sp; He said that New Zealand is a smaller market compared to other countries, including Australia, where Ikea has had a presence for 50 years. But the development and popularisation of online shopping has enabled the company to reach more people.  The Sylvia Park store is set to be a “fairly typical” Ikea, according to Winterbine. It will feature three levels – including a significant retail space, parking and a restaurant and bistro serving Swedish delicacies – with sustainability at the heart of the development.  There are ambitions to achieve a 5 Star Green Star rating, with the store featuring 100 per cent LED lighting, electric car park charging, and rainwater harvesting. “We’re still working out the product range but, as we get closer to opening, we’ll [start] to align more with how people live in New Zealand,” Winterbine said. He is anticipating that the new store will receive a few million visitors each year, with online shopping bolstering its reach across the country. “In terms of online shopping, New Zealand rates highly compared to many markets. So we expect that to do well,” he said. Reinvigorated demand According to Winterbine, it’s difficult to predict macroeconomic trends, and what cost-of-living pressures will look like in 2025.  But he believes current financial pressures, as well as Covid-19 restrictions, have highlighted the importance of a comfortable and functional home and led to increased demand for home furnishings, interior design and products that make life at home “a better place to be.”  This, he said, will serve the new store well, even if cost-of-living pressures continue to increase in the coming years. Winterbine added that Ikea’s focus on sustainability will filter through to the design and operation of the new store, and the development of other stores across the world. “We expect that [more] stores will embrace a lot of these sustainability capabilities,” he said. “Allowing customers to live a more sustainable life at home has become an important part of who Ikea is, and how we do business. We believe that this will continue moving forward.” Unique innovations Over the years, Ikea has placed an increasing focus on its e-commerce offering as a way to reach more people, and send products to customers who aren’t in close proximity to its stores. “The stores are becoming more of an experience centre, while also supporting our fulfilment operations, and the Sylvia Park location will serve as a fulfilment unit to [service] online orders,” Winterbine said. “That’s fairly unique compared to other locations around the world, but we see this model continuing to develop across the Ikea world.” Winterbine added that Ikea is still considering the digital technologies that will be used in New Zealand.  But he revealed that the new store might feature innovations that haven’t been seen across the brand’s store network. “The other thing we’re doing to support the new store [is] carrying out as many home visits in and around Auckland as possible, to really understand how people live in New Zealand compared to Australia and other markets,” Winterbine said. Ikea is specifically focused on connecting with local businesses, as well as the Iwi community and other Māori peoples, to ensure that it enters New Zealand in the right way. “Although it will look like a typical Ikea large format box, [it] will be presented in a way that’s tailored specifically for New Zealand consumers.” Global expansion At the moment, Ikea’s main focus is entering the New Zealand market, and opening the new store before the end of 2025, together with its online shopping platform. But Winterbine said that, in time, Ikea will consider exploring other opportunities and different store formats across New Zealand. Globally, he added that Ikea is regularly opening new stores in countries where it already has a presence. “A lot of the expansion is happening within existing markets and countries, so what we’re doing in New Zealand is quite unique,” he said.