History

• For 89 years, Coles has had a rich history in Australia. The company can trace its origins to the founders of this nation's retail industry.
  
  
• Founder, George Coles, travelled to the United States to study best practices in retailing in the early 1900s, and in 1914, he opened the first Coles Variety store in Smith Street, Collingwood, Melbourne.
  
  
• Coles Variety Stores became famous for their slogan "Nothing over 2/6" and were regarded as leaders in providing value to the shoppers of Australia.
  
  
• In 1960, the company opened its first supermarket in North Balwyn, Victoria. By 1973, Coles achieved its aim of establishing a supermarket in every Australian capital city.
  
  
• Today Coles is a leader in Australian food retailing, employing more than 92,000 staff and serving over 4.5 million customers every week.
  
  
• Coles is part of Coles Group Limited - Australia's largest retailing group and one of the top 25 retailers in the world.
  
  

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