IBA Trade Workshop
IBA is building the Network of the Future Independent Brands Australia gave members an insight into how it is building its Network of the Future at its 2023 Trade Workshop in Cairns. Independent Brands Australia (IBA)
been fortunate enough to travel around the
“In the IBA network we have 1,300 stores,
2023 Trade Workshop was held in Cairns
world and see lots of different retail formats
that’s more than any of our competitors. Our
last month, with an underlying theme of
and I can tell you that you guys stack up and,
retailers are local, so we can have a range
building a ‘Network of the Future’.
in many cases, surpass the rest of the world.”
tailored for that local community, and we
Metcash Group CEO Doug Jones
Jones then went on to speak about
can have a service offering that is for locals,
welcomed the group of more than 570 IBA
IBA’s purpose of championing successful
by locals. So, I do think that we have some
retailer members and supplier partners on
independents and highlighted some of the
incredibly strong assets, and reason to
day one of business sessions and spoke about
strengths of the IBA network.
believe that we have a firm and sustainable
Australia’s thriving independent retail sector.
He said: “Our purpose is championing
route to win.”
“I’m not sure that everybody appreciates
successful independents, and that’s also our
just how wonderful the independent retail
strategy. There really are four key areas where
Celebrating success
sector in Australia is. I think it’s a national
you can make a difference as an independent
John
treasure, and I don’t say that lightly. I think
retailer. You can win on range, you can win
Merchandise & Operations, ALM, provided
that it should be protected and afforded the
on service, you can win through price, and
an update on the successes of the past four
respect and admiration that it deserves.
Barakat,
General
Manager
you can win through convenience. You can’t
years since IBA last gathered for a national
“Independent retailers in this country are
win on all four, but you can make some
Trade Workshop. He also spoke about IBA’s
as good as anywhere in the world. I have
strong choices about where you’re able to win.
ambition to become the best liquor retail
18 | National Liquor News
