PAK’nSAVE Highland Park has been so overwhelmingly popular since its grand opening yesterday that the store brought in dozens of extra trolleys to keep up with demand. 

The new $100 million supermarket opened with 383 trolleys which is more than usual for a store this size. It added another 44 yesterday, and is on the hunt for even more as shoppers continue to pour in. 

Owner-operator Wade Brown said the opening day drew incredible crowds, with 5,708 customers visiting the store. "We had people lined up with trolleys before the ribbon was even cut," Brown said. "We’re thrilled by the response and are doing everything we can to make sure everyone has a trolley when they arrive." 

The store's popularity saw some customers resorting to using trolleys from the Australian-owned Woolworths supermarket next door. Brown urged shoppers to avoid using competitor trolleys. "We appreciate the enthusiasm, but if everyone could stick to our PAK’nSAVE trolleys, that would be fantastic," he said. 

With five PAK’nSAVE team members working fulltime yesterday retrieving trolleys from the carpark and nearby streets, the scene underlined the intense competition between the Kiwi-owned PAK’nSAVE and its multinational Aussie rival. 

“We knew competition would be fierce, but this level of demand is beyond our expectations. It just goes to show how excited East Aucklanders are to have a fresh, locally owned option that delivers real value,” Brown said. 

PAK’nSAVE Highland Park is the latest addition to East Auckland’s bustling grocery scene, competing with seven other grocery retailers within a one-kilometre radius - including the Woolworths store next door. 

The new store promises to keep fighting for every dollar, giving local families more choice and stretching grocery budgets further. 

Brown added that the store’s low prices are here to stay. “They’re going to continue all week while stock lasts, and then next week we’ll have a new set of specials. There’s also plenty of product to go around with our fantastic team working hard to keep the shelves full” - he added. 

The top selling fresh items from opening day yesterday were:  

• 6,800 heads of sweetcorn  
• 3,700 punnets of blueberries  
• 2,000 units of New Zealand chicken breast  
• 1,500 watermelons  
• 650 units of stir fry prawns  
• 600 New Zealand pork leg roasts