Closure of two Leo's supermarkets won't cut the mustard for gourmands
It's 8 degrees and raining, but Aleks Owczarek has braved the elements and driven eight kilometres to Leo's supermarket in Kew from his home in Northcote.
He emerges with two jars of mustard. Not just any mustard, but Marcel Recorbet-branded goodies, imported from the French Alps.
Stocking up on gourmet treats at Leo's has been a much-loved ritual for him for 20 years, but Owczarek and fellow shoppers were shocked and saddened to learn on Wednesday that Leo's supermarkets in Kew and Heidelberg will close.
In response to questions from The Age, Le Max Group, owner of Leo's, confirmed rumours that both upmarket supermarkets will cease trading late in 2026. The company also revealed that both properties have already been sold.
No mention was made of selling or closing the Leo's outpost in Glen Iris or the Le Max Group-owned Maxi Foods in Upper Ferntree Gully.
'I'm disappointed, and slightly shocked,' said Owczarek, a keen home cook who finds that supermarkets near his home don't always cut the mustard for the foodstuffs he's after.
He likes how Leo's has no self-service checkouts and fewer queues than the big retail chains, 'but the main reason' he comes is for the brands. His favourite products include Ortiz anchovies and Peter Watson peppercorns.
Dee Fielding, who often travels 11 kilometres from her home in Eltham to shop at Leo's in Heidelberg, said 'it's just very sad' that the supermarket is closing.
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18 hours ago
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Beloved gourmet supermarkets in Kew and Heidelberg to close
It's 8 degrees and raining, but Aleks Owczarek has braved the elements and driven eight kilometres to Leo's supermarket in Kew from his home in Northcote. He emerges with two jars of mustard. Not just any mustard, but Marcel Recorbet-branded goodies, imported from the French Alps. Stocking up on gourmet treats at Leo's has been a much-loved ritual for him for 20 years, but Owczarek and fellow shoppers were shocked and saddened to learn on Wednesday that Leo's supermarkets in Kew and Heidelberg will close. In response to questions from The Age, Le Max Group, owner of Leo's, confirmed rumours that both upmarket supermarkets will cease trading late in 2026. The company also revealed that both properties have already been sold. No mention was made of selling or closing the Leo's outpost in Glen Iris or the Le Max Group-owned Maxi Foods in Upper Ferntree Gully. 'I'm disappointed, and slightly shocked,' said Owczarek, a keen home cook who finds that supermarkets near his home don't always cut the mustard for the foodstuffs he's after. He likes how Leo's has no self-service checkouts and fewer queues than the big retail chains, 'but the main reason' he comes is for the brands. His favourite products include Ortiz anchovies and Peter Watson peppercorns. Dee Fielding, who often travels 11 kilometres from her home in Eltham to shop at Leo's in Heidelberg, said 'it's just very sad' that the supermarket is closing.
