Celebrations of staff achievements by the Foodstuffs Auckland and Foodstuffs Wellington cooperatives have highlighted the value of ongoing education throughout life to achieve success in the workplace.

Both organisations held their annual staff training awards on Saturday November 12 to celebrate the achievements of graduates from a variety of industry-related certificates and to present awards to those who stood out for their excellence in work and study.

More than 900 Foodstuffs Auckland staff and their supporters gathered at Skycity Auckland to celebrate their business achievements through the Foodstuffs Auckland Training and Development Division. 

The convention is an annual highlight in the Foodstuffs calendar with the event continuing to grow larger every year. Featuring attendees from as far afield as Kaitaia and Gisborne, the convention gives graduating team members the chance to celebrate their success with their employers, peers, friends and family.

It’s also a chance to dress up, let their hair down, and have a fantastic night out after a year of hard work combined with the additional pressure of study. For the second year in a row the talented Kerre Woodham hosted the event, and as expected, kept the presenters and the winners entertained with her sharp wit and humour.

Checker of the Year is a Foodstuffs institution, and an award which encourages and rewards the team members who are often responsible for leaving the greatest impression on customers – the checkout operators. With 954 entries in total, even claiming a place in the final 14 was no small effort and this year the much coveted title went to Tash Lee from New World Gate Pa.

Presented by Foodstuffs Auckland MD Murray Jordan, one of the biggest prizes went to the smallest New World in the group – Green Bay, which won the Best Team prize. New World Green Bay has had a great year, including being recognised for its exemplary customer service by Fair Go. Team leader and checkout manager Cindy Johns was delighted to see her extra training efforts and passion for customer service so well rewarded. 

Wellington Awards

The Foodstuffs Wellington Training Awards highlighted how people can achieve success through dedication and application.

About 350 sponsors, Foodstuffs management and staff celebrated 180 certificate graduates and 27 award winners at the TSB Bank Arena on Wellington’s waterfront.

Managing director Craig Wilson spoke in praise of self-made success and how modest beginnings are no barrier to making it to the top if a person has the dedication and application to achieve. He cited New World Victoria Park owner Jason Witehira, who recently featured on Campbell Live, as an example – someone who left school at age 15 to stack shelves and who now owned one of the largest supermarkets in New Zealand.

Wilson said a lesson for all was contained in author Mark Twain’s famous saying: “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

He congratulated the staff who were graduating as people who were putting that motto into practice.

“Continuous learning and development is the key to success,” he told them.

“So get on with the education you want and make the most of your life. Foodstuffs Wellington is here to help.”

The four Supreme Award winners included Andrew Graney of Pak’nSave Tamatea who won the Foodstuffs Management Programme Emerging Leader Award. Coby Te Pairi of Foodstuffs Cold Storage won the Supervisory Development Programme Top Student Award. 

Krystelle Sparksman of Pak’nSave Hastings won Bakery Apprentice of the Year and Dean Leong of New World Levin won Butchery Apprentice of the Year.

The Checker of the Year title was won by Nicole Hessell of Pak’nSave Hastings. Runner-up was Melissa Coulam of New World Greenmeadows.

A complete list of this year’s awards follows.

Foodstuffs Auckland 2011 Training Awards

• Checker of the Year Top Team – Cindy Johns, Michelle Fisk, Harrison Fitzgerald and Nicole Woollett, New World Green Bay

• Checker of the Year – Tash Lee, New World Gate Pa

• Bakery Apprentice of the Year – Shane Aitken, New World New Lynn

• Butchery Year 1 Prize – Dylan O’Keefe , Pak’nSave Royal Oak

• Butchery Year 2 Prize – Abigail Smith, Pak’nSave Kaitaia

• Butchery Year 3 Prize – Ben Cooney, New World Orewa

• Management Development Year 1 Prize – Aimee Higgins-Healy, New World Warkworth

• Management Development Year 2 Prize – Amy Fraser, Pak’nSave Pukekohe

• Management Development Programme Tutor’s Award – Jay Darlington, New World Hillcrest

• P.A. Barker Scholarship for Top Management Development Graduate – Brendon Shoebridge, Pak’nSave Manukau

• Trainee Operator Awards – Bryan Guilford, Matthew Hart and Roger Knapper

• Trainee Operator Scholarships – Harry Chawla and Aaron Scanes

Foodstuffs Wellington 2011 Training awards

Supreme Awards

• Foodstuffs Wellington Management Programme Emerging Leader Award – Andrew Graney, Pak’nSave Tamatea

• Supervisory Development Programme Top Student Award – Coby Te Pairi, Foodstuffs Cold Storage

• Bakery Apprentice of the Year – Krystelle Sparksman, Pak’nSave Hastings

• Butchery Apprentice of the Year – Dean Leong, New World Levin 

Awards

• Checker of the Year – Nicole Hessell, Pak’nSave Hastings

• Runner-up Checker of the Year – Melissa Coulam, New World Greenmeadows

• Foodstuffs Wellington Management Programme Special Recognition Award – Craig Wildbore, Pak’nSave Napier City

• Foodstuffs Management Programme Achievement Award – Aaron Franklin, New World Carterton 

• Supervisory Development Achievement Award – Fiona McEwan, Pak’nSave Napier City

• Bakery Workshop Award – Sam Medway, New World Greenmeadows 

• Bakery Achievement Award – Michael Aldous, New World Merrilands

• Butchery Workshop Award – Mark Parata, New World Hawera

• Butchery Achievement Award – Dylan Hills, New World Dannevirke

• Distribution Top Student Award – Troy Hunt, Foodstuffs Cold Storage

• Distribution Achievement Award – Mathew King, Foodstuffs Cold Storage

• Seafood Top Student Award – Micheal Bowen, New World Thorndon

• Seafood Special Recognition Award – Nyree Standfield, New World Dannevirke

• Seafood Achievement Award – Geralyn Caramto, Pak’nSave Kilbirnie 

• Deli Top Student Award – Jyoti Patel, New World Thorndon 

• Deli Achievement Award – Joanne Brooker, Pain & Kershaw Four Square Martinborough 

• Floristry Achievement Award – Aimee Andrews, New World Thorndon 

• Retail Top Student Award – Deborah Feary, New World Levin 

• Retail Achievement Award – Derek Stratford, Pak’nSave Kapiti 

• Trainer of the Year – Susan Large, Pak’nSave Masterton 

• Runner-up Trainer of the Year – Stephanie Saunders, New World Railway Metro 

• Assessor of the Year – Troy Hunt, Foodstuffs Cold Storage 

• Runner-up Assessor of the Year – AnneMarie Jeffery, New World Thorndon 

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