Australian Liquor Marketers

Last updated
Australian Liquor Marketers
Type Subsidiary
Industry Retail
Headquarters
Australia
Number of locations
About 2700 in Australia
114 in New Zealand
Area served
 Australia, New Zealand
ProductsLiquor stores
Parent Metcash
Website www.almliquor.com.au
www.tasmanliquor.co.nz

Australian Liquor Marketers is the liquor arm of Metcash. It distributes liquor to businesses around Australia and New Zealand, and runs a franchise of almost 2900 liquor stores operating as The Bottle-O, Cellarbrations, IGA Liquor, Duncans, Thirsty Camel, Big Bargain, Porters and Merchants Liquor. [1]

Contents

The company has 13 distribution centres across every state and territory of Australia, and a distribution centre in New Zealand. It is Australia's largest supplier of liquor to independently owned liquor retailers and largest broad-range liquor wholesaler, supplying to 12,000 liquor customers. [1]

Independent Brands Australia

Independent Brands Australia is the second-largest network of liquor retail outlets in Australia. It has about 2,700 stores operating as Cellarbrations, The Bottle-O, IGA Liquor, Duncans, Thirsty Camel, Big Bargain and Porters. [1]

Tasman Liquor Company

Tasman Liquor Company is based in Wiri, Auckland. It has 114 franchisees around New Zealand operating as The Bottle-O and Merchants Liquor, including 36 in the Auckland Region. [2] [3]

History

In 2020 the company was accused of failing to address migrant worker exploitation by its franchises. [4] One former owner of 12 stores failed 19 Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment inspections; one former worker accused him of "modern day slavery". [5] Tasman Liquor said it did not support the practices, and would comply with authorities. [4]

In 2021, franchisees faced opposition when trying to establish stores in Canterbury, at Pleasant Point, [6] