‘Grateful for the country’s patience’: Ikea to open first NZ store December 4

Thursday, 4 September 2025

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Swedish furniture giant Ikea will open its first New Zealand store in three months’ time, and it’s planning for potential chaos as Kiwis finally get to walk through the doors.

Ikea’s Mt Wellington store located in Sylvia Park, Auckland, is one of the retailer’s biggest stores at 34,000 square metres and will employ 500 staff.

The Sylvia Park store will have its own car park, cover two floors ‒ including its popular Swedish restaurant that sell meatballs and hotdogs ‒ and sell more than 7000 products ranging from indoor and outdoor furniture, through to home furnishings and children’s toys.

It has been under construction since 2023 and long awaited, after the retailer first announced its intention to set up shop in New Zealand in 2019.

Johanna Cederlöf, Ikea NZ market manager, said Ikea would plan for a busy opening day, including with practice runs.

“We know new Ikea store openings all around the world generate great excitement, and Ikea Sylvia Park will be no exception.

“We are very focused on preparing for the high interest and visitor numbers expected, and we are consulting with Kiwi Property, Auckland Transport, and local authorities to plan for this in the best way possible.”

Although the store is based in Auckland, Ikea has said online shopping will also be available when the store opens and it will have 29 online order pick-up collection points for across the country.

Cederlöf said the store - which earned a 5-star green rating and had 1700 solar panels - would debut an expansive showroom that could furnish and fit out all rooms in a house on opening day.

The store would also have a grab and go food area, separate to the 420-seat restaurant that would serve up Swedish favourites such as meatballs.

Ikea will also launch a buy-back programme, accepting used Ikea furniture in exchange for gift cards that it planned to resell in-store.

Cederlöf said Ikea had received more than 25,000 applications to work in Ikea Sylvia Park, a record number. Already 200 people had been hired and more were joining weekly, so there would eventually be more than 500 staff when the doors open in December, she said.

Earlier this week, Ikea said it would make its full range of products available to all of New Zealand through nationwide delivery and pick-up collection points from Kaitaia through to Invercargill.

It will have 24/7 click and collect lockers available in some locations, including in the car park of its Auckland store, and fulfil orders through its own delivery to homes in Auckland with electric vans and trucks, NZ Post for smaller dispatched as parcels, and Manfreight trucks to deliver larger flat-packed and furniture items.

Mirja Viinanen, Ikea Australia and NZ CEO and chief sustainability officer, said Ikea “was grateful for the country’s patience as we have been busy laying the foundations of our first home in Aotearoa.

“It’s been some time since we first announced our intentions to enter New Zealand in 2019. However, from the start it has been our aim to enter in the best way possible and to be a good neighbour,” she said.

Ikea New Zealand fulfilment manager Jan Vanderstappen said the company knew Ikea would have to be accessible across the country, not just to those living close to the store.

“We’re confident we will meet the expectations of our customers no matter where they live, or how they would like to shop with us,” Vanderstappen said.

“With this national parcel and truck network complementing the physical shopping experience at the Sylvia Park store, we are ensuring customers can access Ikea home furnishing solutions efficiently and affordably.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Ikea’s arrival was an exciting development for New Zealanders and he welcomed the investment in New Zealand.