Woolworths Group (Australia)

Woolworths Group Limited
Woolworths Limited (1924–2017)
Woolworths Group (2017–present)
Company typePublic company
ASXWOW
IndustryRetail
Founded22 September 1924 (1924-09-22)
FoundersPercy Christmas
Stanley Chatterton
Cecil Scott Waine
George Creed
Ernest Williams
Headquarters,
Australia
Number of locations
1,824 stores (2025)
Area served
Australia, New Zealand
Key people
Scott Perkins (Chairman)
Amanda Bardwell (Chief Executive Officer)
Revenue A$67.92 billion (2024)
A$1.62 billion (2024)
A$117 million (2024)
Total assets A$33.94 billion (2024)
Total equity A$5.57 billion (2024)
Number of employees
201,000 (2024)
Divisions
SubsidiariesList of Woolworths Group companies
WebsiteOfficial website

Woolworths Group Limited is an Australian multinational retail and financial services company headquartered in Bella Vista, New South Wales, Australia. It is primarily known for operating the supermarket chain Woolworths Supermarkets in Australia, the Woolworths supermarket business in New Zealand, and the discount department store chain Big W.

The company is one of the largest retailers in Australia and New Zealand and is the largest company in Australia by revenue and number of employees.

Founded in Sydney in 1924 as the variety retailer Woolworths Limited, the company entered the New Zealand market in 1929 and has traded in every Australian state and territory since 1960. During the late 20th century the company transitioned away from variety retailing and expanded into supermarkets and other retail formats.

Since 2012, Woolworths has undergone a period of restructuring and divestment, selling several businesses including its shopping centre interests, electronics retailing operations, home improvement ventures, fuel retailing, liquor retailing, and hospitality assets in order to focus primarily on supermarket retail.

Woolworths currently operates Woolworths Supermarkets in Australia, the customer loyalty program Everyday Rewards, discount department store chain Big W, and supermarket brands in New Zealand including Woolworths NZ, SuperValue and FreshChoice. The company is unrelated to the former American retailer F. W. Woolworth Company.