Construction of the first IKEA store in New Zealand is accelerating, with the warehouse completed and mass recruitment of over 400 co-workers set to begin in early 2025, approximately a year before the planned opening. The Auckland store’s blue facade, showroom, restaurant, and roof are advancing rapidly, and the iconic yellow IKEA wordmark is expected to go up by mid-2025.

The store’s steel frame, consisting of 4,800 tons of structural steel, is near completion, doubling the standard used in other IKEA locations due to New Zealand’s earthquake protection regulations. Once open, the warehouse, located 20 kilometers from the store, will support nationwide deliveries, enabling purchases in-store, online, or by phone from day one.

New Zealand will be IKEA’s first new market since the opening of its Slovenian store in 2020, marking a strategic step in the company’s global expansion. As part of a EUR 5 billion investment plan extending to FY27, Ingka Group, IKEA’s largest retailer, aims to optimize operations across 31 markets and launch new stores worldwide.