Foodstuffs North Island says it's working hard to re-employ staff from an Auckland New World that caught fire in June.
CEO Chris Quinn says of 183 people, 121 are working at other stores, 12 have found roles elsewhere, and 10 are taking a break.
He told Kerre Woodham that leaves about 40 staff they still need to place.
Quinn says they're trying to match employees to about 50 positions in Auckland stores.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerry Wood and Morning's podcast from
News Talks. He'd be New World.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Victoria Park employed one hundred and eighty nine staff before
it was badly damaged in the fire on June seventeen.
Following the fire, food Stuff's North Island Chief executive Chris
Quinn told media that staff would be looked after. Number
of the staff have found jobs, including at the New
New World. That's due to opening point. Sheev some jobs
(00:36):
were reserved for them, but a number went to the newspaper,
saying that around forty percent wouldn't have jobs when their
final paycheck arrived. CEO of food Stuff's North Island Chris
Quinn joins me now and a very good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Good morning, Kerry.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
So what's happening with the staff and the relocations.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Look So, you know, obviously since the seventeenth of June,
which was a very sad and very unexpected event. As
we said at the time, we're doing everything we can
to look after the one hundred and eighty three team
members that were in that store. Where we are right
now today is that one hundred and twenty one of
those have been hired within the cooperative into other owned stores,
(01:20):
and that's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
We've got about twelve people have.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Found a role elsewhere, and ten or so of the
team are going to take a break for various reasons,
everything from maternity leave to travel and so on. So
that means we've got about forty people left where we're
still actively working individually with each of those people to
find a solution. To give you an idea across Auckland
(01:45):
right now, across all of the stores owned by individuals,
we have about fifty roles vacant, and we're working with
each one of the people to go is there a
fit between their skills, location, rosters and times they can
work on all of those things. So we're continuing to
just work our way through this and do everything we
can to see if these folks we can find an
(02:08):
alternative for.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, so what's going to happen to them? So they
had their final paychecks? Are they now having to apply
for the doll or are they being financially supported by
New World while you work to find them new jobs
or what's where does that end it?
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:24):
So look, you know, obviously each one of our stores
is individually owned and the people are employed by that owner.
That owner extended the support in terms of wages, so
one hundred percent of wages all the way through to
the third of August, and you know has obviously been
actively working with us to find them an alternative in
another owner's business.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
We did a couple of full days of.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Recruitment interviews for new will Point Chevalier, which we've landed
a lot of people in, which is great, and that
store opens next Tuesday coming up. We had a speed
interviewing event where we got all of our stores in
and about one hundred and twenty of the team showed up
and they just managed to get around the room and
meet owners and see if there was a match.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
We've been sitting.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Down with people, helping with you know, CV preparation, connecting
them with where the vacancies are, our teams supporting all
those things. So whilst the store's ability to keep paying
did the end at the sixth of August, we are
continuing to work with those folks to see if there's
any way we can find them another.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Role, but not in a financial capacity, that's just helping
them find a job.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, not after the sex or so weeks.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
No, do you think it was a little optimistic, saying
that staff would be looked after, that that was the
beauty of a cooperative.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Yeah, well, I think we've you know, I'm really proud
of what we've managed to get done in terms of
looking after people, you know, with only forty left.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
And look, it's a lot of every not every.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Opportunity fits in terms of location and rosters and skills
and the type of work.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
No, if you're looking for a butcher and you've got
five women who were manning the checkout, that's not going
to work.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Yeah, and I guess look, you know, we made the
commitment to keep looking after and you know that that's
what we are trying to do. But there comes a
point where the business that employed these people can't trade.
You know, we're closed, there is no revenue coming in
the owning. The owners have done a great job of
standing by that team for as long as they possibly could,
(04:30):
and we're going to continue to try and find options
for them.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah, I mean, you have you know, that's great, and
it was very fortunate that point Chief was coming online.
But forty people are still forty people without jobs looking
for jobs in a really depressed market.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Yeah, we're very aware of that. We know, all of
the forty people were.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Engaged with them all individually, and you know, every day
the number seems to you know, we find solutions for
more of the people. We're going to continue to do
everything we can to do that, right.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, we hear a lot about you know, their attacks
and the insults in the horrible language that a lot
of the supermarket staff face. But on the other side,
there's a real affection and real relationships that build up
with your supermarket stuff. When you've got a local you
really care about the people who work there. They become
(05:23):
part of your you know, everyday life almost and so
I think there's a you know, there's a real investment
in wanting to find these people work.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah. Look, couldn't agree more.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
And what's been amazing has been We've got heaps of
messages literally dozens of not hundreds of messages from suppliers,
from customers, from other businesses about.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
The team at BC Park.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
We pulled all that into a journal or a book
that we shared with them that one of the you know,
there's been a number of gatherings of that team, you know,
with the owners and with our support to just keep
communicating with them and talking to them and keep them
in touch, and we shared that with them. So that
was just very very cool and we loved, you know,
really appreciated everyone that contributed to that, and that's why
(06:12):
we're going to continue to just you know, work alongside
these folks to see if there's any alternatives that we
can find. You know, it is, as you said, it
is a depressed market out there. We're incredibly proud that
across the North Island we have twenty four thousand team members.
