Woolworths is poised to open the doors on a new $150 million meat processing facility in Laverton as part of a broader $650m expansion in Victoria.
A $350m grocery distribution centre will also be built in south-east Melbourne which will open in 2018, and the retailer also plans to open at least 20 new stores and refurbish 40 existing stores in Victoria over the next 3 years, at a cost of around $150m.
Pat McEntee, director of supermarket operations, said the infrastructure investments would help Woolworths to deliver lower prices and a better offer to its customers.
“This is the largest single investment in Woolworths history and we are confident it will deliver significant efficiency and productivity gains.”
McEntee said the new meat processing will improve the supermarket's fresh meat offering throughout all of its stores in Victoria.
“Our customers can expect to see more consistent, better quality meat, enhanced availability on our shelves as well as new and seasonal ranges following this transition.
“This change to our fresh meat supply will also see changes in our stores in coming weeks. We will be building more butcher shops and our qualified butchers will be on hand to cut meat specifically to suit the customers’ preference and give advice on preparation and cooking.”
McEntee said Woolworths’ existing distribution cntre in Hume, Victoria would be phased out, with staff to be assisted over the next three years to “work through their options”.
“Both investments will require us to make changes to our existing network. As Woolworths changes some existing roles will be discontinued and we will ensure where possible our staff have access to new opportunities,” McEntee said.
