Daly's Fresh Marketplace IGA in Koroit launches with more staff

Daly's Fresh Marketplace IGA moved into the new, purpose-built premises on Wednesday after more than seven years of planning and 30 years in the making.

Co-owner Michael Daly said up to 80 people were employed at the site in a mix of casual, permanent part-time and full-time roles.

"It's created jobs too. It's fantastic for all these new people we've got working for us," Mr Daly said.

He said it was a multi-million dollar project which had substantially increased the floorspace and the number of products stocked.

It was a quick turnaround with the move next door completed overnight Tuesday to minimise disruption.

"We shut the doors on one side and moved into a brand new site," he said.

"We've gone from about 420 square metres to 2000 square metres and we have a massive increase in range. It's about five times the range we had before," he said.

Mr Daly said he and brother Peter had gone for a "marketplace approach" with the open-plan store, stocking all the fresh products together.

For the first time, there is 67 off-street and two disabled parking spaces, improving safety for customers, away from passing B-Double trucks on Commercial Road.

The business has been in the same family and location for five generations and Mr Daly said it was great to have "state of-the-art facilities".

"When you come out of an old site that's been extended, done up, extended again and walls knocked out, it's just a pleasure," he said.

"It's a breath of fresh air. I think for the staff it's a game changer. You can only do so much when its 100 years old and needs a lot of work."

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He said the new store was great for Koroit, which was probably the fastest growing town in Moyne Shire. "We're seeing now after COVID this exodus out of cities and people working from home," Mr Daly said.

"Everything that's up for sale gets snapped up. Everyone's waiting for the next release of land in Koroit so they can do another development. It's a bright future."

Mr Daly said the former site would be re-developed next year into four premises and they were seeking expressions of interest from businesses wanting to lease a space.

"That turns into four retailers that face onto the supermarket like an arcade," he said. "That's stage two. It'll be sooner rather than later because there's facilities we need in there.

"We'll make sure we've got the tenancies covered which we'll have no trouble. I've had lots of interest. We should be right to go."

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