Taking a look at recent, positive, uplifting, news stories and yarns, from New Zealand and all around the world, to bring a smile and a bit of cheer.
New supermarket takes off
Offering lower prices and giving consumers a choice over the supermarket duopoly in New Zealand, a new store opened in Christchurch recently with shoppers queueing out the doors. Kai Co in Belfast, owned by Ethan Vickery and his father, will be a breath of fresh air to Garden City residents looking for cheaper options for the groceries.
“Vickery said the idea grew from frustration with how many layers exist between producers and consumers. ‘There’s a lot of people in the food production line that clip the ticket without adding much value,’ he said. Vickery said Kai Co was focused on offering shoppers another option to Woolworths and Foodstuffs, and that early pricing showed the model could compete with larger players. ‘Just take a look around and you can already see we’re cheaper,’ he said. Kai Co brings together elements of a butcher, produce store and grocery shop under one roof.
“The store processes its own meat on site, allowing customers to request specific cuts and speak directly with butchers, something Vickery described as a ‘dying art’ in many supermarkets. ‘We’re bridging the gap between specialist stores and supermarkets,’ he said.” (Source: “New father-and-son supermarket looks to take on the duopoly in Christchurch,” by Sanda Arambepola, January 8, www.stuff.co.nz).
5 stars – healthy competition is always a good thing and for far too long, the choices for grocery shoppers has been limited indeed.
Sheep escape to supermarket
Continuing in the vein of supermarket stories, shoppers in a store in Burgsinn, Germany were mightily surprised recently when a gang of 50 sheep, who had escaped their flock, entered a supermarket and roamed the aisles.
“The woolly incursion occurred on Monday during a routine seasonal migration of the sheep in the Bavarian municipality of Burgsinn. A few dozen of the sheep had other ideas about the route and made their way into a store of the Penny retail chain. ‘It was impossible to tell whether the sheep were looking for something particular on offer or just wanted to warm up,’ the company said in a statement, noting that the flock seemed particularly fond of the checkout area where shoppers and staff were present.
“‘The approximately 20 customers present reportedly took the spontaneous animal visit in their stride,’ said Philipp Stiehler, the board chair of the Penny subsidiary in south-west Germany. After about 20 minutes, the sheep were coaxed out the door and rejoined their flock.” (Source: “On the lamb: 50 sheep break away from flock and storm German supermarket,” by Deborah Cole, January 8, www.guardian.co.uk).
5 stars – another all’s well that ends well tale – with plenty of stories for the customers who witnessed the sheep incursion to tell their friends!
Rare comic sold at astronomical price
The first Superman comic released in 1938 sold recently in the US and went for the eye watering sum of US$15 million (NZ$26m). This particular comic book has a rather interesting history as well – once owned by actor Nicolas Cage, it was stolen, recovered, then sold again.
“The sale eclipses the previous record set just months earlier, when a pristine copy of Superman No 1 fetched US$9.12m at auction. Both figures dwarf the comic’s original cover price of just 10 cents, roughly US$2.25 in today’s money. Published in 1938, Action Comics No 1 is widely credited with defining the modern superhero genre. The newly sold copy has been graded nine out of 10 by the Certified Guaranty Company, making it joint-highest scoring example known to date. According to the broker, its exceptional condition was only part of its appeal.
“Its value has also been shaped by a dramatic backstory involving Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage, who bought the comic in 1996 for $150,000, a record price at the time. Four years later, it was stolen during a party at his home and remained missing for more than a decade. The comic resurfaced in 2011 inside a California storage unit, after which it was returned to Cage. He later sold it at auction for US$2.2m, capitalising on a surge in its value during its years in limbo.” (Source: “Superman’s first comic, once stolen from Nicolas Cage, sells for $26m,” January 12, www.stuff.co.nz).
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