You know, we're a large employer. We think that really matters,
and we do understand the relationship many customers form with
(06:34):
the people they see them. You know, we're a bit unique,
right We see our customers three or four times a
week in store. You know, I love that there are
personal relationships that form out of that. It's one of
the special parts of an owner operator business.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Absolutely. So I've got a couple of text heres and
cutos for trying to find people work And can you
ask how a sprinkled building burnt out? Do we know that?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Look, you know, the fire service of leading the investigation,
the insurance companies and so on. So I won't comment
on cause you know, obviously we're intensely interested in understanding
fully what's happened. We've ordered every one of our building projects,
we have a number going on at any one time,
to make sure that.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
We have no obvious risk anywhere else. It's just a horrid,
horrid event. You know.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
It's you know, most importantly for the owners and this
group of people. Next most importantly for the customers that
love this store. No one wanted this to happen.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
We had a very complex, very a large investment going
into that store to renew it after twenty five years
on the site, and we're gutted that this has happened.
We are getting excited about the future of it, but
it is going to be a while because it's a
brand new build.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Basically, Now, where are we at with the smeg brasence?
I mean, honestly, is this just a big market employee
that you bring in just enough to make people so
excited and destore the stickers and just not enough so
that it whips up this controversy because it's happened with
the looking back, whoever is selecting the products is doing
(08:17):
a brilliant job and deserves a pay rise because you
also had the Spigrau fancy fancy glassware, and you ran
out of the long drink glasses and the whiskey tumblers,
and people in the South Island only got gift vouchers,
and in the North Island they did manage. You did
manage to get extra stock. That always caused a civil war.
And then there were knives at dawn at the New
(08:39):
Worlds because you ran out of the fancy schmancy knives.
What's happening?
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Who would have thought there would be this demand for
beef burn lons across New Zealand at this time. But look, firstly,
I think you made a great point. The campaign has
blown us away in terms of his success, but every.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Single one seems to The knife campaign was the same.
Do you just get in enough to peek into but
not enough to satisfy demand.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I guess if I'd said to you at the beginning
of this carry that we would order and receive and
give away seventy thousand braziers, you know, I think you
probably would have said, you're joking. You know, that seemed
so many, particularly when you know it was it was
the highest value items, so it needed think it was
(09:29):
fifty stickers and sixty dollars fash You know, we we
got international advice on the same campaign in a number
of countries. We tested it against everything we've seen here
before and added some and we got to seventy thousand,
and you know, I would never you know, my concern
heading into this one was what are we going to
(09:49):
do with the leftovers? You know, so we were excited
that it was so popular. I think it does say,
you know, what's cool is I think New Zealanders are going, hey,
quality item that I'm going to keep, not use once
and throw away, or that it's sort of you know,
it's you know, the attraction of a moment that it's
actually something that will live in the cupboard for a
few years.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
It's clear we're onto something with that.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Thinking we have scarred the world's brazier stock and found
just two thousand more. They are going to be allocated
out by store. It's not going to meet all of
the demand. I'm quite sure it's not going to, but
it'll do a bit. But look, you know, there is
absolutely I can hand on heart guarantee there's no way
(10:33):
we're playing a game about having less stock than we
think we're gonna need.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
We got more than we ever thought.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Did you think the cocotts were going to go off?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
I can't even say it.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And it's actually Brazier, not Brazier. The braziers are the fires.
I was calling them braziers.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Too, but I know you are right, So there you go.
This is why we have experts advising us, not me.
But yeah, look, you know it isn't it fascinating? You know?
I probably thought they would go off because there are
lower value items, more painable, and I could sort of
personally see what I might use them for, you know,
(11:11):
but even the spoon rest thing. You know, there's been
demand for all of these things. It's great, you know,
and as we are already thinking about what next and
every time we do a full review on this and
make sure. The other thing we have evolved a lot
is our signaling, you know, so the.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
In store standing deem as you go stock, yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
The Facebook updates, just trying everything we can to encourage people.
