Aldi, Coles opens at Westfield Parramatta fresh food section

Shoppers have flooded a revamped fresh food section at a western Sydney Westfield. Find out what they thought of the changes to the former ‘dark and dingy’ precinct.

Westfield Parramatta’s $33m fresh food precinct, including an Aldi and full-line Coles supermarket, has opened with a throng of customers ready for the official opening.

Aldi discount supermarket was the first to open on Wednesday, followed by Coles, while ZAG’s Seafood and JC Chicken, oOh Sushi and Two Deers Cafe traded early for customers keen to return to their usual stomping ground on level five.

Anica Bozic and Anna Pong were the first customers to file through the tills at Coles, which has a Liquorland bottle shop adjacent.

Rosehill couple George and Karen Essey were also among the first customers to hit Aldi and Coles.

“It’s been needed in Parramatta for a long time,’’ Mrs Essey said.

“We just wanted to familiarise ourselves with it before it became too busy.’’

Karen and George Essey were excited about Coles reopening.

Her husband clocks up 8km just walking around Westfield twice a week and now is keen to tell their eight grandchildren about the spruced-up food section.

The Aldi is one of few supermarkets in Sydney to have self-serve check-outs, with five being available at Parramatta, along with four staffed registers.

The supermarket will employ 20 permanent and full-time workers.

Coles’ mochi and macaron station was popular.

Self-service check-outs also dominate the cavernous Coles, which has 11 aisles, a well-stocked deli, a spacious frozen food area and a cabinet full of macarons and multi-flavoured mochi, a Japanese rice cake.

After grabbing some groceries at Aldi, the bargain-savvy Esseys also went to Coles.

“We’re not loyal,’’ Mrs Essey said.

“They’re both different in what they offer, but they’re just so beautiful and well presented.

“We really missed Coles here as we went to Merrylands.

“It’s beautiful. It’s what’s needed, and it’s just so clean and refreshing.’’

But a notable absence was Country Growers, which did not return and has left the vast mall without a speciality greengrocer.

“We’re very upset about that,’’ Mrs Essey said. “We needed a fruit shop here.’’

Tong Li Asian supermarket and Breadtop will open just before Christmas.

ZAG’s Seafood has expanded its chain with its debut at Westfield Parramatta, where 90 per cent of the goods are from Australia.

Customer Georgina Massoud and ZAG Seafood co-owner George Marangou.

Their Westfield foray comes just ahead of the busy Christmas period.

“It’s a bit challenging because before Christmas, we like to do campaigns, we like to promote it well, we like to get our orders in place,’’ co-owner George Marangou said.

“Now we don’t know how much stock we get in place. It’s like you’re going in blind.’’

Greystanes customer Georgina Massoud is used to shopping at ZAG’s Merrylands and has welcomed the Westfield fishmonger.

She was disappointed about the fruit shop but gave the new precinct her approval.

“It’s good. They needed a fresh revamp because it was dark and dingy.’’

Long-time Parramatta resident Suzie Issac, 75, said the suburb “was the best place to be” but said before the fresh food section opened, shoppers would go to Merrylands.