11 Facts About Coles Myer

Coles Myer Group Limited is an Australian public company operating several retail chains.

Since its foundation in Collingwood, Victoria in 1914, Coles Myer has grown to become the second-largest retailer in Australia after its principal rival Woolworths in terms of revenue.

Coles Myer was run in succession by members of the Coles Myer family from 1914 until the mid-1970s by the "famous five knights", brothers Sir George, Sir Arthur, Sir Edgar, Sir Kenneth and Sir Norman – known by their first initials – GJ, AW, EB, KF, NC.

In 1960, the first supermarket was opened in the Melbourne suburb of North Balwyn and in 1973, a Coles Myer store had been established in all capital cities of the country.

Coles Myer has in the past been listed on the NYSE, the New Zealand Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange.

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Coles Myer expanded to Adelaide, acquiring a shareholding in Marshall's department store in 1925, later renaming this company as Coles Myer SA Stores Ltd.

In 1998, Coles Myer opened the first Megamart store, in Coorparoo, Queensland.

Fletcher engineered the acquisition of the retail fuel operations of Shell Australia with the fuel outlets rebranded as Coles Myer Express, allowing Coles Myer Group to counter the success of Woolworths' discount petrol operation.

The Coles Myer board rejected the offer stating it significantly undervalued the company, and was conditional on a due diligence process, without a guarantee that the deal would go ahead.

In May 2007, Coles Myer reported its slowest sales growth in at least seven years with continuing poor performance from Coles Myer Supermarkets and Kmart.

In September 2022, Coles Myer announced that it would sell its Coles Myer express stations to another company called Viva Energy.