As soon as you're ready come in.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Okay, so there's two thousand coming in. It's going to
be handbags at dawn at your local New World. Chris Quinn,
thank you very much, and congratulations to Anton Rameka from
New World Munga Pi and Alex Pallo from New World Muganue,
who won titles at the Butcher of the Year Awards
last night.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news Talks It'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Kerry Wood and Morning's podcast from
News Talks. He'd be New World.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Victoria Park employed one hundred and eighty nine staff before
it was badly damaged in the fire on June seventeen.
Following the fire, food Stuff's North Island Chief executive Chris
Quinn told media that staff would be looked after. Number
of the staff have found jobs, including at the New
New World. That's due to opening point. Sheev some jobs
(00:36):
were reserved for them, but a number went to the newspaper,
saying that around forty percent wouldn't have jobs when their
final paycheck arrived. CEO of food Stuff's North Island Chris
Quinn joins me now and a very good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Good morning, Kerry.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
So what's happening with the staff and the relocations.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Look So, you know, obviously since the seventeenth of June,
which was a very sad and very unexpected event. As
we said at the time, we're doing everything we can
to look after the one hundred and eighty three team
members that were in that store. Where we are right
now today is that one hundred and twenty one of
those have been hired within the cooperative into other owned stores,
(01:20):
and that's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
We've got about twelve people have.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Found a role elsewhere, and ten or so of the
team are going to take a break for various reasons,
everything from maternity leave to travel and so on. So
that means we've got about forty people left where we're
still actively working individually with each of those people to
find a solution. To give you an idea across Auckland
(01:45):
right now, across all of the stores owned by individuals,
we have about fifty roles vacant, and we're working with
each one of the people to go is there a
fit between their skills, location, rosters and times they can
work on all of those things. So we're continuing to
just work our way through this and do everything we
can to see if these folks we can find an
(02:08):
alternative for.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yeah, so what's going to happen to them? So they
had their final paychecks? Are they now having to apply
for the doll or are they being financially supported by
New World while you work to find them new jobs
or what's where does that end it?
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (02:24):
So look, you know, obviously each one of our stores
is individually owned and the people are employed by that owner.
That owner extended the support in terms of wages, so
one hundred percent of wages all the way through to
the third of August, and you know has obviously been
actively working with us to find them an alternative in
another owner's business.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
We did a couple of full days of.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Recruitment interviews for new will Point Chevalier, which we've landed
a lot of people in, which is great, and that
store opens next Tuesday coming up. We had a speed
interviewing event where we got all of our stores in
and about one hundred and twenty of the team showed up
and they just managed to get around the room and
meet owners and see if there was a match.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
We've been sitting.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
Down with people, helping with you know, CV preparation, connecting
them with where the vacancies are, our teams supporting all
those things. So whilst the store's ability to keep paying
did the end at the sixth of August, we are
continuing to work with those folks to see if there's
any way we can find them another.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Role, but not in a financial capacity, that's just helping
them find a job.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, not after the sex or so weeks.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
No, do you think it was a little optimistic, saying
that staff would be looked after, that that was the
beauty of a cooperative.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
Yeah, well, I think we've you know, I'm really proud
of what we've managed to get done in terms of
looking after people, you know, with only forty left.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
And look, it's a lot of every not every.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Opportunity fits in terms of location and rosters and skills
and the type of work.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
No, if you're looking for a butcher and you've got
five women who were manning the checkout, that's not going
to work.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Yeah, and I guess look, you know, we made the
commitment to keep looking after and you know that that's
what we are trying to do. But there comes a
point where the business that employed these people can't trade.
You know, we're closed, there is no revenue coming in
the owning. The owners have done a great job of
standing by that team for as long as they possibly could,
(04:30):
and we're going to continue to try and find options
for them.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Yeah, I mean, you have you know, that's great, and
it was very fortunate that point Chief was coming online.
But forty people are still forty people without jobs looking
for jobs in a really depressed market.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Yeah, we're very aware of that. We know, all of
the forty people were.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Engaged with them all individually, and you know, every day
the number seems to you know, we find solutions for
more of the people. We're going to continue to do
everything we can to do that, right.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, we hear a lot about you know, their attacks
and the insults in the horrible language that a lot
of the supermarket staff face. But on the other side,
there's a real affection and real relationships that build up
with your supermarket stuff. When you've got a local you
really care about the people who work there. They become
(05:23):
part of your you know, everyday life almost and so
I think there's a you know, there's a real investment
in wanting to find these people work.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Yeah. Look, couldn't agree more.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
And what's been amazing has been We've got heaps of
messages literally dozens of not hundreds of messages from suppliers,
from customers, from other businesses about.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
The team at BC Park.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
We pulled all that into a journal or a book
that we shared with them that one of the you know,
there's been a number of gatherings of that team, you know,
with the owners and with our support to just keep
communicating with them and talking to them and keep them
in touch, and we shared that with them. So that
was just very very cool and we loved, you know,
really appreciated everyone that contributed to that, and that's why
(06:12):
we're going to continue to just you know, work alongside
these folks to see if there's any alternatives that we
can find. You know, it is, as you said, it
is a depressed market out there. We're incredibly proud that
across the North Island we have twenty four thousand team members.
