Peter Daly from Dalys IGA said he is hopeful the redevelopment of the supermarket will gather momentum.

“We are still going through the process but we are getting towards the end,” Mr Daly said.

“There are a few more boxes to tick and hopefully we will be at the tender stage in the next six to eight weeks.

“The aim is to see some action by mid-November.

“We’re about 20 months behind, the aim was to have it done by the end of this year, which is 100 years since the shop opened in Koroit.”

“It looks like it will be the dalmation year now (101).”

The build is expected to take three months with the internal fit-out to last for five months.

Mr Daly and his brother Mick will bring plenty of experience to the complicated internal fit-out process, having carried out a similar task at their Portland store.

That store burnt down in 2012 with Dalys overseeing a complete rebuild.  

That redevelopment project was so successful the store was named the IGA national retailer of the year in 2014.

Mr Daly said the redevelopment would increase the floor space of the supermarket from 380 square metres to 2000 square metres.

The new building will be built first and will be the new home of the supermarket.

The old building will be retained but will be refurbished into four shops which will then be put up for lease.

“The old shop will operate as is right up until the day the new one is ready to trade,” Mr Daly said.

“You can’t leave the town without a supermarket for any length of time.”

The project will also include 70 carparks.