Woolworths Supermarkets

Meet Tiffany Crouch, a passionate innovation chef who creates the Woolworths Own Brand products that our customers know and love.  A trained chef who has previously owned and run her own cafe and cake business, Tiffany's journey with Woolworths began in 2013. She now works closely with category teams and product development to create bakery and seasonal products, and is inspired every day. “There's always something new around the corner and to have that opportunity to sell what you think is the best product is amazing,” she says. Throughout her 11-year tenure, Tiffany has played an integral role in building up Woolworths' Own Brand portfolio. Her dedication and passion contributed to the creation of a state-of-the-art Innovation Centre, a place where Tiffany and her colleagues get to play with flavours to create delicious family favourites like shepherd’s pie, or new combinations like indulgent mini dessert cakes.  She has also contributed to the development of the Gold range – a touch of luxury bringing Australians everything from white chocolate tarts to pavlovas during the Christmas period. “I'm a qualified, trained Cordon Bleu chef, but I stepped into retail to have more of a life because the hours are more flexible, but it's fast-paced and ever-changing,” she says. “I’d absolutely recommend younger girls think about forging their own career paths. I think a lot of chefs today don't realise the opportunities there are, and this is just an unbelievable job.” Tiffany’s eyes light up as she speaks about the team of fellow innovation chefs and product developers, many of whom have given Australian families beloved products like Macro Organic baby pouches, Cook winter slow-cook meals and mini custard tarts. While bringing quality products to market is a big responsibility, she says the support she’s received as a single mum to “avid cook” Savannah, 3, has made all the difference in her day-to-day life. “I’ve always felt supported – it's an amazing program that Woolies have set up for mums returning to work,” she says. “It’s been really incredible for me to have had that support and get back into the office.” With talented individuals like Tiffany leading the charge, the future of Own Brand products looks brighter than ever. Thank you for all of your passion and hard work, Tiffany! https://lnkd.in/gPeaUfKQ

1.58 million meals raised. That’s the incredible outcome of our partnership with Foodbank Australia and Woolworths Supermarkets. With food insecurity affecting nearly 3.4 million households, fresh food and dairy are among the first essentials to go. That’s why each tub sold of our 907g Chobani x Foodbank Passion Fruit or Strawberry yogurt provided 6 meals to help feed people doing it tough across the country. A massive thank you to our friends and partners who helped bring this campaign to life. Let’s continue making a difference together. Foodbank Victoria The Key Branding Thrive PR + Communications Match & Wood #CHOnews #Chobani

In a world of fast-advancing tech, Group Business Enablement Director Richard Plunkett GAICD is determined to be leading positive change for customers. Richard, who has worked with Woolworths for thirty-five years, has implemented game-changing supermarket revolutions nationwide.   From Scan Assist at the self-checkout, to creating 2D barcodes that minimise food waste, Richard and his team are leading the charge globally. “We now have major retailers coming to Australia and looking at Woolworths, checking out our innovations,” says Richard. One of Richard and the team’s most recent innovations is Scan & Go Trolleys – an Australian-first which has revolutionised the future of shopping. Originally launched as an app on your phone during COVID to minimise contact between people, feedback indicated customers wanted a hands-free option. So after global research and extensive development, Richard’s team rolled out Scan & Go Trolleys at ten Woolworths Supermarkets earlier this year. “To listen and take feedback from customers and then adapt, that's the secret sauce to innovation,” Richard says. “I was very proud of the team the day Scan & Go Trolleys went live. I had a big smile on my face looking like a dad watching his child graduate.” Among their many benefits, such as faster checkouts and the ability to pack your shopping the way you prefer, the Scan & Go Trolleys give customers the ability to track their spend by seeing a running total with every scan. This new way to shop won’t have any impact on the roles of our store team members; it just gives you another choice when deciding the best way to do your shopping. “Customers are always looking for the quickest way to do their shop,” Richard says. “But one of their biggest pieces of feedback was that they didn’t know how much they were spending until they got to the checkout. You could see people going around the aisles with a calculator adding it up,” he explains. “The trolleys are a great tool to help manage your budget.” Richard assures the future is bright with a slew of impressive enhancements in the pipeline. Steadfastly modest about his impressive career, Richard says the key to his success is two-fold – his Business Enablement team and some good old-fashioned courage. “I’ve got some battle scars from my 35 years,” he laughs. “When you're starting to flesh out an idea, you have to be a bit courageous because a lot of people will say it’s not going to work. “Fortunately, I’ve been lucky enough to have some great teams around me – a really diverse bunch of people. It’s all about the team, you can’t innovate without collaboration.”

We're thrilled to partner with Life Ed | Healthy Harold and to support the Thrive program with all the amazing work the team put into sending Harold to visit remote and regional schools! 💛

When Sydney-based Product Manager Josh Nairn joined Woolworths Group’s digital arm CustomerX this year, he became part of a dedicated team who were helping rollout Woolworths’ new app feature, Watchlist. At the touch of a button, the feature allows customers to track when their favourite products are on special. Josh says he gained a deep sense of purpose in leading the team who researched, developed and delivered the game-changing feature. “Building something that provides genuine value to people is a big part of why I enjoy this job,” he says. “You get to see these things being used by people and that gives me real satisfaction.” Within two weeks of Watchlist going live, more than 100,000 people had engaged with it. Push notifications flagging discounted items attracted a higher-than-average click-through rate. Josh says the positive results reaffirm his team’s need to develop other savings-based initiatives. The self-confessed “tech nerd”, who decided where Watchlist would sit in the app and how it’s used, recalls gathering different Woolworths team members to get Watchlist live as quickly as possible. Josh says he is proud to be part of a business that consistently values and prioritises customer-led innovation and technology. “At some companies, you have to fight quite hard to keep that customer focus. However, at Woolworths, customer value is backed from the top down,” Josh says. The talented team member is brimming with ideas on how to evolve Watchlist, such as integrating it through the Woolworths app and is quick to acknowledge the contributions of his wider team. “Watchlist was a highly collaborative effort as it touched several parts of the app experience owned by various teams,” tells Josh, who says “strong communication” across the business made way for success. Woolworths Brand Director Jane Saleh echoes Josh’s comments, “At Woolworths we are constantly looking for ways to help our customers find more value, with our new Watchlist feature in the Woolworths app customers can easily add items they want to keep an eye on and receive notifications when those items go on special or have a special offer attached”. https://lnkd.in/ebsD4KZS

