Leading IGA stores are celebrating after winning awards at the prestigious annual Independent Grocers of Australia (IGA) Retailer of the Year Awards held on the Gold Coast on the 20 July 2015.
The awards, hosted by actor and comedian Shane Jacobson, recognised the efforts of the stores and their staff in the community and placed the winning stores as the benchmark for other IGA supermarkets across Australia.
The national awards were judged on a range of criteria including what the store is famous for, customer service, community pride, living the IGA brand values, sales, profits, merchandising and the store’s overall performance.
The awards were presented to the store teams by Executive General Manager Retail Network, Russell Parker and IGA National Council Chairman, Ben Ryan. Ben said the National Retailer of the Year Awards was considered a great honour amongst the IGA group, with competition becoming stronger each year. “The IGA National Retailer of the Year Awards acknowledge the hard work, commitment and excellence our stores have demonstrated all year.
“All of our winners have done an incredible job and this award is testament to their excellence on so many levels. In recognising these individuals, we acknowledge the true essence of independent retailing and what it really means to be an IGA retailer,” he concluded. Two retailers, Tony and Elisabeth Romeo, are celebrating after being inducted into the prestigious IGA Hall of Fame, which recognises outstanding achievements and contribution to the Australian independent retail grocery industry.
The Retailer of the Year Awards take place each year at a gala dinner during the Metcash Food and Grocery Expo on the Gold Coast to celebrate success across IGA’s network of 1,400 stores. Over 6,000 retailers and suppliers visit Expo from across the Metcash business.
Twenty-four category awards were awarded, with the full list of winners outlined below:
IGA Retailer of the Year: Ritchies IGA Mt Eliza (VIC)
SUPA IGA/Foodland and IGA National Retailer of the Year: Frewville Foodland IGA (SA)
IGA X-press Retailer of the Year: IGA X-press Lauderdale (TAS)
IGA Bakery Department of the Year: Ritchies IGA Mt Eliza (VIC)
SUPA IGA/Foodland IGA Bakery Department of the Year: Frewville Foodland IGA (SA)
IGA Dairy-Freezer Department of the Year: Pearsall IGA (WA)
SUPA IGA Dairy-Freezer Department of the Year: White’s SUPA IGA Bli Bli (QLD)
IGA Deli Department of the Year: IGA Cashmere (QLD)
SUPA IGA Deli Department of the Year: White’s SUPA IGA Bli Bli (QLD)
IGA X-press Fresh Department of the Year: IGA X-press New Town (TAS)
IGA General Merchandise Department of the Year: Coober Pedy IGA Fresh (SA)
SUPA IGA General Merchandise Department of the Year: Ceduna Foodland IGA (SA)
IGA Grocery Department of the Year: Pearsall IGA (WA)
SUPA IGA Grocery Department of the Year: Romeo’s SUPA IGA St Ives (NSW)
IGA X-press Grocery Department of the Year: IGA X-press Lauderdale (TAS)
IGA Meat Department of the Year: 2nd Ave Mount Lawley IGA (WA)
SUPA IGA Meat Department of the Year: SUPA IGA Atherton (QLD)
IGA Produce Department of the Year: Ritchies IGA Mt Eliza (VIC)
SUPA IGA/Foodland IGA Produce Department of the Year: Frewville Foodland IGA (SA)
IGA Service Department of the Year: IGA Bellingen (NSW)
SUPA IGA Service Department of the Year: Ashcroft’s SUPA IGA Summer Centre (NSW)
Sustainable Store of the Year: Morgan’s SUPA IGA Meadow Heights (VIC)
Retail Achievement Award: Regan Jensen, White’s SUPA IGA Bli Bli (QLD)
Hall of Fame: Tony and Elisabeth Romeo, Romeo Retail Group (SA/NSW)
