Ruqayyah Snyder
Kmart Australia is a chain of retail department stores owned by the Kmart Group division of Wesfarmers. The company operates over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Melbourne. Kmart Australia was born out of a joint venture between G.J. Coles & Coy Limited (Coles) and the S.S. Kresge Company (Kresge), with Kresge owning 51% of the common stock in the company and the remaining 49% being owned by Coles. Today, Kmart Australia is a trusted Aussie icon, serving millions of customers every year and offering a wide range of everyday products at low prices.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current owner | Wesfarmers |
| Previous owner | G.J. Coles & Coy Limited (Coles) and the S.S. Kresge Company (Kresge) |
| Year of acquisition by current owner | 2007 |
| Number of stores in Australia and New Zealand | Over 300 |
| Number of employees | 38,000-40,000 |
| Revenue in the last financial year | $11.1 billion |
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What You'll Learn
Kmart Australia is owned by Wesfarmers
Kmart Australia was born out of a joint venture between G.J. Coles & Coy Limited (Coles) and the S.S. Kresge Company (Kresge) in 1968. Kresge owned 51% of the company, and Coles owned the remaining 49%. The first Kmart Australia store opened in Burwood East, Melbourne, in 1969.
Kmart Australia has since expanded to over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Melbourne. It is part of the Kmart Group, which also includes Target Australia. The Kmart Group forms a division of Wesfarmers.
Kmart Australia has experienced strong performance and revenue growth in recent years, even amid challenging market conditions. Its success has been attributed to its home brand, Anko, which offers popular products at discounted prices. Anko has become one of Australia's most popular brands, accounting for 85% of Kmart's sales in the country.
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Kmart Australia has over 300 stores
Kmart Australia is owned by the Kmart Group division of Wesfarmers, an Australian conglomerate. The first Kmart store in Australia opened in 1969 in Burwood East, Melbourne. The store was a joint venture between G.J. Coles & Coy Limited (Coles) and the S.S. Kresge Company, the owner of Kmart USA.
Kmart Australia has since expanded to over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Melbourne. The company aims to provide families with easy access to everyday items at low prices.
In 2015, Kmart introduced self-checkouts across all its stores and ceased trading DVDs, CDs, video games, and other home entertainment products in 2018. The company has a strong focus on product development and innovation, executing its vision through a simple shopping experience and lower prices for customers.
Kmart Australia's success has led to its expansion beyond traditional retail, with the introduction of Kmart 24 Hour stores and K-Hub, serving rural communities. The company has also established a strong online presence, offering customers a convenient way to shop for Kmart products from the comfort of their homes.
Kmart's extensive network of over 300 stores in Australia has made it an essential part of numerous communities, revolutionising the way Australians and New Zealanders shop. The company's commitment to low prices and innovation in store design and product offerings has solidified its position as a trusted Aussie icon.
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Kmart Australia's success
Kmart Australia is an Australian chain of retail department stores owned by the Kmart Group division of Wesfarmers. The company operates over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Melbourne. Kmart Australia has been successful due to a combination of strategic business decisions, customer-centric approaches, and effective use of data and technology.
One key factor in Kmart Australia's success is its commitment to delivering low prices without compromising quality. The company has achieved this through "price consistency," avoiding pricing strategies that involve frequent discounts or sales. Instead, they offer consistently low prices, building trust with their customers and simplifying the shopping experience. Kmart Australia also sources products directly in large volumes, enabling them to reduce costs and pass the savings on to their customers.
Another aspect of Kmart Australia's success is its ability to adapt and innovate. Initially starting as a traditional discount chain, Kmart transformed into a modern, hybrid retailer. They recognised the importance of physical retail while also embracing digital transformation. Kmart Australia migrated its legacy systems to the cloud, unlocking valuable data insights. This enabled them to enhance fraud detection, perform demographic analyses, and optimise product allocation to meet demand in different geographical locations.
The company has also expanded its business model beyond retail, venturing into product manufacturing for other brands and direct-to-consumer retail in emerging economies through online marketplaces. This diversification has contributed to their success and international growth.
