A record number of nominees celebrated as Endeavour Group unveiled the winners at its second annual Supplier of the Year Awards held in Melbourne this evening.
Creation and activation were the themes as the best of producers, distillers and distributors celebrating the winners across 14 unique categories were showcased.
It is the first time Endeavour Group has combined its Retail and Hotel supplier communities in the awards, with more than 170 brand nominations, hosted by television personality, Shelley Craft.
Endeavour Group’s Director of Merchandise and Buying, Tim Carroll said the event is indicative of the high calibre of products and continued innovation and entrepreneurship within the drinks industry.
“The exceptionality of these entrants goes to show the level of quality present in the Australian drinks and hospitality sector,” he said.
“Our suppliers are the lifeblood of our business and without them, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. This is a fantastic way to acknowledge them and celebrate their efforts.
“Being able to bring our on- and off-premise supplier communities together was exciting for us as what we’re creating in our stores and in our hotels is really unique. It’s something special and they are all a part of that magic.”
ALH Interim Managing Director Paul Walton said Endeavour’s Supplier Awards provided a great opportunity to recognise the strong partnerships forged between the ALH Hotels business and its many and varied suppliers.
“We rely on our suppliers to help us do what we do best and these awards are a fantastic way for us to recognise that relationship,” he said.
“At a time when people are returning to the pub following years of restrictions and disruptions, we continue to work with our suppliers to offer the products people want as part of their social occasions - whether it be a round of beers for a halftime debrief, a quiet wine for those contemplative moments or the perfect spirit for cocktails and conversation.”
The event’s three key categories comprised small supplier of the year (retail), large supplier of the year (retail) and on-premise supplier of the year.
Sustainability Award
Winner: Fourth Wave Wine - Tread Softly
What the judges said,
Tread Softly is an eco-conscious wine brand committed to planting one native tree for every twelve bottles sold.Winner: Fourth Wave Wine - Tread Softly
“Fourth Wave is going above and beyond and is helping to create a lasting effect! The team are passionate about looking after the environment and through the regenerative, planting a tree campaign they are helping to rebuild our ecosystems.”
Product Innovation of the Year
Winner: Coca-Cola Europacific Partners - Suntory -196 Double Grape & Shochu & Vodka Pre-Mix 330ml
What the judges said,
“-196 Double Grape uses Suntory’s unique Freeze Crush Technology to capture every bit of the all-natural bold grape flavour. An outstanding example of innovation.
This product has ticked all the boxes for our customers and its success speaks for itself.”
Collaboration Award
Winner - Carlton & United Breweries, Fruity Beer
What the judges said,
“The team at CUB really faced this challenge and together we challenged ourselves to bring something new to Beer. The result was an exceptional NPD launch - our biggest ever - and highlighted our partnership from identifying the opportunity, developing the product, to executing the launch.”
Best Brand Activation of the Year
Winner: Australian Vintage Limited, Sooshi Mango
What the judges said
“Leveraging Sooshi Mango’s network Johnny, Vince and Sam’s Vino in-store launch - The Vino Tour - was an unconventional opportunity for fans to meet the trio in-store while sampling the new product and getting their bottle signed. Their fan power is phenomenal! A huge congrats to the team for what they have achieved with their audience.”
Supply Chain Award
Winner: Pernod Ricard Australia
What the judges said,
“With collaborative planning and delivery, in particular in the lead-up and exit of the Xmas period, the team saw significant improvement from 2021. They delivered on all plans including inbound delivery and expectations of supply and went over and above during collaboration sessions on Whisky and Champagne.”
Trend Leader of the Year
Joint Winners: Accolade Wines and Treasury Premium Brands, Bagnums
What the judges said,
“Both Accolade and Treasury have been outstanding leaders in trend during 2022, putting customers right at the heart of this new format. Bagnums has opened up new occasions and opportunities for Wine to be considered with the shareability and non-glass format - perfect for outdoors and social settings, as well as for moderating customers through a quality Wine that remains fresh for 30 days after opening - overcoming one of the biggest barriers to 750mL bottle and mid-week consumption. Modernising the offer to better meet the needs of customers has resulted in success and we couldn’t be more thrilled for them.”
Account Team of the Year
Winner: Carlton & United Breweries, Beer
What the judges said,
“This is an absolute credit to each and every individual in this team! Their ability to effectively communicate with stakeholders at all levels has been instrumental in driving the Category forward and unlocking value for our customers. For a second year, CUB’s Beer account team has knocked it out of the park in their ways of working across our organisation and there have been some incredible achievements as a result.”
Digital Partner of the Year
Winner: Mighty Craft
What the judges said,
“All of the success of Better Beer - an influencer-led brand that lives and breathes in digital spaces - is just one example of how Mighty Craft’s strategic use of channels and activations work together to create magic. Better Beer’s Day For It Day is a great example of bringing this to life in a fabulous digital campaign.”
Mixin Campaign of the Year
Lion - Stone & Wood
What the judges said,
“By collaborating with MixIn and leveraging all assets available, Lion has seen some incredible results throughout this campaign as Stone & Wood were front and centre for our customers. It’s great to see what was achieved out of this partnership.”
Local Product of the Year
Winner: Mr Consistent, Blushini Premium Cocktail Mix 750ml
What the judges said,
“Congratulations to the Mr Consistent team on what they have been able to deliver. In collaboration with the Endeavour team, customers were at the heart of the Blushini development process and the results are really impressive.”
Exclusive Product of the Year
Winner: Billson’s, Vodka Peaches & Cream 355ml
What the judges said,
“The Premix category is consistently challenged with flavour duplication, and with an aim to bring something truly unique to market and to delight our customers, came the Billson’s Exclusive Flavour project.
Peaches & Cream is a nostalgic, unique flavour that was an instant success with customers right across Australia - a shining example of partnering exclusively together.”
On-Premise Supplier of the Year
Winner: Campari
What the judges said,
“Congratulations to the team at Campari, who has focused on building strong and trusting working relationships within ALH over the last 12-18 months, allowing simple and easy alignment on key focus areas to achieve mutual growth for both businesses.”
Small Supplier of the Year (Retail)
Winner: Mr Consistent
What the judges said,
“We are so proud to announce Mr Consistent as our Small Supplier of the Year for 2022. What they have achieved and delivered throughout the year has been very inspiring to watch and we know that is just the beginning. Our customers are certainly excited to see what they come up with next, and we are right there with them!”
Large Supplier of the Year (Retail)
Winner: Carlton & United Breweries
What the judges said,
“Throughout 2022, CUB has worked with Endeavour to prioritise strategic growth opportunities and partnered together on a number of initiatives such as Segmentation, Beer Reimagined, Fruity Beer, VB Solar, and a new sub-category in Craft through Aussie Wheat Ale.”
A spokesperson from Endeavour said, “Heartfelt congratulations to CUB as they take home Large Supplier of the Year for 2022. It has been a pleasure to partner on so many exciting projects and watch as you achieved some incredible results”
Share the content
