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Times are a change’n in Auckland.  Five questions with co-owner of new Auckland Common Sense organic shop Marion Wood

owners Marion Wood and Jim Kebbell with store manager Michael Camilleri

1.  Where’s your new shop located exactly?

284 Dominion Road – just in front of the Valley Road Countdown supermarket.

2.  What inspired the establishment of an Auckland shop?

Auckland has about 9 organic stores for a population of 1.4 million:  Wellington has 5 organic stores for a population of just under half a million.  The need is there and the demand is there – people really want to know about what they’re eating – and most importantly what they’re feeding their families.

Lydia Mabbett (Corporate Trainer) and Katherine McFall (store worker at the Mount Eden store)

3.  Over the past few years I’ve noticed new Commonsense shops popping up around the Wellington region and now Auckland, would you mind talking about the motivation behind the establishment of the new shops?

It’s become clear to us that people have rapidly changing expectations of businesses – they want to be given good information, they want to be valued and they want to be told the truth.  We constantly try to improve the way we do that and in response our customers trust us.  When we opened the Mount Eden store we asked our existing customers to welcome our new Auckland customers by telling them why they shopped at Commonsense Organics.  This Facebook post was shared by over 100 people and the comments that were written were so generous that they brought a lump to my throat.  We sell food that is good for you and good for the planet – and so we want to make it available to as many people as possible.

4.  What are three reasons you think Commonsense is still around today?

Wonderful customers, fantastic staff,  and food, health products and genuine information that people are yearning for.

5.  What’s your favorite local food?

I have a favourite experience of eating, rather than a favourite food – a meal with all my family with the sun streaming down and with laughter, conversation, food and drink flowing – what else could you ask for?

Tags: organics