We've just launched our 80th Mini Woolies in Launceston, Tasmania, in partnership with St.Giles. The space is complete with shelves stocked with groceries, baskets, registers, and even Woolies aprons. It’s been designed to provide young people with disabilities an immersive space to learn essential retail and life skills, boosting their confidence and preparing them for the future. We're delighted to expand our partnership with St Giles and provide more opportunities for young people with disabilities across Tasmania. The support of our local store teams has also seen a lot of people generously volunteer their time and expertise to make this project a success, delivering groceries and showing everyone how to use the registers. St Giles will be using the space to expand their School Leaver Employment Support offerings to participants, helping to deliver positive outcomes for clients and their families. A huge thanks to our dedicated local store teams, Fujitsu, and the St Giles community for making this possible. Sarah Corey, Wes Polden

For Woolworths team member Karen Branson, making a difference in the lives of children with cancer is deeply personal. “Friends and family have been affected by cancer and I just need to be there for them,” says Karen. “Nothing will stop me. When somebody tells me a child needs something, I’m going to get it for them.” Karen was inspired by Woolworths’ long-standing support for The Royal Children's Hospital contributing to the hospital’s Child Life Therapy programs, programs that help children navigate the challenges of hospitalisation, providing them with moments of joy and comfort during difficult times. Since joining Woolworths in 1997, Karen has been pivotal in raising funds for the Good Friday Appeal. And she says her efforts are very much worthwhile, especially when it means she gets to meet some  incredible people along the way. “I feel privileged to spend time with children like Kiani, who are filled with so much confidence and happiness,” says Karen of the four year-old patient who has captured her heart while volunteering at Child Life Therapy.  “You can lose sight of why we do things, but when you see kids thriving like Kiani, every bit of effort is worth it.” Standout initiatives include bringing Costa Mushrooms, a farm experience, directly into the store. This unique, hands-on activity allowed children to pick vegetables, creating a memorable and fun experience for the kids - while  raising funds for the Children’s hospital. “I’ve spent years working on these relationships with community groups, be it a farmer or a supplier,  the connection you have with a community that allows you to put these initiatives together.” Team member stories like Karen’s showcase the power of individual initiative and the positive influence one person can have on their community. Her unwavering commitment to the Royal Children’s Hospital and the children who rely on its services exemplifies the spirit of giving back and making a lasting difference in someone’s life. “People often assume Woolworths staff just stack shelves, but everyone excels at their jobs and consistently go that extra mile. It truly feels like a big family,” says Karen. We’re proud to have Karen as a part of our team. 

Woolworths Supermarkets’ Director of Stores, Jeanette Fenske, is celebrating seven years at Woolworths and has over 30 years of experience working in retail. Jeanette currently leads 130,000 team members across over 1000 stores in Australia. With Jeanette’s extensive experience, she works end to end with our dynamic supply chain network to ensure the best experience for customers and team. Last month, Jeanette was recognised for her leadership and contributions to the retail industry at the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) Retail Awards night, receiving the ARA and CEW Scholarship to Harvard Business School. Jeanette’s ability to navigate the evolving retail landscape and passion for enhancing the customer experience and team engagement, is a testament to her dedication to leadership and continuous improvement. Jeanette says: "This is a terrific opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals who share a focus on mutual growth and mentorship. I believe in 'paying it forward' and hope to share my experiences to create a supportive environment where future female leaders can thrive, innovate, and lead confidently, ultimately fostering diversity and strengthening the retail sector." Congratulations, Jeanette! 

Join Woolworths NetSetGO ambassador, Cath Cox, as she visits a very special netball club in Victoria. A big congratulations to all of this years’ Woolworths NetSetGO grant recipients, and to Epping Football Netball Club for taking out the People’s Choice Award! Cath Cox, Meaghan Coyle, Emily Andrew, Epping Football Netball Club, Netball Australia, Trent Sullivan, Sarah De La Mare, Jane Saleh

A few weeks ago Karen Branson from Woolworths Mernda Town Centre along with RCH Patient Kiani, had the opportunity to head down to The Royal Children’s Hospital for a special tour of some of the programs and areas funded by the Woolworths Supermarkets teams and customers. "Meeting Kiani was incredibly inspiring. Thanks to Woolworths our team have had the opportunity to help her and many other families in The Royal Children’s Hospital. I’m proud to be part of a team that fundraises and sponsors positive programs. The Royal Children’s Hospital has a range of great programs that impact the lives of patients and families such as a TV studio where Hospital Lingo is filmed and an outside sensory garden. Child Life therapists use sensory toys such as calico dolls and other items so the children can practice with all of the hospital equipment to take away any fear they may have while having tests." "The opportunity to visit the hospital has given me a first-hand look into why fundraising for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal is so important as it creates positive spaces and outcomes for the hospital’s patients. I’ll be forever grateful for this opportunity." Karen said about the experience 💜💚