Growth Strategies Case Study

Woolworths' Growth Strategies

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Abstract:
Woolworths supermarket, started in Sydney in 1924, emerged as Australia's number 1 food retailer by early 1990s. The company survived a scare when its unprofitable ventures almost led to bankruptcy. Its innovative initiatives that emphasised better shopping experience and low prices helped the company to tide over the crisis and become a Fortune 500 company.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To understand Woolworths' growth strategies that helped it to transform from being a 'follower that was system driven and not customer driven' in the 1980s to a 'company that others try to emulate'
• To discuss Woolworths' supply chain initiatives and the novel services, which reduced operating costs, and made shopping at Woolworths more convenient and exciting to its customers.

Keywords : Woolworths' cost control strategies; Big W stores; 'The fresh food people' initiative; Coles Myer; MetCash; Ezy banking; Project refresh; Growth Strategies Case Study; Electronic data interchange at Woolworths; Woolworths' supply chain management; Homeshop.com; Greengrocer.com; Worldwide retail exchange; Roger Corbett; Aldi in Australia; Petrol retailing at Woolworths

Contents: 
A History Of Growth
Food And Grocery Market Share
Cost Control
Major Brands Of Woolworths