Leading IGA and Foodland IGA stores have been recognised at the 2022 National IGA Awards of Excellence held on 19 July at The Star, Gold Coast.
Master MC’s and hosts of The Today Show, Karl Stefanovic and Ally Langdon hosted guests at The Star Gold Coast to recognise the independent IGA retailers from across the country.
The awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of independent retailers and their teams across Australia who play a vital role in their local communities and are judged on a range of criteria including customer service, community pride, department excellence, brand values, merchandising and the store’s overall performance.
Metcash Food CEO Scott Marshall said: “The IGA Awards of Excellence acknowledge the hard work, commitment and excellence IGA stores across the country have demonstrated throughout the year in delivering and exceptional store experience for their local shoppers. These exemplary stores have gone over and above for the benefit of their local community and reflect the strength of the IGA network and the efforts that they go to support the locals.”
The major award winners are listed below.
National Retailer of the Year and SUPA IGA Store of the Year: Ritchies IGA Maclean, NSW
Ritchie Company Director James Cameron said: “It was a really proud moment and when you are so invested in setting up a store, it is such a proud moment to get recognition for all the hard work we do to get everything up and running.”
IGA Store of the Year: IGA on Bloomfield, Queensland
Owner Tyrone Jones said: “When we opened this store, it was during the first couple of weeks of the pandemic and trying to employ our team and find people who are passionate about food was difficult to do. Since opening, the store has continued to grow and I must give credit to our General Manager David, our Store Manager Paul, and the team at IGA on Bloomfield for how they stepped up during that time. They are passionate about food and the community; they are the local heroes.”
IGA Xpress Store of the Year: IGA Xpress Swanbourne Market, WA
Steve Carre said: “To say we are really excited to win the IGA Xpress Store of the Year is an understatement. We would not be able to do what we do every day without the support of our amazing staff who make our store a great place to be and help shape the future of our small family business, our suppliers who ensure we have the best local produce and our wonderful customers who recognise the power of small and the importance of shopping local. This is the first time that a WA store has won this award so it is an absolute win for our state and for small local stores across Australia, who like us are in the stores that sit at the heart of their local communities every day.
Outstanding stores were recognised on the night including:
Ritchies SUPA IGA Maclean
- IGA National Retailer of the Year
- SUPA IGA National Store of the Year
- SUPA IGA National Grocery & General Merchandise Department of the Year
IGA on Bloomfield – Tyrone and Leeanne Jones
- IGA National Store of the Year
- IGA National Delicatessen Department of the Year
- IGA National Bakery Department of the Year
IGA Xpress Swanbourne Market – Steve and Kirsty Carre
- IGA Xpress Store of the Year
Donges IGA Plus Liquor Young – Robert Donges
- IGA Hall of Fame
- SUPA IGA National Dairy-Freezer Department of the Year
Rigters SUPA IGA Geraldton – John Rigter
- SUPA IGA National Delicatessen Department of the Year
- SUPA IGA National Fresh Produce Department of the Year
Other IGA Awards of Excellence winners include:
- IGA National Community Award: Hasting’s Co-Op Group
- IGA National Customer Service and Experience Award: Mount Compass IGA
- IGA National Meat Department of the Year: Keith IGA
- Foodland IGA National Meat Department of the Year: Saints Foodland IGA
- SUPA IGA Bakery Department of the Year: SUPA IGA Queens
- IGA National Fresh Produce Department of the Year: IGA Winthrop
- IGA National Grocery & General Merchandise Department of the Year: IGA Cockatoo
- IGA National Dairy-Freezer Department of the Year – Seasons IGA Greenslopes
- IGA Xpress National Fresh Award: Lovey’s IGA Xpress Hawks Nest
- IGA National Retail Transformation & Innovation Award – Spano’s IGA Mermaid Waters
- IGA Xpress National Small Format Store Innovation Award – IGA Xpress Kincumber Plus Liquor
- IGA National Rising Star Award: Josh Rock IGA Baldivis.
Don’t miss the upcoming Convenience World August issue for full coverage.
