More Canterbury supermarkets go online

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New World Ashburton shop owner/operators Jeremy and Emma Rooney, from left, online assistant...
New World Ashburton shop owner/operators Jeremy and Emma Rooney, from left, online assistant manager Mel Sole, online delivery Michelle Murray and Darryl Martin. Photo: Supplied
New World Ashburton is the latest supermarket in Canterbury to launch it’s new online shopping service.

Foodstuffs has been rolling out the service throughout the South Island, starting in Christchurch, with Ashburton now being the latest store to offer online shopping.

New World Bishopdale, Blenheim, Durham Street, Fendalton, Ferry Road, Halswell, Ilam, Kaiapoi, Lincoln, Northwood, Prestons, Rangiora, Ravenswood, Rolleston, St Martins, Stanmore, Three Parks, Wanaka and Wigram also now offer online shopping.

The service will be available soon at the Temuka, Waimate, Timaru, Oamaru and Waitaki branches.

New World Ashburton owner/operators Jeremy and Emma Rooney had put together a dedicated team to operate the service.

“It’s a whole new team including a few current staff that were moved to online, basically it is a new department and team for us, which is really exciting,” the couple said.

The online shopping team have had specific training, spent time in the store getting to know the layout and will have a trial run delivering to friends and family before launching.

The store plans to offer online shopping from next week, "but with covid there could be a little bit of movement with the launch date".

Keep an eye on the New World Ashburton Facebook page for further announcements.

Emma said the store is offering an extra service for their click and collect customers.

“With our click and collect service we have a concierge who will bring the groceries out to your car, so we are just trying replicate the service we have in store,” she said.

The launch of online shopping is good timing with people self isolating, Jeremy said. It could have been sooner, but was worth the wait to get it right.

“We’re just excited to be able offer our customers something that they have been wanting for a long time,” he said.

A professional photographer came to the store to take photos of products not already on the New World site.

“So people can order those special items that you can only get at our store,” Emma said.

The online shopping delivery will initially be available to those in Ashburton and Lake Hood.

“In a couple of months, when the second vehicle arrives, we will be expanding to Methven, Rakaia and possibly Geraldine,” Jeremy said.

-By Daniel Tobin