Health food chain in administration closes Toowoomba store

AN ORGANIC health food chain that rescued Toowoomba’s Wray Organic store from the brink in 2018 has shut up shop in the Garden City.

AN ORGANIC health food chain that rescued Toowoomba's Wray Organic store from the brink in 2018 has shut up shop in the Garden City.

Customers at Flannerys Organic and Wholefood Market on Margaret St were greeted yesterday with a notice on the door saying the company had decided to shut its Toowoomba store for good.

"Sincere gratitude to all our community of friends, coffee lovers, smoothie slurpers and regular foodies. We have absolutely loved every minute of this experience. Sadly - we have had to close this store," the note read.

"We cannot thank you enough for your continued support, as we work through this process, ensuring our amazing team and community is supported on this journey."

The closure comes after Flannerys trading entity The Natural Grocery Company Pty Ltd was placed in voluntary administration on Monday, with Timothy Cook of Balance Insolvency appointed administrator.

 

 

Flannerys swooped in and purchased the Toowoomba store in February 2018 after Wray Organic fell into liquidation.

The store was sold by liquidators to Flannerys "as a going concern", saving 30 jobs at the time.

A regular customer of Flannerys lamented the sudden closure yesterday, describing it as "such a shame" and adding that she would miss the "friendly staff".

The Natural Grocery Company Pty Ltd was registered in 2015 as a retailer and franchisor of natural organic groceries and had revenue of $66 million in FY18 and more than 500 employees.

That year it fell to a $440,000 after-tax loss and auditors for FY18 cast doubt on its financial viability due to debt of $24.97 million.

Its other brands apart from Flannerys included Kunara, Mrs Watsons and Fundies.