Harris Farm was voted the ‘Most Loved’, ‘Most Recommended’, ‘Most Trusted’ and ‘Top Rated Supermarket Produce’ in Finder’s supermarket awards. (Source: AAP/Harris Farm)
Fresh fruit and grocery chain Harris Farm has taken out four supermarket awards in a vote by thousands of Aussie shoppers. The high-end supermarket is known for charging steeper prices for fruit and vegetables, but that didn’t stop it from coming out on top of the likes of Aldi, Coles and Woolworths in certain categories.
More than 10,000 Aussie consumers ranked Australia’s supermarkets in Finder’s Customer Satisfaction Awards. Harris Farm was the big winner, voted the ‘Most Loved’, ‘Most Recommended’, ‘Most Trusted’ and ‘Top Rated Supermarket Produce’.
Aldi won the ‘Top Value’ award for the second year in a row, while Ritchies took out ‘Legendary Service’. Woolworths picked up a gong for ‘Top Rated Supermarket Rewards Program’ for its Everyday Rewards offering, while Coles was the favourite for home convenience, winning ‘Top Rated Grocery Delivery’.
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Finder head of consumer research Graham Cooke said the supermarket industry was “fiercely competitive” and brands tended to excel in different areas.
“Harris Farm took the top gong in half of all the categories this year, and was the most recommended supermarket in Australia,” Cooke said.
“For those looking for a bargain though, Aldi came out on top again. Their range, however, is smaller than their competitors.
“Coles has been upping their game in delivery, and the Woolies rewards program is the highest rated in Australia, and the one only one which awards Qantas points.”
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Harris Farm is the lesser talked about player in the supermarket battle, and it has a much smaller footprint than its competitors. The grocer has 33 stores across NSW, Queensland and Canberra.
It suffered a $22 million loss in the 2024 financial year, more than triple the previous years, and said this was due to problems with the rollout of a new software system. The group’s sales rose 5.6 per cent to $788 million in the year.
The grocery chain was founded in 1971 by David and Cathy Harris in Villawood in Sydney’s west. Three of their five sons, Angus, Tristan and Luke, took over the day-to-day operations of the company in 2013.
The three brothers were co-CEOs until two years ago when Tristan exited his executive role. He remains a director.
Harris Farm has 33 stores in NSW, Queensland and Canberra. (Source: Harris Farm)
The average Aussie is now spending $209 per week on groceries for their households, according to Finder’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker. That’s an increase from $190 per week a year ago.
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Families with children are spending a higher amount at $264 per week, while those without kids are spending less at $183 per week.
Woolworths announced this week it would be adding more than 100 new products to its Lower Shelf Price commitment, taking the total to nearly 700.
Products including rice, pasta sauce, olive oil, cereal and muesli bars will stay at the new lower shelf until at least 2026.
“We know that providing consistent, reliable value to our customers is more important than ever,” Woolworths Group CEO Amanda Bardwell said.
“This is not about temporary specials, but about long-term shelf price certainty on the products that matter most for families.”
Coles has announced seasonal price drops, most recently dropping prices on more than 300 winter and household staples.
Aldi has been consistently winning the government-funded CHOICE supermarket price basket comparison and recently took out Canstar Blue’s top-rated supermarket award.
Aldi Australia CEO Anna McGrath said the supermarket wouldn’t be beaten on the cost of customers’ weekly shop.
“We achieve this by fine-tuning even the smallest details of our operations, ensuring that every aspect contributes to the savings we pass on to our customers,” she said.
“This means we don’t rely on temporary discounts, and our customers don’t have to chase them.”
Aldi revealed its savings tactics included its use of coin locked trolleys ,smaller stores, digital price tags and oversized barcodes.
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