New World Motueka has just completed a major renovation, transforming it into a more modern and sustainable shopping destination for the local community.
The 15-month refurbishment was undertaken by owner-operators Nicola and Simon Hollyer who took the reins in 2022. Simon says they wanted to refresh the store to create a more contemporary feel and better suit it to the needs of Motueka locals.
“The store was previously owned by the Millers, a lovely local family who did their own store expansion around 15 years ago. They’ve done an amazing job ever since, and we wanted to build upon that further,” he says.
“This is the third store we’ve owned and the third refurbishment we’ve initiated, but this time around, we’re here for the long haul and are looking forward to enjoying the results,” Simon says.
“We plan to be in Motueka for a long time. We’re not just renovating and moving on, this is where we want to raise our family, and the community we want to invest in.”
The change Nicola and Simon are most proud of is the new store layout, with Nicola saying that the store has now opened right up.
“A central aisle now cuts right through the middle of the store, making it easy for customers to navigate and find what they need quickly,” she says.
“In the past the long aisles felt restrictive and forced customers to walk the entire shop”. This new central aisle gives a clear view of the entire store, and we are updating the signage so you will be able to see exactly where everything is and how to get there.
“We want to make the shopping experience as efficient and enjoyable as possible.”
Sustainability was another big focus of the renovation.
The refrigerators have been replaced and now use renewable CO2 technology to ensure the store’s carbon footprint is significantly reduced.
A newly installed heat pump system is not only more energy efficient, but it also helps improve the comfort of the store for both the team and customers, a welcome addition in mid-winter.
“New World Motueka is now a lighter, brighter and warmer place to be,” Simon explains.
Nicola comes from a family of grocers and understands the importance of building a store that the community can be proud of.
“We’ve made every decision with the community in mind, and we really hope they enjoy it,” she says.
“I want to thank every one of our amazing customers and team for their patience as we worked through the renovations.
“It made sense to us to wrap all the changes we wanted to make into one big refurbishment. Every store needs a major refurbishment every 14 years and a minor refresh every seven.
“Now that it’s all done, the one thing we can promise is that we won’t make any more big changes for a very long time!”
