Australia’s leading IGA stores were recognised at the prestigious yearly IGA Awards of Excellence held on the Gold Coast this week.
Romeo Retail Group was the big winner of the night, with its McLaren Vale Foodland IGA, South Australia (SA), named National Retailer of the Year and SUPA IGA Store of the Year. IGA Mt Cotton, Queensland (Jones Retail Group), was awarded IGA Store of the Year and IGA X‐press West Hobart, Tasmania (Nikitaras Family), was awarded IGA X-press Store of the Year.
The IGA Awards of Excellence acknowledge the dedicated efforts of the stores and their teams in their local communities, and herald the winning stores as the benchmark for the other 1,400 independent supermarkets across the IGA retail network.
The national awards are judged on a range of criteria, including what the store is famous for, customer service, community contribution, department excellence, brand values, sales, profits, merchandising, shopper experience and the store’s overall performance.
Metcash CEO of Supermarkets and Convenience Steven Cain says the winning stores delivered an outstanding shopping experience tailored to their customers in their awarded categories.
“We’re extremely proud of our retailers and celebrate the hard work, commitment and excellence that stores in the IGA network have demonstrated throughout the year as the network transforms into being the best store in town,” he said.
“We are delighted to recognise their outstanding achievements, and their contribution to the independent retail grocery industry and the Australian economy.”
The awards night also saw retailer, community advocate and business identity Roz White inducted into the prestigious IGA Hall of Fame, recognising her outstanding achievements and contributions to the Australian independent retail grocery industry.
IGA Awards of Excellence take place each year at a gala dinner during the Metcash Food and Grocery Expo on the Gold Coast to celebrate the success across IGA’s network of stores. More than 6,000 retailers and suppliers visited the Expo from across the Metcash business to experience retailing best practice, and the latest products and food trends to bring to shoppers at their local IGA.
2017 IGA Awards of Excellence winners
- National Retailer of the Year: McLaren Vale Foodland IGA, SA.
- IGA Hall of Fame 2017: Roz White, Whites IGA Grocers, Queensland.
- Foodland IGA/SUPA IGA Store of the Year: McLaren Vale Foodland IGA, SA.
- IGA Store of the Year: IGA Mt Cotton, Queensland.
- IGA X-press Store of the Year: IGA X-press West Hobart, Tasmania.
- Retail Transformation & Innovation Award: Boccaccio SUPA IGA, Victoria.
- IGA Community Award 2017: Whites Retail Group, Roz and Michael White.
- Rising Star Award: Rachael Kolbrink, Hilton SUPA IGA, WA.
- SUPA IGA Delicatessen Department of the Year: Boccaccio SUPA IGA, Victoria.
- IGA Delicatessen Department of the Year: IGA North Buderim, Queensland.
- SUPA IGA Meat Department of the Year: Donges SUPA IGA plus Liquor, NSW.
- IGA Meat Department of the Year: Canning Vale IGA, WA.
- SUPA IGA Bakery Department of the Year: Ritchies SUPA IGA Mt Waverley, Victoria.
- IGA Bakery Department of the Year: IGA plus Liquor Crookwell, NSW.
- SUPA IGA Fresh Produce Department: SUPA IGA Atherton, Queensland.
- IGA Fresh Produce Department: Mt Barker IGA Fresh, SA.
- SUPA IGA Grocery & General Merchandise Department of the Year: Ritchies SUPA IGA Mt Waverley, Victoria.
- IGA Grocery & General Merchandise Department of the Year: Vale IGA, WA.
- Foodland IGA/SUPA IGA Dairy-Freezer Department of the Year: Happy Valley Foodland IGA, SA.
- IGA Dairy-Freezer Department of the Year: IGA Pennant Hills, NSW.
- Service Department of the Year: Minlaton IGA Fresh, SA.