Four Square
The local shop. Where you can end up owning the business you started in.
Four Square is the neighbourhood grocery brand of the Foodstuffs co-operative, with stores in small towns, suburbs and holiday spots right across New Zealand. Most are run by a local owner-operator, and many have been in the same family for years.
Small-store grocery is hands-on. One shift you are on the till, the next you are receiving a delivery, pricing stock or covering the chiller. That breadth is the appeal: it is the fastest way to understand how a whole business works, and the co-operative model means the top of the ladder is genuine ownership.
230+
Stores nationwide
1924
Brand founded
Co-op
Owner-operated model
Career pathways
Progression is not automatic, but these are the paths people actually follow at Four Square. The colour deepens as the roles get more senior.
In store
A small-store ladder, which means each rung teaches you more of the business.
- Store assistant6–12 monthsStart here
Till, shelves, deliveries, chiller checks — a bit of everything.
- Duty manager1–2 years
Running shifts, cashing up, and holding a Manager’s Certificate for alcohol sales.
- Assistant store manager2–3 years
Ordering, rostering and margin — the commercial side of the shop.
- Store manager
Running the store day to day on the owner’s behalf.
- Owner-operator
Buying into Foodstuffs and running your own Four Square.
See it for yourself
Clip coming soon
Four Square on the floor, filmed for 7 Jobs 7 Days.
7 Jobs 7 Days spent a shift with the Four Square team. No script, no stock footage — just what the job actually looks like before you apply.