Leading IGA stores were honored in the “New Look” IGA Awards of Excellence, which aired nationwide for the first time on November 27th via satellite.
The awards recognize and recognize the achievements of independent retailers and their teams at the national level who play an important role in their local communities and are judged on a range of criteria including customer service, community pride, departmental excellence, brand values, merchandising and overall performance of business.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions and border closings, the awards ceremonies followed a very different format than the traditional IGA National Awards of Excellence held every year on the Gold Coast. Instead, events were held across the country with Master MC Shane Jacobson hosting guests at the Hyatt Regency Sydney, with live cruises to Tim Campbell at the Park Hyatt in Melbourne, Giaan Rooney at the Hilton in Brisbane and Jo Beth Taylor at the Crown in Perth.
Scott Marshall, CEO of Metcash Food, said, “The IGA Awards of Excellence recognize the hard work, dedication and excellence that IGA businesses across the country have demonstrated over the year. This year's winners again reflect the strength of the IGA network and the efforts they are making to support their local communities as only they know how.
“In a year like no other, it is more important to continue recognizing the efforts of all IGA retailers who have gone every day to ensure that their local communities are served. So, rather than just listing one retailer in the IGA Hall of Fame, we decided to include the entire independent network to recognize their frontline excellence and address the many challenges of 2020. Congratulations to all of our winners. "
– National Retailer of the Year and SUPA IGA Store of the Year: SUPA IGA Mt Cotton, Queensland.
– IGA Store of the Year: IGA Baldivis, Western Australia.
– IGA Xpress Store of the Year: IGA Xpress Alexandra Hills, Queensland.
Hall of Fame: IGA independent dealer network.
The most important award winners are:
- Retailer of the Year and SUPA IGA Store of the Year: SUPA IGA Mt. Cotton, Queensland
- IGA Store of the Year: IGA Baldivis, Western Australia
- IGA Xpress Store of the Year: IGA Xpress Alexandra Hills, Queensland.
Excellent deals were recognized including:
SUPA IGA Mt. Cotton, Queensland – Tyrone and Leanne Jones
- National Retailer of the Year
- SUPA IGA Store of the year
- SUPA IGA delicatessen department of the year
- SUPA IGA meat department of the year
- SUPA IGA fresh produce department of the year.
IGA Baldivis, Western Australia – Pat Rock
- IGA Store of the Year
- IGA Food and General Merchandise Department of the Year.
IGA Xpress Alexandra Hills, Queensland – Dan and Jacki Rigney
- IGA Xpress Store of the Year.
IGA Mt. Coolum, Queensland – Michael and Roz White
- IGA Delicatessen Department of the Year
- IGA Bakery Department of the Year.
Romeo's Grocery Hall IGA Plus Liquor Mortdale, NSW – Romeo's retail group
- IGA Dairy Freezer Department of the Year
- Retail Transformation & Innovation Award.
Other winners of the IGA Awards of Excellence are:
- John David Team Member Award: Iain Kirsch, Commercial Director – WA
- IGA Community Award: IGA Tweed Valley and IGA Murwillumbah, Queensland – Brett & Leanne Bugg and The Klose Group, SA – Barry and Nick Klose
- IGA Customer Service Award: SUPA IGA Tully, Queensland – Craig Teiztel
- Innovation award for the IGA Xpress Small Format Store: IGA Xpress Rottnest, WA – Greg Brindle
- IGA meat department of the year: IGA Cooktown, Queensland – Graham Booysen
- Foodland IGA / SUPA IGA Bakery Department of the Year: Nuriootpa Foodland IGA, SA – Nuriootpa Co-Op
- IGA Fresh Products of the Year Department: IGA Allambie Heights, NSW – Michael and Phillip Whitehead and Tony Loneragan
- SUPA IGA Food and General Commercial Department of the Year: Ritchie's SUPA IGA Rowville, Victoria – Ritchie's Group
- SUPA IGA milk freezing department of the year: SUPA IGA North Street, WA – Bob Cybula
- IGA Xpress Fresh Award: Ettaro IGA Xpress, Victoria – Midhat Elyas
- Rising Star Award: Johnathan Vandervoet, IGA Xpress Swanbourne Market, WA.
Full coverage of the awards will be published in the upcoming January / February 2021 edition of Retail World.
