In The News

'Auckland's growth is spectacular, certainly very strong, driven by population, tourist and the construction boom which is creating a lot of jobs,' said economist David Norman.

Auckland annual employment growth is running at 7.3 per cent, compared to 4.9 per cent for the rest of New Zealand.

Norman highlighted population growth, construction sector activity, demand for goods and services, tourism and the retail sector as the big economic growth drivers.

The 60,000 additional jobs were created in professional services (including law, accounting, finance, consultancy, architecture), construction (one in every eight jobs), hospitality (one in every eight jobs) and health care and social services (one in every 10), Norman told the Herald.

The campaign has attracted criticism from widows who called it 'offensive'.

A McDonald's spokesperson said: 'This was by no means an intention of ours.'

'We wanted to highlight the role McDonald's has played in our customers' everyday lives - both in good and difficult times,' the spokesperson added.

Bereavement charity, Grief Encounter said it had received 'countless calls' from parents saying their bereaved children had been upset by the advert.

The campaign, from London-based advertising agency Leo Burnett, first aired on 12 May and is scheduled to run for seven weeks.

The national postal service has continued to put up postal pricing in recent years, citing a decline in mail and parcel deliveries.

The innovative move into food delivery is one which will see the company branch out from its traditional revenue streams.

[Menulog NZ commercial manager] Paul Dodds said if the trial went well, the delivery scheme would be rolled out across the country in the coming months, with deliveries likely to increase in Winter.

'We have maybe 20 [NZ Post] drivers just in Auckland CBD,' Dodds said.

'As we scale up we'll probably just keep growing especially over the coming months when it's going to get busier as it gets colder and wetter, and people don't want to leave the house.'

Domino's general manager NZ Scott Bush said the campaign and training session recognised customers valued Domino's products and speed, but wanted every product in every meal to meet expectations.

'We have run a number of focus groups and our customers tell us they love our products, but when we make a mistake, they want it fixed as quickly as possible and we will,' Bush said.

According to a release from KFC owner Restaurant Brands Ltd, customers will be able to order on the fried chicken chain's website and have their food delivered by an NZ Post driver.

Restaurant Brands chief executive Ian Letele said the decision to partner with NZ Post was due to their expertise in logistics.

'NZ Post has an extensive delivery distribution network around New Zealand, and KFC is available in most towns nationwide. With the support of NZ Post, we hope to service the home delivery needs of many more KFC customers throughout New Zealand,' said Letele.

Mike Stewart, general manager of customer experience and innovation at NZ Post said, 'We are very excited to be supporting such a well-known and loved brand as KFC.

'Our many years' experience, and growing strength in on-demand delivery makes us the ideal provider.'

Mead's Constellation Drive Food Market had served notice to terminate its franchise, a move disputed by Veritas's Old NGL Ltd.

"Under the terms of the settlement, Constellation Drive Food Market has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to Old NGL Limited to settle all debt, claims and disputes concerning that franchise," Veritas said in a statement to the NZX today.

Mr Marks said the three drivers of growth would be the chain’s focus on food quality — it has committed to using 100 per cent sow stall-free pork, free-range chicken and grass-fed beef — drive-through and mobile ordering.

More than 20 per cent of GyG’s orders now come through its app, and Mr Marks said he hoped one day that would be 100 per cent. “Eventually we will have counterless stores,” he said.

“I want people to walk into GyG and it’s like an Apple Store, our salespeople are on their phones, everybody’s ordering on the app.”

GyG has been working with the Google’s Zoo team, described as a “creative think tank for brands and agencies”, to bring that vision to life.

Group chief executive Don Meij attributed the result to its focus on digital innovation, easy payment solutions and investment in premium ingredients, as well as support for its recently upgraded menu.

In its results briefing, the company sought to reassure shareholders after revealing it had returned A$4.5m in unpaid wages to staff over the last three years and seen 26 franchisees leave after internal audits.

Meij said the there was "no correlation between store profitability and the underpayment of staff wages" and the company had zero tolerance for unethical behaviour.

"I make no apologies for expecting the highest standards from our franchisees," Meij said.

Phillips, a New Zealand corporate finance specialist who has been based in Australia for 15 years, helped a consortium of New Zealand investors buy Nosh.

He would not identify the "two or three people" behind the purchase, but said they were involved with consumer products in New Zealand.

The group thought Nosh was a "great brand" and believed there was an opportunity to develop it and the chain.

Phillips, the new Nosh chairman, said his Australian base was also a hint as to what the future might hold for the business.

In New Zealand, there would be an internal restructure, but no change for customers with all stores open for business.

"We'll grow the brand there and then assess our options."

He said the company and its overhead costs needed to be looked at, but would not go into any possible job losses.

"We see this as a good opportunity.

"There will be more stores, certainly."

Phillips was confident it could turn Nosh around, and said private ownership would prove a better fit than being publicly listed.

A McDonald's spokesman said it was not aware On The Rocks would be delivering its food.

"Aside from Menulog, which is part of our home delivery trial in New Lynn and Glenfield, we don't have any formal relationship with delivery companies," the spokesman said.

He said On The Rocks was using McDonald's images on its website without permission.

"While businesses are able to offer the delivery service, they are not allowed to use our trademarks in their marketing.

"Typically we would ask businesses using our trademarks without our permission to stop doing so," the spokesman said.

The spokesman said he was not aware of any other company selling alcohol alongside McDonald's in New Zealand.

The owner of the Nosh franchise on Constellation Drive in Auckland's Mairangi Bay has dropped the Nosh brand from its store. Veritas said the franchisee has indicated that he will operate independently of the Nosh franchise and "has purported to terminate its franchise agreement. Veritas does not accept that termination, and the parties are in dispute over the matter."

The store on Constellation Drive has removed its Nosh signage and appears to be attempting to remove all references to the brand. 

A shopper at the Constellation Drive shop in Auckland said the store had gone as far as scribbling over Nosh logos on items such as cheese, which had Nosh pricing labels stuck on the outside of their packaging.

Owner Phillip Mead would not say what lay behind the changes, or whether his plan was to trade independently. He confirmed the store was not accepting Nosh loyalty cards or vouchers.