Rt Hon John Key opens Raeward Fresh’s new concept store

19 October 2011

Rt Hon John Key opens Raeward Fresh’s new concept store

Today Prime Minister John Key officially opened the newly designed Store and Café at Raeward Fresh in Harewood, Christchurch. He was joined by Hon Gerry Brownlee, Hon David Carter, MP Amy Adams and over 100 Raeward Fresh suppliers, friends and family.

Raeward Fresh has been a staple of the Canterbury business community since opening in 1984 and had intended to open the newly upgraded Store and Café in December 2010. The devastating Canterbury earthquakes and consequential loss of their Ferry Road store put the business development on hold.

Raeward Fresh chief executive, Mike Barnett says the project has been 18 months of hard work, but believes the new concept store is a positive development for Christchurch. “The Canterbury earthquakes hit our business hard. We were forced to close our store in Ferry Road with its 20 staff losing their jobs. Fortunately, the redevelopment of our Harewood Store and Café meant we were able to reemploy and secure 35 jobs. So far the new Store and Café has been very well received.”

Acquiring the majority of their fruit, vegetable and meat produce locally, Raeward’s development and opening of their Store and Café is not only a positive move for Christchurch residents but also for the local farming community. In fact, the new store has more local products than ever; stocking Christchurch based Vivace coffee beans, Theo’s fish, Original Bread Company par-baked bread and flowers from a local North Canterbury florist.

Pushing boundaries for grocery in Canterbury, Raeward Fresh now also sells European speciality bread, a large variety of cheese and deli offerings and is the first seller of dry aged beef in the South Island.

Post 22 February, retail in the north-west of Christchurch has taken off with many new stores and businesses relocating themselves to the area. Barnett says “the location of the store means it attracts workers on their lunch hours, families who live locally, tourists visiting Christchurch and is also a destination store for those wanting fresh fruit, vegetable and meat that is locally sourced.”

The new concept Store combines quality, seasonal products at sensible prices with a new family style Café serving food straight from the store. Uniquely, the Café menu is updated daily to include what’s available at market and in store and is open for breakfast and lunch – Monday to Sunday.

Plans to develop Raeward Fresh in Tower Junction are underway for early next year and the store in Nelson is to follow shortly after. Raeward Fresh also plans to open a number of new stores in the South Island over the next few years.

ENDS

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