Community champions

Since long before a global pandemic put the focus on staying connected in our communities, locally owned retailer Champions IGA has been supporting local business and community. Being a business with a social conscience has seen it remain in good standing during the extremely challenging retail environment presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent panic-buying experienced in the past 12 months. As some supermarkets struggled to keep shelves stocked with product lines being sourced from overseas, Champions mitigated that issue by continuing to source lines, including fresh meat and delicatessen products, direct from local producers and makers. Don KR, Hazeldene’s, JL King and Keans Eggs are just some of the many local producers that have a strong presence in the stores. Recent redevelopments at the Long Gully and Heathcote sites have allowed for more opportunities to source and support smaller regional businesses, with the likes of Bendigo Brittle and Collins Honey being added to the great range of products available. Excitingly, these developments have also seen the introduction of in-house freshly made popcorn, peanut butter and orange juice, and an extension to the already impressive selection of fresh cut cheeses that offers lines seldom found outside Melbourne, whilst continuing to provide some of the best-quality meat in Bendigo from the in-house butcher. “We always try to do our bit for small business. We are not a large conglomerate so we understand the importance of buying and supporting local,” says Michael Zervakis, Champions IGA chief executive officer. “By supporting local, we have also positioned ourselves as having some grocery lines that are not available elsewhere. We also know that our customers want to support local and see us as the place to come and buy local goods and do their bit to help small business. Our motto is ‘how the locals like it’, so it is a win-win – we support business to deliver on customer needs, and our customers remain loyal because of that common-sense approach.”

Throughout the years, Champions IGA’s corporate program of giving and assisting local organisations has seen it donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to organisations big and small. Bendigo Foodshare manager Bridget Bentley says the charity has long benefited from the retailer’s approach to putting locals first. “Champions IGA has been an amazing support to Bendigo Foodshare for a number of years now, making regular financial donations that help keep our operations going. During COVID-19, they really stepped up this support at a time where an increasing number of people in our community have been struggling to put food on the table. They did this by helping us to source food, making food donations and participating in our community food drive.” For nearly two decades, the retailer also has been the major sponsor of the Bendigo Lady Braves. It was the inaugural sponsor of the AFL Central Victoria Women’s League and, in conjunction with other local IGAs, is a major sponsor of the Bendigo Junior Football League. The IGA Community Chest supports a myriad of schools, and the Market Day barbecues have been a popular fundraising vehicle for community groups in a pre-COVID world. “Many a person can remember eating a sausage in bread to support Uncle Bobs on a Thursday Market Day,” says Michael. “We provide them with a $100 cheque and free sausages to cook outside the store. They can run raffles and also request donations from customers. Unfortunately, this has stopped during COVID,” Michael says. “Hopefully, we get to return to that as soon as possible, as many people would make it a regular stop on their shopping trip.” The Discovery Science & Technology Centre, Bendigo Health and Bendigo Foodshare have all been recipients of donations. Michael says the Give Me 5 for Kids charity is a particular fundraising activity his entire team enjoys. “We have an annual register challenge with Cogho, where we donate all the takings from one register at Long Gully and Kangaroo Flat for one hour. We have donated close to $10,000 per annum. “In 2015, when I heard on the radio that the Discovery Centre could close, I got on the phone to my boss and within half an hour we had $35,000 to donate to help keep the centre open and that kick-started a community campaign, which saw it saved. Many of us are really proud of being part of that,” says Jason Seipolt, Champions IGA chief financial officer. This can-do attitude, says Bridget, is why the retailer continues to make a positive impact on the community. “As a charity and volunteerrun organisation, we can’t do what we do without the support of our local community and businesses. This means that we think of the team at Champions IGA as part of the Bendigo Foodshare team. They help us achieve our mission of sourcing more food to help more people with food relief across Central Victoria.” Four years ago, Champions IGA in conjunction with Deakin University initiated The Eat Well@ IGA project to tackle a rise in obesity and improve access to healthy and affordable food. It was a joint campaign between Deakin University, the City of Greater Bendigo, VicHealth and IGA, with seven of its stores promoting the message that eating healthy didn’t have to be expensive. Many of the supermarket’s 650 staff donate their own time and fundraise for sporting and community groups. “While we don’t have a structured volunteer program, we do encourage values of giving back and being connected to the community in which we all live,” says Michael.

“Our current Heathcote store manager is a committee member with the Axedale Our Town and Axedale Hall Committee, and our Kangaroo Flat store manager, is a former president of the Goornong Recreation Reserve and is on the Elmore Field Days catering committee. “Our Long Gully store has been synonymous with running theme days in support of charities – just recently, our front-end and deli teams were dressed in blue for the Do it for Dolly Day, which was organised by our Tattslotto manager Noelene Waldron. “Our team is very giving and proactively wanting to support local organisations. We are very proud of anyone who puts their foot forward and gives their time to assist any community organisation.” The Champions IGA supermarkets have long set the benchmark with their IGA peers, winning state, national and international awards. The Long Gully store recently won the 2021 Supa IGA Victoria Store of the Year and Heathcote the 2021 IGA Retail Transformation and Innovation Award. “Our efforts to decrease our carbon footprint by adding solar, doors to fridges and a heat reclaim were recognised with this award,” says Michael. “We want to offer the best service to our customers and keep supporting our communities, so this is a nice recognition from our customers that we are delivering to their needs. “We’re looking forward to continuing to support local businesses and bringing new products to our shelves. I’m proud of my team and what they are achieving in their community.”