A sign displayed on the doors of both Nosh stores. Photo / Aimee Shaw
A sign displayed on the doors of both Nosh stores. Photo / Aimee Shaw
Grocery retailer Nosh has delayed its relaunch for a second time.
Two of the upmarket supermarket chain's remaining stores, on Auckland's Dominion Rd and in Greenlane, were boarded with rubbish bags and had signage left on the windows.
"We are not there yet," the sign read.
"Dear customers, unfortunately thingsare taking longer than expected. A new date for re-opening will be announced at a later date."
Last month, Nosh closed at least four stores ahead of an ostensible relaunch on June 26. When the day came, different notices said the relaunch had been delayed until July 8.
No sign of life - or stock - could be seen today through the mostly covered windows.
A number of employees and creditors of Nosh told the Herald last week that they were waiting for payment from the business.
Three staff members, who did not want to be named, said they were waiting to be paid wages and holiday pay.
Latesha Randall from Raglan Coconut Yoghurt, which supplied Nosh, said she was still waiting on payment after a number of delays.
Nosh was bought by NZX-listed food investor Veritas in September 2014. Veritas took on $5 million of funding with ANZ to facilitate the acquisition from then-owner Paul Lucas who had taken over the business from founders Clinton Beuvink and Chris Moore.
Veritas struggled to make the grocery chain profitable and was forced to sell or close the business by ANZ late last year.
Closed Nosh store on Auckland's Dominion Rd. Photo / Aimee Shaw
Sydney-based investor, Andrew Guy Phillips, bought the unprofitable chain through Gosh Holding for $4m saying he had the backing of a number of wealthy Kiwis.
Only one of these backers was revealed through changes to the Companies Office.
Boarded up Nosh store in Greenlane. Photo / Aimee Shaw
He was Jonathan Denize, an Auckland man who has been declared bankrupt twice.
