Regional grocery clearance retailer is wrapping up a big year, with record sales and four new stores launched in Victoria between August and November.
“This year has seen unprecedented growth for us regional Victorian centres,” says NQR CEO, Aaron Fitzgerald. “With rising food prices and reduced employment hours for many people, families are under pressure. We’re responding to local shopper demand for big brand goods at discounted prices and that’s what has driven our new store rollout.”
NQR opened a second store in Ballarat in August and followed with new store openings in Echuca, Horsham and Sale. Each was greeted with enthusiastic response by local shoppers, with Horsham setting a new trading record for the company.
“The huge public response to our stores is a sign of the times,” Mr Fitzgerald said. “We consistently offer up to 80% off normal retail prices on a very wide range of groceries and household goods and this makes a big difference shoppers looking for real savings.”
Each new store also created up to 30 new full and part-time jobs locally.
NQR now has 23 stores in Victoria. The first one opened in suburban Melbourne in 1987 at a time when excess stock, packaging over-runs, end of season lines usually ended up in landfill. NQR offered manufacturers an efficient solution with logistics support and prompt payment, while consumers purchased their favourite products at heavily reduced prices.
The product range changes daily and includes everyday essentials such as packaged, canned, dairy, cleaning necessities, toiletries, pet foods and more. In any one week, NQR stocks approximately 4,000 different products, many of them big brand items.
NQR now also has a growing national presence through its online store.
NQR will continue its growth strategy into 2014, with further new store launches planned. “There aren’t many retailers who can boast that they are expanding in the current environment, so we are pleased to be opening new stores and providing new opportunities for our employees and customers,“ Mr Fitzgerald said.
