The checkout chick who created a $170m empire

Carolyn Creswell’s company dominates the supermarket shelves. But it didn’t start that way. In the early days, she had to come up clever ways to get ahead.

Julie-anne SpragueRich List editor

Sep 11, 2023 – 5.00am

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When Carolyn Creswell was 18 years old, she was working as a checkout chick at a Coles supermarket and waitressing for the St Kilda Football Club.

She also worked Tuesday nights at a bakery making muesli and when that company went up for sale, she made an offer along with a co-worker.

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Julie-anne SpragueRich List editorJulie-anne Sprague co-edits our Rich Lists and covers entrepreneurs, wealth creation and investments. A senior journalist in our newsroom, Julie-anne has covered politics, property, agribusiness, retail and stockmarkets in both the UK and Australia.