Celebrating 40 Years of PAK’nSAVE
PAK’nSAVE Kaitāia, 1980s
Forty years ago, a bold new supermarket opened its doors in the Far North, and Kiwi grocery shopping changed forever. PAK’nSAVE Kaitāia, with its no-frills layout, stacked crates and cash-only tills, introduced a new way to shop that was focused on one promise: New Zealand’s lowest food prices. Now, PAK’nSAVE is marking its 40th birthday, and the original Kaitāia store is celebrating with cake and a sausage sizzle, a community event hosted by current owner Doug Cochrane, who says it’s all about giving back. “It’s a huge milestone for a brand that has never lost sight of what matters:value, service and supporting the community,” says Doug. It’s a sentimental moment for Gaylene Voss, who opened PAK’nSAVE Kaitāia in 1985 with her late husband Barrie. They had just 17 staff and big hopes for Foodstuffs’ bold new “food barn” concept. “We had no barcodes, we paid wages in brown envelopes, and we walked across the road to the bank with the day’s takings in a Milo sports bag,” says Gaylene” she recalls. “It was basic – but we had heart, hustle and a mission to keep food affordable.” The store’s popularity among the community led to three store expansions during the 11 years they owned the store and included a loan for a $3 million bakery expansion. “I didn’t even know how many zeroes to write on the cheque!” she says.
Original owner operators of PAK’nSAVE Kaitāia, Barrie and Gaylene Voss and daughter Cynthia, 1980s
"What started with bulk mutton, candles and drippings has grown into something uniquely local – with fresh fish from Mangōnui Wharf and smoked roe from Ahipara prepared instore. PAK’nSAVE Kaitāia has always been shaped by the local community.” That same spirit is alive and well in the South Island today. The newest store, PAK’nSAVE Papanui, opened in March 2024 and is co-owned by husband-and-wife duo Bryan Walker and Lucy Boock. Both come from long lines of grocers and still carry that hands-on, people-first approach.
PAK’nSAVE Papanui owner operators Bryan Walker and Lucy Boock (centre) with their daughters and store team
Lucy, a third-generation grocer, started packing groceries in her parents’ store after school. Bryan grew up working in his family’s dairy. They lived above the shop, serving customers from morning till night. “We opened at 6.30am and closed at 10pm,” he says. “It taught me everything about running a business and what it means to serve your community.” PAK’nSAVE Papanui employs 290 staff who are part of a culture built on trust, loyalty and shared success. “We treat our team like family,” says Bryan. “There’s a lot of pride in what we do.” The store’s top-selling items include bananas, chicken breast from the butchery and two-litre milk. On a single day, the butchery team once packed 1.4 tonnes of fresh chicken breast. “It’s not just groceries coming in the back and out the front,” says Bryan. “A lot of what we sell is made by hand all right here in the store.” For Lucy, community is everything. “We’re backed by locals, so we back them in return, from food rescue partnerships, sports clubs, and schools, to the Foodstuffs South Island Community Trust. It’s all part of what we do.” While technology, sustainability and store design have evolved, the foundation hasn’t changed. “Our core promise – to deliver New Zealand’s lowest food prices – is still the same,” says Lucy. From handwritten payslips to barcode scanners, and from pies in the oven to EV chargers in the carpark – 40 years on, PAK’nSAVE is still delivering for Kiwi households. Foodstuffs South Island is set to open PAK’nSAVE Rolleston, which will be the largest PAK’nSAVE store in the South Island, later this year.