Supermarket owner/operators Paul and Gaylene Thompson opened their new FreshChoice store in Tinwald this week with scores of people in attendance and plenty of fanfare.
Among them district representatives such as mayor Neil Brown and some councillors, Rangitata MP James Meager and pupils from the Tinwald School choir who performed.
The state-of-the-art supermarket, located on the corner of Graham and McMurdo St, was officially opened by landowner representative Greg Carr, of Carrfields, who had the honour of cutting the ribbon.
The Thompsons, serving the community for 21 years from their former SuperValue site on Archibald St, hope to offer an enhanced shopping experience for their customers; the new store is 30 per cent bigger, has more than 2500 new products and more parking with easier accessibility.
Paul Thompson said the new store was ‘‘a dream come true nine years in the making and three years to bring to reality.
“We started this journey with Gaylene’s parents and are incredibly proud to continue serving our community in this fantastic new space,’’ he said.
‘‘Our customers’ support made this possible, and we’re excited to offer them a truly elevated shopping experience.”
In store were eco-friendly refrigeration with doors for all meat and produce, a thick shake machine, and an expanded selection in the bakery, ready to eat, and hot food departments.
The store is also actively seeking local suppliers not currently stocked in Ashburton and remain committed to its community engagement with the Thompson’s long time supporters of organisations such as Tinwald Rugby, Plains Rotary, Plains Railway & Museum, Women’s Veteran Golf, and local schools.
FreshChoice executive general manager Tim Cartwright said the new store represented a commitment to provide highquality fresh food and a positive shopping experience for Kiwis.
‘‘The dedication of Gaylene and Paul Thompson and their team to their community is evident, and we are confident this new FreshChoice store will be a fantastic asset for the Tinwald and Ashburton community, especially catering to the significant elderly population in the area with its improved accessibility and wider range.”
