Tjeerd Jegen, Woolworths’ regional managing director, said it would work with suppliers to provide the right amount of foods according to their capacities.
“Our new local food sourcing strategy will see us introduce even more delicious Aussie brands and products to our customers,” he said.
“We recognise that supplying 890 stores can be a daunting prospect for small and medium businesses, and may simply be beyond the reach of their production capacity. Woolworths’ local sourcing managers will work with these suppliers to design a plan that suits their business, whether that’s supplying three stores or 300 stores.”
As would be expected, the policy has drawn praise from politicians, with the acting premier of New South Wales, Andrew Stoner, unveiling the first locally sourced products, which will arrive at Woolworths stores in late January. The range included jams and conserves from nine producers in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.