Crown Māori Relations Minister Kelvin Davis believes an iwi-owned third supermarket chain would be ka pai.
The Commerce Commission will tomorrow release its final report on the sector, after taking submissions on an interim report which explored options like breaking up the existing Woolworths-Foodstuffs duopoly.
Iwi and Māori business interests have said they are keen to enter the sector if the current barriers to entry were removed.
Mr Davis says that could be good to bring down prices for whānau and to give Māori a secure investment.
“Supermarkets were one area during the pandemic that flourished. Everyone still needed to eat, still needed their groceries and toilet paper and things like that so if Māori are looking to get into the supermarket area, I think that’s a fantastic idea,” he says.
