Steven Joyce suggested break-up of Foodstuffs; now he’s joined its board

Thursday, 21 August 2025

Join the discussion and have your say in the comments.

Former National Party senior minister Steven Joyce has joined the board of supermarket group Foodstuffs North Island.

The appointment may raise eyebrows as Joyce recently wrote a column for media company NZME, which he now chairs, suggesting Foodstuffs could “voluntarily agree to split their brands into two co-operatives, perhaps Pak’nSave in one and New World and Four Square in the other”.

That could be in return for regulators removing their block on the merger of Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island, he suggested.

“Foodstuffs should consider the shape of their co-operative,” he argued.

“If they are really there for their owners, as they attest, then they have to come up with a model that will survive into the future.”

The column was titled “Supermarkets should front-foot a break-up before legislators arrive”.

But a spokesperson for Foodstuffs gave no indication Joyce’s appointment heralded a new direction for the firm.

“The opinion piece referred to was written before Steven Joyce joined the Foodstuffs North Island board, in his capacity at the time as a political and business commentator,” the spokesperson said.

“As a member of our board Steven will contribute as part of our collective governance team and support the co-op’s agreed strategy.”

The Post has attempted to reach Joyce for comment.

The Government is expected to outline its own plans for further regulatory intervention in the supermarket industry, if any, by the end of September.

Foodstuffs North Island said in a statement on its website that Joyce would join its board on Monday.

Chairperson Dean Waddell said Joyce’s breadth of experience would be invaluable as the cooperative “looked ahead to the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly evolving grocery sector”.

The appointment came at a pivotal time for the company and the wider industry, Waddell said.

“The grocery sector is operating in a newly regulated environment, and we’ve committed from the outset to making regulation work well for customers, suppliers, and retailers alike.

“We have a broad programme of work underway to strengthen competition, improve efficiency, and be able to be lower cost and compete to deliver great outcomes for New Zealanders,” he said.

Comments are moderated during working hours and may not appear immediately.