Farmlands looks after the family Pet

Media Release

May 8 2003

Farmlands looks after the family Pet in City Customer Drawcard

Hawke’s Bay-based retailer Farmlands has launched New Zealand’s first specialist retail chain for Pet nutrition to attracting more household and city customers to its stores.

Launched in Hastings this Saturday Premier Petz is a total "store within a store" concept, which the company plans to roll out to 15 of Farmlands 27 stores throughout the year.

Farmlands is capitalising on its existing, successful channel to launch the totally new brand and sell a range of new products.

New Zealanders own more pets than most people in the world, yet this will be the first companion animal specialist retail chain to provide a comprehensive range of premium nutrition products for cats, dogs and birds.

Premier Petz is a natural expansion to meet the needs of Farmlands growing urban customer base.

Traditionally a rural retailer, Farmlands record membership of 16,000 shows the co-operative is becoming far more than a company owned by farmers with growing demand and interest from city customers.

Farmlands Chief Executive John Newland says New Zealand has the highest number of domestic cats per capita in the world and a pet dog is becoming an important part of more New Zealand families every year.

“Our record membership of 16,000 signals that Farmlands is becoming much more than a rural retail store. We are obviously proud of our farm supply background and will continue to service this important market – but increasingly the company is also finding demand for its products in the city.

Mr Newland says Farmlands has a strong tradition as a service provider to the farming community and has been supplying nutritional goods for farm animals.

“With Premier Petz we are recognising the opportunity to also supply specialty nutritional products, treats and supplies to domestic pets,” he says.

The Premier Petz development is in direct response to this interest and demonstrates Farmlands ability to listen to its members, read the market and create new services for its wide range of different customers, he said.

About Farmlands

Farmlands Trading Society Limited (Farmlands) is New Zealand's premier rural supplies company.

The cooperative was formed in 1962 and now boasts a membership of more than 16,000.

Farmlands is owned equally by all its members who receive a rebate and a member only discount when they purchase products from all Farmlands store.

Through Farmacard, (Farmlands charge/discount card), many services and products are available from a variety of suppliers, including main street and trade shopping facilities. Approximately 2500 agencies accept Farmacard, including fuel health and general insurance, telecommunications, and fertiliser suppliers.

Everyone is welcome to shop in a Farmlands store. You don't have to be a member to enjoy the shopping experience.

Farmlands markets a huge range of rural and consumer merchandise at 27 stores throughout the North Island catering for all agricultural types including sheep, poultry, kiwifruit, cattle, pipfruit, process crops, dairy, stonefruit, maize, pigs, citrus, barley, berries, deer, grapes, goats, stud horses, market gardening, forestry, olives and avocados. The group is also increasingly supplying goods for the urban community, including clothing, garden supplies and its Premier Petz range of nutritional products for domestic pets.

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