Wairoa welcomes The Baskete Supermarket - an independent - to compete with Foodstuffs

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little, left, and The Baskete Supermarket developer Aman Bakshi.

Wairoa is becoming a two-supermarket town.

The new independent store’s arrival in northern Hawke’s Bay comes with a hope of cheaper food prices and more employment.

The Baskete Supermarket is hoped to launch in Wairoa by the middle of this year at the site of the former New World on Queen St. Building works are underway to completely refit the store.

New World shifted out of the site in 2022 into a newly built $17 million building almost double the size of the previous store.

Developer Aman Bakshi described Baskete as a direct response to community needs in Wairoa.

“This is a local approach that comes from listening to the community, which has enabled us to produce a supermarket that has products that are tailored to suit Wairoa’s needs,” he said.

Bakshi said it was anticipated Baskete would create jobs for locals, provide training for young people and drive down everyday grocery costs in the town.

Initially, 35 people are expected to be employed at the supermarket, with that number hoped to grow as the store becomes more established.

Bakshi said Baskete planned to work with local growers and suppliers, reducing costs and supporting local livelihoods.

“Shorter supply chains mean lower costs, fresher products and shared success,” Bakshi said.

“We see the success of our brand as being independent and part of the community where decisions prioritise people, value and fairness. We are on the ground and in touch with the community’s needs rather than being a distant corporate branch.

“Our paddock to supermarket approach is for the fresh products we sell to customers and also for the tasty meals we will make in store. This will feature a takeaway breakfast, lunch and dinner range from a full breakfast for $8 to meals priced at around $12 to $13.”

The new supermarket will be open towards the end of June or July and will feature a cafe, bakery, deli and hot food, as well as frozen and chilled sections, fresh produce, dairy, drinks, snacks, seafood and pet food.

The supermarket includes an activity room for children to play in while families are shopping, match-for-match food bank donations, and 7am to 9pm opening hours, seven days a week.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said it had been many years since a new business of this size had opened in the town, and he was eager to see how the supermarket will contribute to the community.

Little said he was pleased Bakshi had chosen Wairoa for his new business and thanked him for his commitment to the district.

“A new supermarket gives our people more choice, employment, food security and access, which strengthens our resilience,” Little said.

“This initiative represents a community-aligned, locally supplied, employment-creating supermarket model that strengthens Wairoa’s food resilience and economic wellbeing.”