NightnDay Foodstores Ltd are a Dunedin based business established in 1983. From the initial Regent St store, there are now over 50 stores across the country, making them the third largest food store chain operating in New Zealand. The businesses thrive under their take away food service model but the company’s goals of being able to supply essential grocery items for customers has been exceptionally challenging. General Manager Matthew Lane spoke to us about the two big supermarket chain’s duopoly over the wholesale supply of basic grocery items across New Zealand. NightnDay stores as wholesale customers of Countdown and Foodstuffs have had to deal with short notice on and off again supply chain deals and huge 40% pricing markups. Matthew has been outspoken and hardworking on this issue, he has contributed to the Commerce Commission’s Grocery Study investigation whose report was released in March this year. Unfortunately he told us that the final report fell far short of the mark in being able to ‘fix’ the outrageously unfair and non- competitive system. Despite government ultimatums announced in August designed to address problems with the system, the changes may not make much of an impact in the long run while the two large supermarket chains hold their control over what is a 2.2 Billion dollar industry sector.
