Endeavour Group hosted the largest gathering of drinks industry representatives since the pandemic last night at its first annual Supplier Summit and third annual Supplier of the Year Awards.

More than 1000 drinks industry representatives came together at Accor Stadium in Sydney’s Olympic Park for the Supplier Summit and networking event, with presentations from senior leaders from Dan Murphy’s, BWS and ALH Hotels, followed by a celebration of its supplier partners.

For the first time, the Supplier Summit combined the Group’s Supplier Forum with a networking event for small suppliers and the annual Supplier of the Year Awards. The event was hosted by Endeavour Group leadership, with a special performance from legendary Australian rock artist Jon Stevens.

Endeavour Group Director of Buying and Merchandise Tim Carroll said: “We believe that our ability to grow relies on strong relationships. We value our suppliers as strategic partners; integral to our ability to deliver on range, quality and value for our customers.”

“Today gives us an opportunity to reflect on our collective achievements in the last year, but also to signal where we’re heading for the year ahead with a focus above all else on making the products our customers love to drink.

“Congratulations to all tonight’s winners, and a heartfelt thank you to all our trade suppliers for their partnership and shared commitment to being at the centre of Australia’s social occasions.”

And the winners were …

Sustainability Award – Wonki

What the judges said: “This inspirational product gets full marks for an innovative, sustainable solution. We love working with start-up products with meaning and purpose that deliver great taste and meet market demand. This product talks straight to our younger, environmentally conscious consumers and sets a new benchmark in the Premix category.”

Product Innovation of the Year: Zonzo Estate, Zoncello Limoncello Spritz

What the judges said: “Zoncello Limoncello Spritz is an exciting success story. Endeavour worked closely with Zonzo Estate to deliver on its ambitious goals for this outstanding product. Its success paved the way for other variants in the Zonzo drinks stable. Congratulations to Zonzo for having the foresight to recognise a customer need and for transforming the ‘aperitif of the moment’ through convenience and accessibility.” 

Collaboration Award – Lion – Trade Plan & James Squire On-Pack Promo

What the judges said: “Lion led the way with a proactive approach to supporting our Trade Plan – a recent initiative and an important strategic pillar for Hotels. The team has worked exceptionally hard with our teams this year across ALH. From the Support Schooners campaign with funds raised for the Great Barrier Reef’s coral IVF efforts to James Squire’s successful On-Pack promotion with BWS to the Furphy and State of Origin activations.” 

Best Brand Activation of the Year – Mighty Craft – Better Beer: Day For It Day

What the judges said: “And what a Better Day it was! On 12 December 2023, Better Beer sold more beer in-store than any other, and the campaign successfully engaged millions of customers. Congratulations, Better Beer, on another hugely successful activation that has evolved into an annual event. It gives our customers something to look forward to and highlights how influencer-led brands that live and breathe digital can strategically leverage these channels for remarkable results.” 

Digital Partner of the Year – Carlton & United Breweries

What the judges said: “Congratulations to the Carlton & United Breweries team for delivering e-commerce best practice. From online sales, customer growth, and customer penetration growth, Carlton & United Breweries stood out this year. As a digital partner, it exceeded expectations in total customer penetration growth and total customer growth year to date.” 

Supply Chain Award – Forester Estate

What the judges said: “Forester Wines has set the gold standard for vendor collaboration in the past year. Their commitment to partnership and excellence should inspire all other suppliers, and their efforts deserve the highest recognition. They are highly deserving of the Supplier Chain of the Year award. Congratulations Forester Wines on a well-deserved win.”

MixIn Campaign of the Year – Moët Hennessy

What the judges said: “By collaborating with MixIn and leveraging all available assets, Moët Hennessy achieved excellent results for Hennessy throughout this campaign. Endeavour’s MixIn team worked closely with Hennessy to build brand awareness and deliver to our customers during key purchasing periods for the company’s leading Cognac brand. It proved a successful example of what can be achieved with Endeavour’s customer insights to curate a targeted MixIn campaign that delivers results.”

Local Product of the Year – Oakdene Wines, Sparkling NV Brut 750ml

What the judges said: “The absolute definition of a local champion. They work so hard and well with our Bellarine Peninsula stores. So much so that Ocean Grove Dan Murphy’s has become their #1 customer across all channels. A worthy winner. Congratulations Oakdene Wines.”

Exclusive Product of the Year – Young Henrys, Classic Premium Lager 375ml

What the judges said: “Congratulations, Young Henrys! It was a joy to collaborate with Young Henrys to bring this product to our customers. Young Henrys is developing impressive, innovative products in the Beer category. It has its finger on the pulse of the needs of the contemporary Beer customer and delivers on key trends with promising results.”

