Grocer says Coles decision is beginning of the end

SUPERMARKET owner Ben Crous is devastated by a decision he believes will kill off his Coast business.

North Buderim IGA owner Ben Crous (right) believes a new Coles across the road will drive him out of business. Picture: Patrick Woods

SUPERMARKET owner Ben Crous is devastated by a decision he believes will kill off his Coast business.

Coles is moving in across the road, with plans to build a supermarket three-times the size of his.

Mr Crous started the North Buderim IGA when he bought a 300sq m convenience store in a Jones Rd shopping complex in 2008.

It was successful enough for him to invest millions of dollars in building a new 1100sq m supermarket which opened in 2015 within the same complex.

His staff has grown to nearly 90 people and his focus has been on sourcing goods from Coast producers not able to supply major supermarket chains.

He celebrated when an application to build a Woolworths supermarket across the road was refused by Sunshine Coast councillors late last year. He was certain approval would have been a death knell.

But the war wasn't over, with the site developer successfully appealing the refusal on Thursday.

The supermarket has changed to Coles, but Mr Crous fears the result will be the same.

"There is no evidence anywhere of an IGA that has survived the opening of a full-line supermarket across the road,” Mr Crous said.

"I'm a sole owner.

"I'm competing with a publicly-listed company right across the road that has deep pockets.”

He said he and his staff would keep fighting.

"We will carry on doing what we are doing to the best of our ability until we can do no more.”

The new development will include a 3688sqm Coles as well as shops and a fast food restaurant.

Development portfolio holder Cr Christian Dickson said he was disappointed by the Planning and Environment Court decision.

He believed residents had enough grocery options.

"That area is well catered for,” Cr Dickson said.

"People are spoiled for choice.”

He said the court was essentially doing the council's planning, questioning if the same thing could happen at other locations such as Bli Bli.

"Will there soon be a push in that town centre to bring forward a Coles or Woolworths?”

A Coles spokeswoman said a new supermarket in North Buderim would create about 100 new jobs in the community.

"The full-line Coles supermarket would provide local residents with more choice and great value with its in-store bakery offering freshly baked goods, a gourmet delicatessen with an olive bar and cheese wall, an open-style butchery and extensive fresh produce area,” the spokeswoman said.

She said Coles had invested more than $20 million in new and refurbished supermarkets on the Sunshine Coast in the past five years.