A MULTI-MILLION dollar grocery and liquor wholesaler could open in Tamworth within months, in a move set to benefit businesses and shoppers.
The Leader can reveal supermarket mogul Carlo Cavallaro has unveiled new plans for a grocery, liquor and fruit and vegetable warehouse in Avro St, Taminda.
The business would operate out of a 3000sq metre complex, which Mr Cavallaro said would include Everyday Fresh – a wholesale fruit and vegetable business, Carlo’s Superbarn – a wholesale grocery proprietary, along with a wholesale liquor component.
It is expected the operation would create up to 12 new jobs and would be open Monday to Friday, and half a day on Saturday.
Mr Cavallaro said the business model was based on the former Campbell’s Cash and Carry wholesale business in Tamworth.
It’s expected the project would cost about $2 million to complete.
“We are just waiting for a few approvals,” Mr Cavallaro said. “We are ready to start, but we haven’t got all the licenses we need.”
Mr Cavallaro said it is hoped the wholesale warehouse would service other businesses in the Tamworth area for their grocery, fruit and vegetable and liquor needs.
He said it would also act as a supply hub for his 10 IGA Supermarkets spread out across the New England region.
Members of the public could also take advantage of the warehouse’s ‘buy in bulk’ service and competitive prices.
“Eventually we would also like to run a wholesale meat operation out of there, we would hope to transfer our butcher shop in Bass St to that building,” he said.
“Since Campbell’s Cash and Carry closed down, I felt we needed a wholesale outlet and we also wanted to use it as a distribution point for supermarkets in our area.”
The business owner said he wanted to concentrate on sourcing fresh produce from the local area and continuing to invest his resources in Tamworth.
“We want to concentrate on the local area,” he said. “We operate in the area and our aim is to grow in the northern inland territory.
“Tamworth is home, I believe in Tamworth.
“I believe that in business you can choose to go forward or you either go backwards – I choose to go forward and Tamworth is going forward.”
