Our Award-Winning Approach
Navigating changing marketplaces takes clear perspective and quick adjustments. First Retail Group shapes every engagement around what is actually happening on the ground in your specific market. Grounded in real retail experience across dozens of categories, we solve your pressing challenges today while building strong foundations for long-term growth.
Here are a few of the organisations we’ve worked alongside:
Recent Projects
Real Experience in Action: See how First Retail Group creates measurable value for private and public sector clients.
Ashburton CBD Strategy
Guided by a retail roadmap from FRG, this Canterbury town is actively shaping a fresh identity for its main street. The practical plan helps the district draw in new visitor groups while strengthening its local business foundations.
Lower Hutt City Centre
Lower Hutt is revitalising its urban heart with upgraded streets, better community spaces, strong transport connections, and long-term investment. Our specialists at FRG are actively helping build the framework driving this work.
Nature-Based Tourism
Millions of international visitors travel to experience New Zealand’s national parks each year. To reflect what makes these locations special, our team designed retail strategies that created distinct merchandise collections.
Impact in Action - Town Centre Strategy
When Masterton District Council, the Masterton Alliance, and the regional Chamber of Commerce wanted to bring fresh commercial momentum into their central business district, they partnered with FRG.
We delivered a focused town centre summit, bringing local business owners and civic leaders together around clear economic goals. By steering detailed conversations about commercial growth and community priorities, we pulled wide-ranging local feedback into a practical, unified blueprint that is moving forward quickly.
The result? A busier, more resilient district directly supporting Masterton’s 2050 "Our Future Our Story" blueprint for sustainable long-term economic prosperity.
Pacific Island Destinations
As Samoa’s leading destination store and resort fashion brand, Janet’s focuses on delivering memorable experiences for every traveller. The family business operates key retail sites across Upolu, including a flagship store inside Faleolo International Airport.
Looking to expand operations, Janet’s leadership brought in FRG to overhaul their retail model, improve customer touchpoints, and map out sustainable expansion – leveraging our extensive work throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific.
Today, Janet’s keeps expanding its reach, introducing fresh fashion and handcrafted accessory lines designed to capture the interest of every traveller visiting Samoa.
Ashburton District Council
We were incredibly pleased with the partnership with First Retail Group throughout our project and beyond. They delivered everything they committed to and, in many cases, went above and beyond our expectations. From the outset, the team immersed themselves in Ashburton's town centre, taking the time to understand the community, connect with key stakeholders, and gain firsthand insight into the opportunities and challenges facing the CBD. Their approach was consistently professional, collaborative, and responsive. Most importantly, they listened. They actively sought feedback, adapted their thinking based on what they heard, and ensured the final recommendations genuinely reflected local perspectives and aspirations. It has been a pleasure working with a team so committed to achieving the best outcomes for our district. Shelley Donnelly - Economic Development Lead