Woolworths Group Limited, a major Australian company, has extensive retail interests throughout Australia and New Zealand. It is the largest company in Australia by revenue and the second-largest in New Zealand. Despite taking the Woolworths name when it was founded in Sydney in 1924, Woolworths Group has always been independent of the Woolworths Group in the UK, and the South African chain of retail stores, Woolworths Holdings Limited. Its main operations include supermarkets and discount department stores under the Big W name in Australia.
Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd, trading as Coles, is an Australian supermarket, retail and consumer services chain, headquartered in Melbourne as part of the Coles Group.
Hardware stores, sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware for home improvement including: fasteners, building materials, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for use at home or for business. Many hardware stores have specialty departments unique to its region or its owner's interests. These departments include hunting and fishing supplies, plants and nursery products, marine and boating supplies, pet food and supplies, farm and ranch supplies including animal feed, swimming pool chemicals, homebrewing supplies and canning supplies. The five largest hardware retailers in the world are The Home Depot, Lowe's, Kingfisher of the United Kingdom, Obi of Germany, and Leroy Merlin of France.
IGA, Inc. is an American chain of grocery stores that operates in more than 30 countries. Unlike the chain store business model, IGA operates as a franchise through stores that are owned separately from the brand. Many of these stores operate in small-town markets and belong to families that manage them. It was founded in the United States as the Independent Grocers Alliance in 1926. The headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois.
Bunnings Group, trading as Bunnings Warehouse, is an Australian household hardware chain. The chain has been owned by Wesfarmers since 1994, and has stores in Australia and New Zealand.
Franklins was an Australian discount supermarket chain selling packaged groceries and perishables throughout New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. It sold the "No Frills" home brand generic products. In 2011 the chain was bought by Metcash and the stores were sold off, shut down or converted to other brands. The final store closed in April 2015.
Billabong International Limited is an Australian company focused on surfing, primarily a clothing retailer that also produces accessories, such as watches and backpacks, and skateboard and snowboard products under other brand names. Founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant, the company first traded on the Australian Securities Exchange in August 2000. The name "billabong" is derived from the Wiradjuri word bilabaŋ that refers to a "creek that runs only during the rainy season". As of September 2013, Von Zipper, and Element were two of the prominent brands that Billabong owns. Honolua Surf Company, Kustom, Palmers Surf, Xcel, Tigerlily, Sector 9, and RVCA were the company's other brands. In 2018, Billabong International Limited was acquired by Boardriders, Inc, owner of rival brand Quiksilver.
Ian Rognvald Morrice is a Scottish-born CEO of Australia's largest wholesaler, Metcash Limited. He was appointed Group CEO in July 2013. Metcash is the leading buying, marketing and distribution company to independent retailers across Australia, a company that provides grocery goods, liquor and hardware to retailers. However, Ian Morrice had also held a Non-Executive Director position with Metcash since June 2012.
Action was an Australian supermarket chain.
Independent Grocers of Australia (IGA) is an Australian chain of supermarkets. IGA is owned by Metcash, but individual IGA stores are owned independently. Its main competitors are Woolworths, Coles and Aldi Süd. It is the fourth largest chain, since Aldi overtook Metcash in supermarket revenues.
Mitre 10 is an Australian retail and trade hardware store chain. Operations are based on a cooperative system, where the store owners are members of the national group and each has voting rights. The chain name references the mitre joint. There are over 400 "Mitre 10" and its associated "True Value Hardware" franchises throughout Australia.
Fantastic Holdings Limited (FHL) engages in the retail, manufacture and import of entry level household furniture based in Sydney, Australia. Fantastic Furniture is the third largest retailer by sales value and Australia's largest vertically integrated furniture group. Its products comprise sofas, chairs, dining products, entertainment products, bedroom products, occasional products, storage products, home office furniture, cushions, mattresses, pillows, and lamps. The company markets its products under the Fantastic Furniture, Plush and Original Mattress Factory brand names.
FoodWorks is an Australian supermarket chain run by independent retail group Australian United Retailers Limited (AURL). The AURL was created in November 2004 from the merger of the FoodWorks Supermarket Group Ltd (FSG) and Australian United Retailers (AUR). It is Australia's second largest leading independent supermarket retailing group, supporting in excess of A$1.35 billion in annual sales at the retail level. Its main competitors are Woolworths, Coles, IGA and Aldi.
Metcash is an Australian conglomerate company distributing and marketing groceries, fresh produce, alcoholic beverages, hardware, and other consumer goods. Notable retailers the company owns include IGA, Mitre 10 and Home Timber & Hardware.
Masters Home Improvement was an Australian home improvement chain operated by retailer Woolworths Limited. It was established as a way for Woolworths Limited to enter the hardware retail market, which has been historically dominated by Bunnings Warehouse, owned by rival Wesfarmers. The two companies also compete with each other with groceries, liquor, fuel and general merchandise. Most of the stores shared the same format of conventional Lowe's Home Improvement stores, and borrowed elements from Bunnings Warehouse for its garden and trade areas.
Mitre 10 is a major New Zealand chain of home improvement stores established in June 1974. It employs more than 6000 staff and functions as a co-operative, with over 80 stores run by 60 local owner-operators.
John Danks & Son was a major manufacturing company in Melbourne, Victoria and Sydney, New South Wales.
Drakes Supermarkets is a privately owned Australian independent retail chain based in South Australia.
