Saving since the '80's
Sweet dreams are made of low prices – and we’ve been delivering ‘em since 1985! PAK’nSAVE is officially 40 years young this year!
We opened our first store in Kaitāia in 1985. Now, we have stores in communities throughout New Zealand, all proudly locally owned and operated.
It all began in Kaitāia in 1985 when Gaylene Voss and her late husband Barrie, opened the very first PAK’nSAVE. With exposed walls, shelves stocked with staples like mutton, candles and beef dripping, and a focus on no-frills, the “barn store” was a bold new concept for Kiwi shoppers. Although an instant hit, Gaylene never imagined the format would grow into a chain of 59 stores across the country, employing thousands and serving millions. Watch our Kaitaia highlights here:
Read more about Gaylene and the early days of PAKn'SAVE Kaitaia here.
We’re part of the Foodstuffs family, a co-operative made up of New World, PAK'nSAVE and Four Square. Foodstuffs was founded in 1922 by members of the Auckland Master Grocers Association, who formed a co-operative buying group. Originally all the stores used the name Four Square, until New World was established in 1963 and PAK'nSAVE in 1985.
Why shop at PAK'nSAVE?
At PAK’nSAVE, our policy is New Zealand’s lowest food prices, and that's why we never stop looking for ways we can keep costs down, so we can pass those savings to you.
Everything we do, we do to save you money - from no frills stores, buying in bulk, no fancy advertising and no bag packers. It’s all purposely designed to keep your grocery bill low.
Our spokes-stick: Stickman
And that is why we have Stickman. He has been our spokesperson since 2008 and we use him in our advertising not because he is handsome or tall, or because he’s related to any bigwigs in the company. We use him because he’s cheap! Plus, he’s a fan of low prices and is great with Dad jokes.
Together the Foodstuffs companies have become New Zealand's fourth largest business. Two co-operative companies now exist, Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island Ltd , and each operates independently from the other, but communicate and co-operate nationally on some issues. They are New Zealand's largest food retailers and each store within the group is proudly individually owned and operated.