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ROADSHOW: SOUTH AUSTRALIA “What we encourage is that the evolution of stores is better than the last,” Mr Sciacca said. “That’s almost inherent in the nature of our retailers, because anyone doing any new work on their stores always wants to be better than the best. “So, you get this great example of ‘I saw that great idea in that store, I saw that great idea in Europe, I saw that great idea in North America’, and they seek to bring that back and build on it. That’s why we have some of these great supermarkets here in SA versus what you might get somewhere else in the country.” Powering ahead with renewable energy In 2018, the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) awarded an eight-year supply contract to renewable energy retailer SIMEC Zen Energy to “significantly” bring down the cost of electricity for its members (one of which is Foodland). The energy consortia, masterminded by SACOME in 2016, brings together manufacturing, retail, agriculture and resources companies and is responsible for fast-tracking the Cultana Solar farm near Whyalla. “We sought ACCC exemption to collectively bargain,” Mr Sciacca said. “Through that collective bargaining, we’re able to bring enough volume together to enter into a contract that enables this organisation to build one of the largest solar farms, which will mean that \\\[Foodland’s\\\] power will come predominantly from a renewable source to our supermarkets.” New DC to open soon When Retail World spoke to Mr Sciacca, the construction of Foodland’s new distribution centre was on track. “We hope by the middle of this year \\\[the DC\\\] will be operational,” he said. “This will be fantastic for us because, at the moment, the existing DC isn’t fit for purpose. We’ve got a limited space situation there, which means we have to deal with a range of logistic providers to get the products we want. “The \\\[new\\\] DC will be world class.” MAY, 2020 RETAIL WORLD 33