Flemings (supermarkets)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (supermarket) |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Founder | Jim Fleming Sr., George Fleming |
| Defunct | 19 May 2020 |
| Fate | Stores closed or rebranded as Woolworths or Woolworths Metro |
Area served | Sydney and surrounding regions, Australia |
Key people | Jim Fleming Jr. |
| Products | Groceries |
| Parent | Woolworths Limited (after 1960) |
Flemings was a budget supermarket chain that operated within Sydney and its surrounding regions.
The business was established in 1930 by Jim Fleming Sr. alongside George Fleming, originally trading under the name "E.L. Lakin." Following the conclusion of World War II, the company adopted the name "Fleming's Fabulous Food Stores" and expanded its presence to 100 outlets.
In June 1960, Jim Fleming Jr. and his father divested 55 Flemings locations to Woolworths Limited for a sum of $10 million. During the early 1970s, Jim Fleming Jr. purchased Warman's Stores located in New South Wales and rebranded them as Jewel Food Stores, positioning them to compete directly with Flemings in the discount grocery sector.
Beginning in the late 1990s, Flemings stores underwent an internal rebranding process to align with Woolworths, adopting common marketing strategies and private label products. Despite this, the external signage remained unchanged until the late 2000s. Over time, multiple Flemings outlets were either closed or converted into Woolworths or Woolworths Metro stores. Key examples include the Pendle Hill store’s renovation and rebranding in 2009, the closure of Umina Beach in June 2010 with a nearby Woolworths opening as replacement, and the transformation of Bexley North into a Woolworths Metro in 2017. The last remaining Flemings store, located in Jannali, ceased operations on 19 May 2020 and was succeeded by a Woolworths Metro.
See also
- Woolworths, the supermarket brand that followed Flemings
- Woolworths Limited
- Jewel Food Stores