Trend Leader of the Year – Carlton & United Breweries Premium Beverages, Hard Rated

What the judges said: “The CUB Premium Beverages team considered customer engagement end to end for the Hard Rated launch, ultimately leading to the brand’s market-leading success. It is a well-deserved win for a brand that excelled the minute it was launched under its previous nomenclature. Congratulations to CUB Premium Beverages for innovative excellence and setting the pace for lemon-flavoured drinks.”

Account Team of the Year – Good Drinks Australia

What the judges said: “We are thrilled to award this category to Good Drinks. As a relatively new business, Good Drinks has made considerable effort to align with our strategic goals and partner with us to achieve them. The team impressed us with its seamless collaboration and effective work methods. It has demonstrated the ability to adapt and innovate, ensuring it meets and exceeds expectations in its partnership with us. Good Drinks has been receptive and reacted to feedback quickly and efficiently. Congratulations to all members of the Good Drinks team on this incredible achievement.”

On-Premise Supplier of the Year – Lion

What the judges said: “Congratulations to the Lion team on a deserved win as On-Premise Supplier of the Year. Over the last 12 months, Lion went the extra mile in its working relationship with ALH, allowing for heightened engagement as a key strategic partner in 2024. With Lion’s enthusiastic commitment to aligning with Endeavour’s goals in the on-premise space, we have made great strides in meeting market expectations and the evolving needs of our guests.”

Small Supplier of the Year (Retail): Zonzo Estate

What the judges said: “Congratulations to Zonzo Estate, a success story we love to tell and the deserved winner for the Small Supplier of the Year 2024. Its outstanding achievements over the past year have been ground-breaking. Our customers couldn’t get enough of the market-leading ‘Sunshine in a Bottle’ Limoncello Spritz. With this track record, we can’t wait to see what they deliver next!”

Large Supplier of the Year (Retail) – Carlton & United Breweries

What the judges said: “Congratulations to CUB on winning Large Supplier of the Year 2024 for a second consecutive year. New product development is retail’s lifeblood, and this year, CUB has dominated this space with leading innovations. Partnering with CUB on exciting projects has delivered above-and-beyond results for our customers. We are excited to continue this dynamic momentum and look forward to sowing the seed for another year of success in 2025. The winners were announced during Endeavour Group’s first Supplier Summit yesterday at Accor Stadium, which merged one of its biannual Supplier Forums with its Supplier of the Year Awards.”

Endeavour launches new data tool for industry

Endeavour Group unveiled an industry-first data tool for suppliers at the Supplier Summit, in response to growing demand for greater data and insights transparency in the retail liquor industry.

Established by data and insights company Circana, Complete Liquor will be built to offer a single source of truth, increasing clarity about the retail liquor market for trade suppliers.

It will offer access to a free report offering a top-level overview of the beer, wine, spirits and pre-mix categories, providing a clear and comprehensive market perspective.

With more than 2000 trade suppliers across Dan Murphy’s, BWS and ALH, Endeavour Group will also launch its first Trade Supplier Charter – a new public commitment to continuous improvement in supplier relations, which builds on its existing policies and initiatives.

Endeavour Group CEO and Managing Director Steve Donohue said: “We have doubled the number of small suppliers we work with since 2018, and now 90% of what we range is sourced from independent, small suppliers. Importantly, some of the most popular drinks we sell today didn’t exist two years ago, which is a testament to their responsiveness to changing customer preferences.

“After three years as a standalone company, we are pleased with our progress in building long-term partnerships with our suppliers, but we are always looking for ways to improve.

“From the introduction of 14-day payment terms for smaller suppliers, the launch of Dan Murphy’s Marketplace to give suppliers more routes to market, and hosting regular Supplier Forums and sharing data and insights, our track record demonstrates this.

“We want to promote mutual, sustainable growth with our suppliers, we want to drive innovation, and seek to promote high standards of ethical conduct. That is why our Trade Supplier Charter is built on three principles: transparency, simplicity, and genuine collaboration. 

“By taking a transparent, simple and collaborative approach to our discussions with suppliers, we have heard consistently of the need for quality data and insights to help guide their decision-making.”

Circana Managing Director, APAC Paul Hinds said: “Circana’s Complete Liquor is designed to help identify opportunities and streamline decision making by offering the most comprehensive view of the market to suppliers and retailers. Combining unmatched measurement capabilities and our deep industry expertise, we are excited to partner with retailers across the liquor sector to provide the first single source of truth for the industry.”

Endeavour Group’s new Trade Supplier Charter can be read in full here.