Coles Queensland food recovery underway - Crandon for Coomera

Friday 14 January
Coles Queensland food recovery underway
Coles is working around the clock to get food back on the shelves of our 150 Queensland
supermarkets affected by the devastating floods, especially the 50 stores isolated by flood waters.
Our key priorities are restocking stores in FNQ and preparing our south east Queensland stores for
a huge surge in demand as thousands of residents return to their homes to begin the long clean-up
process.
Coles managing director, Ian McLeod, said that at their worst, the floods inundated four Coles
stores, closed a further 11, and cut food supply to over 50 stores across the state.
“Over 20,000 team members in Queensland have been doing an outstanding job serving their
communities under incredibly trying conditions,” Mr McLeod said.
Mr McLeod said 8 Coles stores in the Brisbane and Ispwich region are currently closed due to the
floods, with stores in Ipswich, Bellbowrie and Fairfield flooded. Three of the stores currently closed
are expected to open for trade over the coming weekend.
“We will be working overtime to ensure our south east Queensland stores are well stocked with the
lines customers will be needing, such as cleaning products, as well as basic pantry staples.”
The Coles Emerald store was flooded last week and suffered extensive damage. Current estimates
are it will take at least two months before the store can be opened for trade.
In the interim, Coles will be operating a temporary store in Emerald, in the Emerald Police Citizens
Youth Centre. The temporary Coles will stock 200 staple food and grocery lines, and will operate
from Tuesday 18January until the main store re-opens.
Mr McLeod said that food retailers and the Queensland Government had been working together to
coordinate emergency deliveries to northern Queensland stores cut off by floodwaters.
“We’ve gone to great lengths to get food into our northern Queensland stores, with about 120 tons
airlifted into areas including the Cairns, Townsville and Bundaberg regions. Nearly 500 tons of food
have been sent into FNQ by truck, and over 1000 tons will be leaving Sydney by ship, destined for
Townsville and Cairns.
“As road access improves in coming days, we’ll be working hard to restock our northern
Queensland stores.”
Mr McLeod said it was heartening to see Coles team members, customers and communities rally
together during the flood crisis.
“I’d like to thank our team members for their outstanding efforts over the last three weeks, many of
whom have been directly affected by the flood, but still came to work to help their communities.
Their commitment to work above and beyond what might be expected has been commendable. I
can’t thank them enough.
“I’d also like to thank the Queensland Government for their support in getting food to affected
regions. And most importantly, thanks to our customers across Queensland for their patience and
understanding during this very challenging and tragic time.”
Further information,
Jim Cooper, Coles Media Relations, Ph (03) 9829 4354