Kmart Australia has also fostered an emotional connection with its customers through product affordability and community engagement. The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, a Christmas gift drive run in partnership with The Salvation Army since 1988, has raised over $5.6 million and delivered 10 million gifts to those in need. This initiative, along with Kmart's focus on making everyday living brighter for families, has created a positive perception of the brand.
Additionally, Kmart Australia has focused on operational efficiency by designing out waste across the value chain, from the design stage to the customer's purchase. This approach has not only reduced costs, enabling them to further lower prices, but has also had a positive environmental impact.
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Kmart Australia's home brand, Anko
Kmart Australia is an Australian chain of retail department stores owned by the Kmart Group division of Wesfarmers. Kmart Australia Limited was created out of a joint venture between G.J Coles & Coy Limited (Coles) and the S.S. Kresge Company, owner of Kmart USA. The first Kmart store in Australia opened in Burwood East, Victoria, in 1969. Today, Kmart has over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand.
Anko is Kmart Australia's home brand, introduced in 2019 to celebrate Kmart's 50th anniversary. Anko is an evolution of the " & Co" branding Kmart had previously used for individual departments such as "Kids&Co", "Home&Co", and "Clothing&Co". Anko also means "A New Kind Of", representing the company's changed philosophy since 2008.
Anko has the largest market share in home and toys, menswear, womenswear, and childrenswear categories in Australia. In 2024, 85% of products in Kmart stores were Anko-branded. Anko is also an international brand, with Kmart making arrangements to sell its products in other department stores in countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Canada, and the Philippines. Anko products are also sold online in India through Amazon and Flipkart.
The low prices, stylishness, and fast turnover of Kmart's own-brand designs have sparked an online subculture of amateur home renovators and decorators, who use social media to showcase how they style their Kmart purchases and incorporate them into DIY projects known as "Kmart hacks". This trend, along with traditional media coverage praising particular "Kmart hacks" and clever consumer tips by "Kmart mums", has further popularised Kmart as a source of luxury-styled products at low prices.
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Kmart Australia's history
Kmart Australia was born out of a joint venture between G.J. Coles & Coy Limited (Coles) and the S.S. Kresge Company (Kresge), with Kresge owning 51% of the common stock in the company and the remaining 49% owned by Coles. The first Kmart Australia store opened in Burwood East, Victoria, on 30 April 1969.
In 1988, Kmart opened its first store in New Zealand, in Henderson, a suburb of Auckland. Kresge exited the partnership in 1994, selling its ownership in the company to Coles Myer, the successor to G. J. Coles & Coy Limited. Since the dissolution of Coles Myer in 2007, the Australian and New Zealand Kmart stores have been owned by Wesfarmers.
Kmart Australia has over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand, serving millions of customers every year. The company's head office is located in Mulgrave, Melbourne, and it employs over 40,000 people. Kmart Australia is part of the Kmart Group, which also includes Target Australia.
Kmart Australia has been able to weather the e-commerce storm, in part due to the geographical challenges companies like Amazon face in Australia. Kmart's decentralised structure, with stores across the country, has been a key factor in its success. The company also uses "K hub" micro-stores, which offer locals in regional locations access to some of Kmart's best-selling products, as well as a place to pick up online orders.
Kmart Australia has a strong social media presence, and its low prices and stylish designs have sparked an online subculture of amateur home renovators and decorators, many of whom are suburban women. The company's own brand, Anko, has been a significant driver of its success, accounting for 85% of Kmart's sales in Australia and transforming the chain into a product maker rather than a traditional retailer.
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Frequently asked questions
Kmart Australia is owned by Wesfarmers, an Australian conglomerate.
Kmart Australia was born out of a joint venture between G.J. Coles & Coy Limited (Coles) and the S.S. Kresge Company (Kresge). Kresge owned 51% of the company and Coles owned the remaining 49%. Kresge exited the partnership in 1994, selling their ownership to Coles Myer.
Wesfarmers took over ownership of Kmart Australia in 2007 after the dissolution of Coles Myer.
Kmart operates over 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand, serving millions of customers every year.
Kmart employs around 38,000-40,000 team members across Australia and New Zealand.
