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From left, Penny Ashton and Catherine Versalko-West
Men dominate the upper echelons of the grocery industry, but two Hibiscus Coast women are bucking the trend.
Both are store owners – Penny Ashton at New World Whangaparaoa and Catherine Versalko-West, along with her husband David West, at New World Orewa.
There are 138 New World stores nationwide and although exact figures are not available, a Foodstuffs spokesperson calculates that only 16 stores are run exclusively by women.
Both Penny and Catherine have many years experience in the grocery trade. Catherine started as a deli specialist with Foodstuffs Auckland in 1990. “Ironically, my training was at New World Orewa,” she says. “In 2000, David and I bought Bay Four Square in Russell when I was 39 years old. We bought NW Takapuna in 2004, NW Gate Pa in 2010 and NW Orewa in 2014. “When I started 26 years ago, there were no female operators/store owners in Foodstuffs Auckland but a lot of women worked in the business with their husbands – many unrecognised. More women are becoming involved in the family business and, in time, you will see them taking the leadership role.”
Catherine says owning a store isn’t particularly glamorous and it can be physically hard work. The long hours are also not particularly family-friendly.
Catherine’s advice to anyone interested in one day owning a supermarket is to go overseas and have some fun. “Get some life skills that will help you understand your staff and cope with the day-to-day pressures of owning a supermarket. Be prepared to work for it and be knocked back along the way. Most importantly, stay true to yourself.”
Penny has been in the grocery trade for 25 years and Whangaparaoa is her third store. She was 34 when she ran the Paeroa Four Square and ran New World Botany before moving north. She says running a store is a big commitment and you need a passion for the industry and hard work.
“Women bring a different perspective to the job,” she says. “I think how fortunate I have been to have had the opportunity to be a part of the Foodstuffs entity.”
