SUPPORT FOR SUCCESS

FreshChoice Westport franchisees Chris Jennens and Rose Christensen have just one complaint about their new business – the weather. “It sure rains a lot in Westport,” laughs Chris. “And while it might have been a terrible summer, we’ve loved settling into our new store and are really happy with how things have gone so far. I lived in Blenheim for seven years and it is a dream come true to be back in the South Island, with an amazing business in a superb community.”

A plumber by trade, Chris had spent a dozen years working in Australia, but his quest for a business in New Zealand was interrupted by Covid. “We’d been looking for a way out of plumbing, and in Rose’s case nursing, for a good four years,” he explains. “I think we looked at least 15 businesses before we chose to go down the supermarket path with FreshChoice.

“It was a long process, passing all the pre-selection requirements, but knowing we’d have a complete support network just made us keener. Not just the team at head office, but all the other franchisees who have been behind us all the way and are always willing to talk through problems, or just chat.”

Embracing community

“Our franchisees often speak of the outstanding support FreshChoice has given them,” says Craig Steenson, FreshChoice’s franchise development manager. “Not only is there a whole framework behind you to ensure you never face challenges alone, but also a network of other FreshChoice franchisees who are there to assist.”

“Chris and Rose have taken over an existing supermarket in Westport from retiring owners and embraced their new community. And they have adopted the same genuine passion to grow the brand which we are applying to the rest of the country. It’s been great to see Chris and Rose seizing the opportunities in Westport with such success in their first six months of trading.”

Going the extra mile

“The whole process of getting up and running actually took about 18 months,” says Chris. “Any new enterprise is bound to be a bit scary but, at some point, you just have to throw yourself in at the deep end and have a go. There is always a bit of risk when the outcome is unknown, but we’ve had help all the way along. There was an invaluable 12-week training programme, and the previous owners have been keeping an eye out for us far longer than they were obliged to.

“We have an awesome local area manager at FreshChoice, and all our many questions have been answered promptly”

Supporting locals

Chris and Rose particularly enjoy one aspect of FreshChoice’s philosophy – supporting local producers. “We can see there is room to be proactive in this area,” Chris explains. “We have a big say in what we stock, based on our experience and observations, and of course what our customers tell us. We are very keen to support the community further. There are local growers and suppliers who can provide what our local customers need, and we love the idea of helping the smaller people get a foot in the door.

“Which brings me to the personality you need to become a retailer with FreshChoice: outgoing and with a genuine desire to talk to the community and get involved. I think we are particularly lucky in Westport – we have a lovely little town with terrific people!”

Well worth it

Chris finishes our conversation with this advice. “If we are ever asked about starting out in the supermarket business, we say be prepared for some long hours to learn it thoroughly, but most certainly have a crack. FreshChoice is an awesome business opportunity – in our case, it’s been well worth it.”

“That’s because we’ve built a highly supportive, success-orientated franchise,” explains Craig. “FreshChoice is currently expanding across New Zealand and offering hands-on retailers a great opportunity to own and operate their own supermarket. This is an exciting business opportunity which has the full backing, and considerable resources of Wholesale Distributors Ltd, a subsidiary of Woolworths New Zealand.

“The people we are looking for need to have around five years’ experience as a business owner or appropriate management role, together with some retail industry knowledge. They also need to have a passion for retail coupled with a desire to become immersed in the local community.

“In addition to single stores, multi-store ownership is possible. Some of our franchisees are benefiting from the economies of scale and return on investment by taking on additional stores. If you feel you could be at the heart of your community as a FreshChoice supermarket owner, just give me a call – we’d love to hear from you!”  

See this advertorial on page 39 of Franchise New Zealand magazine Year 35 Issue 01

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