Kaitāia home to Northland’s checker of the year

Kaitāia shoppers seeking a fast checkout would be wise to choose Nami Verasche's queue.

Working on the job is the best training ground, according to Nami Verasche, a checkout supervisor from Pak’nSave Kaitāia who won the recent Foodstuffs North Island annual Checker of the Year Northland heat.

The 31-year-old, who has worked for the supermarket since February last year, said his secret to success was going with the flow.

“I tried not to think too much about it and just treated it like I would any other day, doing the same thing I’d ordinarily do,” he said of the competition.

Verasche is no stranger to the Checker of the Year competition, having placed third in the Northland heat last year, and he also competed in the event several years ago when he worked at another Pak’nSave.

Entrants must scan 30 items as fast as possible while maintaining a friendly conversation and complete the necessary steps in a shopper’s interaction - like scanning a loyalty card and offering a receipt in front of two judges, one who acts as a customer and the other as a timekeeper.

There’s even a mystery item thrown in which won’t scan, requiring participants to enter the barcode manually.

Checkout operators are awarded points on presentation, customer service, accuracy and speed.

Foodstuffs North Island general manager of people Wendy Hammonds said the extremely popular event marked a significant 75-year milestone this year.

“Holding events like Checker of the Year is one of the ways we celebrate the contribution from the thousands of Foodstuffs North Island checkout operators who deliver a fantastic service for our customers in our New World, Pak’nSave, Four Square and Gilmours stores.”

“It’s been a challenging few years for our frontline teams, so this event helps us acknowledge the vital role they play in our business and the mahi they do.”

Hammonds said the atmosphere was similar to that of a tennis match, with absolute silence during the competition, and loud cheers in between heats from spectators, who are often dressed up in a show of store loyalty.

“It’s an event I look forward to every year. While there are always some nerves for competitors, the sense of fun and encouragement between contestants is really heartwarming.”

Checkout operators from across Northland took part in this year’s event, including Four Square Kaiwaka and Mangawhai Heads, New World Kerikeri, Onerahi and Regent and Pak’nSave Kaitāia, with Pak’nSave Whangārei the top-scoring store.

Following the regional heats, those who scored in the top ten will have a mystery visit from a judge, with a grand winner announced at the Foodstuffs North Island Excellence Awards later this year.