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38 days ago

Location of second NZ Costco store revealed

Brian from Mount Roskill

Property developer Kiwi Property said today it had agreed to sell a 6.4-hectare plot of land to the US-based mega store chain at its new development in Drury, south of Auckland.
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No opening date was announced.
"We are very excited to be entering into this agreement with Kiwi Property in a location as great as Drury," Chris Tingman, Costco country manager, said.
"Whilst still subject to planning and corporate approvals, our aim is to introduce our unique high-quality, low-cost merchandise to Drury, serving our significant membership base in the south of Auckland, as well as Hamilton and the Waikato region."
The site is at the southern end of the development, adjacent to State Highway 1.
The new store will be the city's second, with the Costco at the Westgate shopping centre proving hugely popular.
“Costco has been a hit with Kiwi consumers since it opened its first store in Auckland and we’re pleased to be working with them on this exciting opportunity to bring Costco further south,” Kiwi Property chief executive officer Clive Mackenzie said.
Costco's first Auckland store has been a big success for the company. Its revenue in its second full year of operation, the 52 weeks ending September 2024, was $361.5 million.
Kiwi's 53-hectare development is being built for future residential use and a mixed-use centre and will include 10,000 m² of commercial space, 56,000 m² of retail, and 2000 m² for community activities.
Last week, Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop announced it had won fast-track approval.
“The development is projected to inject over $1.45 billion into Auckland’s economy over the next 11 years and is expected to deliver around 3,420 full-time direct employment roles in construction and related services,” Bishop said.
"This is great news for jobs and growth in this fast-growing part of Auckland."
Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis hailed the announcement.
Legislation to create an "express lane" for new supermarket contracts was introduced to Parliament recently.
“The Government is working with Costco to ensure that we are doing everything possible to make consenting as quick and efficient as possible,” Willis said.
“It is also fantastic news for shoppers. More competition means more choice and lower prices."
She said the development, as a whole, was expected to inject $1.45 billion into the Auckland economy over the next 11 years, and create around 3420 full-time jobs in construction and related services.
“Costco’s planned expansion will add to that boost by creating more construction jobs,” Willis said.
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More messages from your neighbours
4 days ago

Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️‍💥❔

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What has a head but no brain?

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!

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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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1 day ago

Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.

We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?

Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.

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🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
  • 83% Same!
    83% Complete
  • 17% Would have liked to try something different
    17% Complete
200 votes
4 hours ago

7 tips for buying your Christmas ham

Brian from Mount Roskill

It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you. 
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy. 
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage 
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for: 
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.  
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”  
5. Ask a lot of questions 
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.  
You could ask: 
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.   
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
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