Business Showcase
White’s IGA
FOR TWO Queensland foodie success stories teaming up has led to a thirty-year partnership that has seen both poultry group ‘Lenard’s’ and supermarket retailer ‘White’s IGA’ enjoy the spoils of hard work and determination.
Michael and Roz White, owners of six White’s IGA independent supermarkets on the Sunshine Coast, left their careers in banking to step into the retail industry in 1993, buying a 90m2 Nightowl Convenience Store.
“Our motivation to buy our first store was to remain on the Sunshine Coast and make it our home,” Roz said.
“We slowly bought small and older stores and built them up until we purchased our first IGA store in 2004.
“Our step into retail was a steep learning curve – to say we were green would be the understatement of the century, but we quickly learnt, adapted, worked hard and are still learning new tricks 30 years on.”
The couple now own six IGA stores and believe being independent supermarket operators offers wide scope to build meaningful and enduring relationships with customers, the industry and the community.
The Whites are proud to state that many of these partnerships have remained from the very first moment they stepped into the industry.
“Three decades of partnerships feel more like old friends!”
“There is a camaraderie that exists through longevity,” Roz said.
One such relationship to stand the test of time is that with iconic Australian handmade chicken brand, Lenard’s.
“We have stocked Lenard’s products in our stores for as long as I can remember,” Roz said.
“I believe we gained greater access to the products when the brand moved away from the exclusive standalone franchise model.
“Offering our customers this value-add line at the time of availability brought some excitement to our delis and meat offer.”
White’s IGA stocks a large selection of Lenard’s goods, ranging from Enchiladas, Schnitzels Sausages and Kievs, which are stocked in their delis and in their fresh meat sections.
“Where possible we do a block display of Lenard’s products in the meat section to enhance brand presence and provide customers with a broad selection.
“We also stock the popular strudel which can be bought at our in-store hot boxes, and they make for an easy snack.”
The journey of Lenard’s growth and establishment was somewhat similar to the White’s, with founder Lenard Poulter opening his first store in 1987 at Sunnybank Hills in Brisbane.
A leader in the fresh food marketplace, Lenard’s can be found at 23 locally owned stores and over 600 independent supermarkets around Australia.
“The Lenard’s brand is trusted, well recognised, and loved by customers,” Roz said.
“Lenard’s provides a quick, tasty, easy, and convenient meal solution and one example is we see that kids love the Sausages and Lenny Pops, so we have happy Mums and happy customers.”
Roz further went on to say that consistency in products and stocking old favourites made Lenard’s a great brand to stock and that they had many return customers as a result.
Lenard’s have a range that incorporates all of the traditional chicken products including Kievs and more unique offerings such as Chicken Enchiladas with a Mexican twist.
“I love the Kievs myself personally, accompanied by a fresh salad sourced from local farms!”
White’s IGA is located at Bli Bli, Mooloolah, Mount Coolum, Peregian Beach, Baringa and Forest Glen.
About Lenard’s
Founded by Owner and Director, Lenard Poulter the group started in 1987 in Sunnybank Hills. Lenard’s handmade chicken products are made with 100 per cent Australian healthy barn-raised chickens, with no added hormones or steroids, Lenard’s is proudly Australian-owned.