NQR Victoria: Discount supermarket chain experiences growth in popularity

A supermarket chain known for its cheap groceries and alcohol is planning to open more stores across Melbourne as its popularity soars.

NQR chief executive Ewan Jones says his stores are helping more customers save as the cost of living bites. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Popular discount supermarket chain NQR is looking to open more stores across Melbourne as its popularity soars.

With the cost of living leaving many families struggling to make ends meet, NQR has seen a surge in customers coming through its doors.

Owned by a group of investors who bought the chain about four and a half years ago, NQR offers customers the chance to save 80 per cent off the recommended retail price on big brand groceries.

There are currently 19 stores across Melbourne including Boronia, Sunshine and Ringwood, and the owners hope to open more in the northern suburbs, including Craigieburn and Wollert, and in the south east, in suburbs such as Dandenong, Oakleigh and Springvale.

Chief executive Ewan Jones said the company prided itself on offering the cheapest groceries possible to customers.

“In the last six months we have had good growth in sales around our grocery area,” he said.

“We pride ourselves in driving a good deal for customers.”

He said a basket of goods was a lot cheaper at NQR than the bigger grocery chains.

At the moment customers can snap up a 120g bag of Rolo bites or 150g party bag of Tasty Tubes for $1.

“We’re also famous for cheap yoghurt, which we sell 60-70 per cent off,” Mr Jones said.

The stores also sell cheap alcohol.

“Some customers are quite bashful saying ‘I can’t believe I’m shopping at NQR’, but there are lots of good deals on offer.”
Mr Jones said the new owners focused on making the quality of products sold at NQR a lot better.

“On occasion something might be out of date, if we decide it’s viable to our customers,

but that would be 1 per cent of goods,” he said.

Items from the NQR August catalogue.

He said they buy their stock with a shorter use by date which allows the chain to offer such competitive prices.

“There’s a lot of people really struggling out there at the moment, and some customers say ‘Thank you’ on the way out and ‘I couldn’t afford to shop at Coles or Woolies’.”

Mr Jones said customers were often surprised at how much they had saved.

“It’s the saving on their basket of goods and being able to find a treasure every week, because our range does change quite often,” he said.

“And we’re famous for our snacking range and our confectionary, chips and drinks, and our dairy section is so cheap.

“They’re going to walk out with much more than they expect.”