Damon Mcknight
Coles Group Limited, founded in 1914, is an Australian public company that operates several retail chains. It is one of the biggest employers in Australia, with over 115,000 team members across the country. The company's chief operations include the sale of food and groceries through its flagship supermarket chain Coles Supermarkets, and the sale of liquor through its Coles Liquor outlets. Coles Group Limited was owned by Wesfarmers from 2007 until it was spun off in November 2018, once again becoming an independent public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Coles Group Limited is an Australian public company | True |
| Year founded | 1914 |
| Place founded | Collingwood, Victoria |
| Founder | Sir George Coles |
| Number of employees | 115,000+ or 120,000 |
| Number of supermarkets | 846 or 850+ |
| Number of liquor stores | 712 or 894 |
| Number of stores | 800+ |
| Shareholders | Australian citizens with retirement savings |
| Former owners | Wesfarmers (from 2007 to 2018) |
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What You'll Learn
Coles Group Limited is an Australian public company
Coles was founded in Collingwood, Victoria in 1914 and has since become the second-largest retailer in Australia, after Woolworths, in terms of revenue. It was formerly known as Coles Myer Ltd. from 1986 to 2006, when it was owned by Wesfarmers. In November 2018, Coles Group Limited was spun off from Wesfarmers and once again listed as a public company on the Australian Securities Exchange. At the time of listing, the company included 806 Coles Supermarkets, 712 Coles Express outlets, and 894 liquor stores, among other businesses.
Coles Supermarkets is a national full-service supermarket retailer, operating more than 850 stores across Australia. The company has over 120,000 employees and accounts for around 27% of the Australian market. It provides customers with the convenience of shopping anytime, anywhere, with groceries delivered to their door or easy to pick up in-store with Click & Collect.
In addition to its grocery and liquor offerings, Coles Group Limited also provides financial services, including insurance, credit cards, and personal loans to Australian families. The company is committed to sustainability and finding ways to feed more Australians. Coles Group is one of the biggest employers in Australia, with more than 115,000 team members in every state and territory.
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Coles' history and growth
Coles Group Limited is an Australian public company that operates several retail chains. Its primary operations are concerned with the sale of food and groceries through its flagship supermarket chain Coles Supermarkets, and the sale of liquor through its Coles Liquor outlets.
Coles was founded in 1914 in Collingwood, Victoria, by Sir George Coles. George Coles learned the retail trade while working for his father's 'Coles Store' business from 1910 to 1913. In 1960, the first supermarket (trading under the Dickins name) was opened in the Melbourne suburb of Balwyn North. By 1973, Coles had established stores in all Australian capital cities. From 1962, its supermarkets were branded Coles New World, with Space Age-themed imagery. In 1991, the stores were rebranded as Coles Supermarkets, and from 1998, they were simply branded as Coles.
In August 1985, the Myer Emporium Ltd and GJ Coles & Coy Ltd merged, becoming the largest Australian corporation at the time. The official name change to "Coles Myer Limited" followed in January 1986. The U.S. Kmart Corporation was a significant shareholder in the merged company until it sold its 21.5% stake in November 1994.
In 2006, Coles Myer sold the department store chain Myer to a consortium controlled by US private equity group Newbridge Capital. Coles Myer then changed its name to "Coles Group Limited" in November 2006. In 2007, Wesfarmers purchased Coles Group, and in 2018, Wesfarmers spun off the business, with Coles Group once again becoming an independent public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.
Today, Coles is one of Australia's leading retailers, with over 800 supermarkets and more than 700 liquor stores nationwide. Coles is committed to making life easier for customers by offering convenience shopping, fuel, credit cards, prepaid phone plans, and an extensive network of wine and liquor stores. Coles currently employs over 120,000 people and accounts for around 27% of the Australian market.
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Coles' shareholders and ownership
Coles Group Limited, founded in 1914, is an Australian public company that operates several retail chains. Its primary operations are concerned with the sale of food and groceries through its flagship supermarket chain Coles Supermarkets, and the sale of liquor through its Coles Liquor outlets.
Coles Group was formerly known as Coles Myer Ltd. from 1986 to 2006, when it was owned by Wesfarmers. In 2006, Coles Myer sold Myer to a consortium controlled by US private equity group Newbridge Capital, which included the Myer family, who held a 5% stake. Following this sale, the company changed its name to "Coles Group Limited" in November 2006.
In November 2018, Coles Group was spun off from Wesfarmers and once again listed as an independent public company on the Australian Securities Exchange under the trading code COL. At the time of listing, the company included 806 Coles Supermarkets, 712 Coles Express outlets, 894 liquor stores, Coles-branded financial services, and 88 Spirit Hotels, as well as joint ownership of the flybuys loyalty program.
Coles Supermarkets is a national full-service supermarket retailer, operating more than 850 stores across Australia. The company has over 120,000 employees and accounts for around 27% of the Australian market.
