Shoppers are beating the cost-of-living crunch by heading to a little-known family-run supermarket to save money on groceries.
Discount retailer Ten Tops sells nothing over $10 and has become a go-to supermarket for locals.
Similar products sold at leading supermarkets typically cost double the price.
There are eight stores in New South Wales – Armidale, Dubbo, Nowra, Penrith, Richmond, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Young – and one in Fyshwick, in the ACT.
Customers can pick up necessities including toilet paper, frozen food, snacks, dishwashing tablets, pet food and more for $10 or less – a price point almost unheard of in the current climate.
Shoppers can purchase Heinz products for $1.50 per can, one-litre bottles of orange juice for $2, 12-pack Quilton toilet paper for $6.75, and 750ml bottles of non-alcoholic Natureo Shiraz wine for $1 each.
Ten Tops, in New South Wales and the ACT, sells every item for $10 or less – from groceries to cleaning supplies, pet food, garden items and more
Packets of Finish 42-pack dishwashing tablets cost $10, and Heinz products cost $1.50 per can
Customers have boasted about the brand on social media
Packets of Finish 42-pack dishwashing tablets – which cost $54 at Woolworths – cost just $10 at Ten Tops.
Dr. Oetker frozen pizza costs $4.50, boxes of Cadbury Favourites are priced at $5, and four-litre DUO Laundry Liquid costs a mere $10.
The store sells everything from groceries to homewares, garden needs, tools, health and beauty supplies, toys, flowers and more.
However, there’s no fresh produce – only dry products.
Three generations and eight family members work in the business that is taking on leading supermarkets.
With more than 50 years of retail experience, the Bernardi family started in the supermarket industry 25 years ago with the opening of grocery store Discount Daves. The store’s name pays homage to David, one of the business owners.
‘This is where the company developed its love for an epic deal and hot products,’ the company states.
Ten Tops then formed in 2020 with an ‘understanding [of] the need to provide Australian families with value for money’. Its first store opened in Dubbo, NSW.
Customers can save hundreds of dollars every week by shopping at Ten Tops first before visiting other retailers
Customers can also buy Quilton Toilet Tissue Paper for $6.75 and non-alcoholic wine for $1
Family member Isabella Bernardi, who works in Head Office, told FEMAIL the brand is ‘aware’ of the need to compete with Woolworths and Coles.
‘Our customers are price-sensitive and are aware of the market we’re in, so 100 per cent we need to compete with other retailers,’ she said.
‘We’re finding that customers tend to come to us first before going elsewhere. We don’t use any high-low strategies other supermarkets use – everything at Ten Tops is $10 or less.
‘We work tirelessly to ensure the customer is getting the very best price.’
Since all Ten Top locations are based in rural suburbs, there are competing supermarkets nearby. The Ten Tops in Armidale shares a car park with Coles and Woolworths.
Employee Danielle, who is the second-in-charge at the Penrith store, also told FEMAIL the family-owned business always puts the customer first.
‘People are struggling to afford certain products because of the cost of living at the moment, so we try to make the price as cheap as we can to those who need that extra help,’ she said.
‘We want to make it easier for people to access and afford what they need. Some items we sell for $10 cost double the price at other supermarkets.’
The freezer, pantry and cleaning items are the most sought-after products among shoppers.
The business negotiates bulk deals with companies across Australia in order to sell products for the cheapest price.
There are nine Ten Tops stores in total, eight of which are located in New South Wales and one in the ACT.
Employee Danielle said the freezer, pantry and cleaning items are the most sought-after products among shoppers
Sydney foodie Bri, better known as Western Sydney Blogger online, boasted about the Ten Tops store in Penrith on TikTok. In a video she detailed what customers can expect
With over 50 years of retail experience, the Bernardi family started in the supermarket industry and 25 years ago with the opening of grocery store Discount Daves
Sydney foodie Bri, better known as Western Sydney Blogger online, boasted about the Ten Tops store in Penrith on TikTok.
‘Times are tough, let’s be serious. Everything’s expensive. I can’t afford a Europe trip right now, but you know we’re going to make do,’ she said in a video.
In the clip she panned the camera across the store and detailed what customers can expect from a visit to the store.
‘This place had everything, it’s ridiculous,’ Bri said.
‘This stuff is [from] proper brands like Pine O Cleen, Ajax, you name it. They weren’t some random dishwashing liquid from Albania.’
She described the frozen food section as ‘nostalgic’ because they had a variety of products Bri used to enjoy as a child – such as Chiko Rolls, pizza rounds, and Zooper Dooper ice blocks.
After visiting the store with her mum the giant grocery haul filled mostly with cleaning supplies, toilet paper and coat hangers came to a total of $102.25.