You know, we're a large employer. We think that really matters,
and we do understand the relationship many customers form with
(06:34):
the people they see them. You know, we're a bit unique,
right We see our customers three or four times a
week in store. You know, I love that there are
personal relationships that form out of that. It's one of
the special parts of an owner operator business.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Absolutely. So I've got a couple of text heres and
cutos for trying to find people work And can you
ask how a sprinkled building burnt out? Do we know that?
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Look, you know, the fire service of leading the investigation,
the insurance companies and so on. So I won't comment
on cause you know, obviously we're intensely interested in understanding
fully what's happened. We've ordered every one of our building projects,
we have a number going on at any one time,
to make sure that.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
We have no obvious risk anywhere else. It's just a horrid,
horrid event. You know.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
It's you know, most importantly for the owners and this
group of people. Next most importantly for the customers that
love this store. No one wanted this to happen.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
We had a very complex, very a large investment going
into that store to renew it after twenty five years
on the site, and we're gutted that this has happened.
We are getting excited about the future of it, but
it is going to be a while because it's a
brand new build.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Basically, Now, where are we at with the smeg brasence?
I mean, honestly, is this just a big market employee
that you bring in just enough to make people so
excited and destore the stickers and just not enough so
that it whips up this controversy because it's happened with
the looking back, whoever is selecting the products is doing
(08:17):
a brilliant job and deserves a pay rise because you
also had the Spigrau fancy fancy glassware, and you ran
out of the long drink glasses and the whiskey tumblers,
and people in the South Island only got gift vouchers,
and in the North Island they did manage. You did
manage to get extra stock. That always caused a civil war.
And then there were knives at dawn at the New
(08:39):
Worlds because you ran out of the fancy schmancy knives.
What's happening?
Speaker 4 (08:46):
Who would have thought there would be this demand for
beef burn lons across New Zealand at this time. But look, firstly,
I think you made a great point. The campaign has
blown us away in terms of his success, but every.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Single one seems to The knife campaign was the same.
Do you just get in enough to peek into but
not enough to satisfy demand.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
I guess if I'd said to you at the beginning
of this carry that we would order and receive and
give away seventy thousand braziers, you know, I think you
probably would have said, you're joking. You know, that seemed
so many, particularly when you know it was it was
the highest value items, so it needed think it was
(09:29):
fifty stickers and sixty dollars fash You know, we we
got international advice on the same campaign in a number
of countries. We tested it against everything we've seen here
before and added some and we got to seventy thousand,
and you know, I would never you know, my concern
heading into this one was what are we going to
(09:49):
do with the leftovers? You know, so we were excited
that it was so popular. I think it does say,
you know, what's cool is I think New Zealanders are going, hey,
quality item that I'm going to keep, not use once
and throw away, or that it's sort of you know,
it's you know, the attraction of a moment that it's
actually something that will live in the cupboard for a
few years.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
It's clear we're onto something with that.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
Thinking we have scarred the world's brazier stock and found
just two thousand more. They are going to be allocated
out by store. It's not going to meet all of
the demand. I'm quite sure it's not going to, but
it'll do a bit. But look, you know, there is
absolutely I can hand on heart guarantee there's no way
(10:33):
we're playing a game about having less stock than we
think we're gonna need.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
We got more than we ever thought.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Did you think the cocotts were going to go off?
Speaker 3 (10:43):
I can't even say it.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
And it's actually Brazier, not Brazier. The braziers are the fires.
I was calling them braziers.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Too, but I know you are right, So there you go.
This is why we have experts advising us, not me.
But yeah, look, you know it isn't it fascinating? You know?
I probably thought they would go off because there are
lower value items, more painable, and I could sort of
personally see what I might use them for, you know,
(11:11):
but even the spoon rest thing. You know, there's been
demand for all of these things. It's great, you know,
and as we are already thinking about what next and
every time we do a full review on this and
make sure. The other thing we have evolved a lot
is our signaling, you know, so the.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
In store standing deem as you go stock, yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
The Facebook updates, just trying everything we can to encourage people.
As soon as you're ready come in.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Okay, so there's two thousand coming in. It's going to
be handbags at dawn at your local New World. Chris Quinn,
thank you very much, and congratulations to Anton Rameka from
New World Munga Pi and Alex Pallo from New World Muganue,
who won titles at the Butcher of the Year Awards
last night.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
For more from Kerry Wood and Mornings, listen live to
news Talks It'd be from nine am weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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