. Why they've done
well is there was nothing like it in market, and
you know, the the established retailers of day to day
(16:51):
pharmacy goods were we're doing in a in a much
more traditional way. So they've come in discounted, but also
the arranging is very very different, you know. I mean
another brand that would be really interesting over here is Primark,
which is you know again, fast fashion, super cheap. You know,
it's you can you can get kitched out for so
(17:13):
little and they and they their stores are massive over
in particular the UK and multi floor pretty much pick
up whatever you want. I would have thought the prime
Ark would kill over here. Actually it would if they
come back to your point, why would they come here?
They would just had to establish but there was a
market gap that wasn't being served well by the existing
(17:37):
insisting players.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Thanks for joining us, Ben.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
You're welcome. It's been a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You
can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage
at nsidherld dot co dot enz. The Front Page is
produced by Jane Ye and Richard Martin, who was also
our editor. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the Front Page
on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and tune
(18:06):
in on Monday for another look behind the headlines.
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