Coles has had various shareholders throughout its history. In the 1980s, the U.S. Kmart Corporation held a 21.5% stake in the company, which it sold in 1994. In 2007, Wesfarmers purchased Coles Group, and in 2018, Wesfarmers spun off the business, making it a subsidiary of Coles Group again.
According to a Reddit post, most major companies, including Coles, are owned by pension funds (superannuation funds). Therefore, anyone with retirement savings in these funds can be considered a shareholder.
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Coles' subsidiaries and acquisitions
Coles Group Limited, formerly known as Coles Myer Ltd., is an Australian public company that operates several retail chains. Its primary operations include the sale of food and groceries through its flagship supermarket chain Coles Supermarkets, and the sale of liquor through its Coles Liquor outlets.
Coles has grown to become the second-largest retailer in Australia, after Woolworths, in terms of revenue. Over the years, Coles Group has expanded through various acquisitions and subsidiaries.
Acquisitions
In 1958, Coles acquired 54 John Connell Dickins grocery stores, followed by the acquisition of the Beilby's chain in South Australia in 1959, and 265 Matthews Thompson grocery stores in New South Wales in 1960. In 1981, Coles acquired the fast-food restaurant chain Red Rooster. In 2002, Coles Myer sold Red Rooster to Western Australian company Australian Fast Foods. In 2001, John Fletcher, the chief executive of Coles, engineered the acquisition of the retail fuel operations of Shell Australia, rebranding the fuel outlets as Coles Express.
In 2006, Coles Myer acquired Pharmacy Direct for $48 million. In 2019, Coles acquired Jewel Fine Foods, one of its suppliers of ready-to-eat meals. In 2023, Coles announced its intention to purchase two milk processing plants from Saputo Inc. for $105 million.
Subsidiaries
Coles Group has several subsidiaries, including:
- Coles Supermarkets: Operating over 850 stores across Australia, Coles Supermarkets is a national full-service supermarket retailer.
- Coles Express: With over 700 outlets, Coles Express offers retail and fuel products at Shell service stations.
- Liquorland: Liquor chain with some outlets attached to Coles Supermarkets, offering wine, beer, and spirits.
- Vintage Cellars: Liquor chain specialising in premium wines, spirits, and craft beers.
- First Choice Liquor: Larger liquor stores offering a wide range of wines, spirits, and beers, competing directly with Woolworths' Dan Murphy's.
- Coles Financial Services: Provides insurance, credit cards, and personal loans to Australian families.
- Coles Mobile: Offers competitive deals on prepaid SIM cards, prepaid mobiles, and mobile broadband on Optus and Telstra networks.
- Queensland Venue Co.: A joint venture between Coles and Australian Venue Co., where AVC operates Coles' Spirit Hotels, while Coles runs the group's liquor stores.
It is worth noting that some former subsidiaries of Coles Group, such as Kmart, Target, and Officeworks, are now subsidiaries of Wesfarmers following the spin-off of Coles Group in 2018.
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Coles' products and services
Coles Group Limited is an Australian public company that operates several retail chains. The company's primary operations are the sale of food and groceries through its flagship supermarket chain, Coles Supermarkets, and the sale of liquor through its outlets, including Liquorland, Vintage Cellars, and First Choice Liquor.
Coles offers a wide range of products and services to its customers. With over 800 stores across Australia, Coles Supermarkets provides a full-service grocery shopping experience, including online shopping with home delivery or in-store pickup options. The company also operates more than 700 Liquorland outlets, offering wine, beer, and spirits, with a convenient click-and-collect service.
Coles Group also provides financial services, including insurance, credit cards, and personal loans to Australian families. They offer a range of Mastercard options, such as the Coles Low Rate Mastercard, the Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard, and the Coles Rewards Mastercard. Additionally, Coles Mobile offers competitive deals on prepaid SIM cards, prepaid mobiles, and mobile broadband plans on Optus and Telstra networks.
In terms of fuel, Coles Express has over 700 outlets, providing fuel and convenience shopping to customers. The acquisition of Shell Australia's retail fuel operations allowed Coles Group to establish its presence in the fuel market and counter the success of Woolworths' discount petrol operations.
Coles also prioritizes sustainability and healthy eating. They aim to sustainably feed more Australians and provide leading food, drink, and home solutions that are delicious, sustainable, and healthy for their customers.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Coles Group Limited is an Australian public company that was founded in 1914 in Collingwood, Victoria.
Coles Group Limited operates as an independent public company on the Australian Securities Exchange. It was previously owned by Wesfarmers from 2007 until it was spun off in November 2018.
Coles Group Limited includes Coles Supermarkets, Coles Online, Coles Express, Coles Liquor, Coles Financial Services, and Flybuys.
No, Coles is the second-largest retailer in Australia after Woolworths in terms of revenue.
