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Not-for-profit store operator Community Enterprise Queensland (CEQ) is the sole grocery and retail provider for many remote communities located across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands. <\/p>\n
Serving communities as far north as Saibai Island and Boigu Island \u2013 located a few kilometres from Papua New Guinea \u2013 CEQ is tasked with providing food security and essential services for these communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The not-for-profit is also responsible for providing grocery options which are in line with the needs and demands of the consumers it services.<\/p>\n
CEQ\u2019s network of 29 stores offers many of the core grocery items found in a traditional supermarket \u2013 ranging from fresh produce to non-disposable items \u2013 to large items such as washing machines, but presented in smaller store formats.<\/p>\n
Chief executive Michael Dykes told Inside Retail <\/em>that the logistical costs involved in running CEQ\u2019s operations are more intricate and specialised than most mainstream operators.<\/p>\n \u201cFor instance, we could have a banana that\u2019s been on the water for three weeks, and you have to get it to the location at a point where it\u2019s ripe and ready-to-eat. Our supply chains are really technical, and it has taken a long time to reach [this level of] maturity,\u201d Dykes said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe other factor is the cost when something goes wrong. If an ATM machine breaks down [in the city] it would probably involve a $1,000 repair, which can be completed on the same day. In the locations where we operate, it could cost $30,000 and involve two different trips on a helicopter. So it\u2019s retail, but not as anyone else knows it.\u201d<\/p>\n In many cases, \u201cwe\u2019re the only store in town,\u201d he said. \u201cCustomers can\u2019t go to the shop down the road. So when it comes to deliveries and logistics, it doesn\u2019t get more essential than what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Called \u201cthe remote store of the future,\u201d CEQ recently held the grand opening of its Bamaga store, located in Far North Queensland, which could serve as a template for the rest of its store network.<\/p>\n The new concept store involves a modern look, feel and design, and includes a range of new initiatives.<\/p>\n These include additional product lines, bulk buys and \u201cdeadly deals\u201d which offer discounts on healthier choices, seniors discounts, a self service caf\u00e9 \u2013 called The Wis Wei Caf\u00e9, as well as eco-friendly shopping trolleys made from recycled milk bottles, and resources to help consumers grow their own produce.<\/p>\n CEQ has also introduced an e-market online order system, which enables consumers to order items not available in store, as well as \u2018HappyOrNot\u2019 customer feedback kiosks to gauge success. It has also removed confectionary chocolate from its checkout, to further encourage healthier options.<\/p>\n Dykes explained that CEQ is reinvesting about a third of its surplus profits into its store network, and that its e-market system, which covers over 100 product lines, reflects improvements made to its distribution centre over the years.<\/p>\n In the past, large items such as sofas and big screen TVs could take weeks to deliver to remote locations, and involve significant delivery costs. Now, this process might take a few days, and involve reduced costs.<\/p>\n Dykes also points to CEQ\u2019s bulk deals \u2013 such as its \u2018apple bins\u2019, costing about 40 cents per apple \u2013 as a way to promote fresh produce. <\/p>\n \u201cA bar of chocolate might cost consumers more, but we can sell fresh produce cheaper. It\u2019s a conscious choice that, not only us, but the communities we serve are willing to trade off against,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s about 29 different initiatives that have been launched in the Bamaga store, and it makes for a much more vibrant and exciting shopping destination.\u201d<\/p>\n The Bamaga store soft-opened about eight weeks before the grand opening, which provided an opportunity for CEQ to gather customer feedback.<\/p>\n Through its customer kiosks, which have also been rolled out across 29 stores, it has received over 11,000 pieces of feedback. Dykes noted that CEQ is working to collate and understand this data, so it can tailor its offering accordingly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe purpose of these kiosks is to improve our performance [in a way that\u2019s] scalable across our other stores. We are going into a period before and over Christmas where we\u2019ll look at that data, learn from it, and then refresh our programs early in the new year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He added that addressing cost-of-living pressures \u2013 and improving health outcomes \u2013 is a key driver for many of its initiatives.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a secret when you look at Indigenous health compared to mainstream health, it\u2019s very different. Indigenous people are living eight years shorter than their white counterparts. These stores have a big part to play in that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Many of CEQ\u2019s initiatives are also aimed at providing support for vulnerable members of the community.<\/p>\n \u201cBy bringing city supermarket-style shopping, healthier food options, and an array of innovative concepts to Bamaga, CEQ is determined to redefine the retail landscape in the region,\u201d Dykes said.<\/p>\n The post Retail, but not as you know it: A look at the \u201cremote store of the future\u201d appeared first on Inside Retail Australia.<\/p>\n29 different initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Cost of living and health outcomes<\/strong><\/h2>\n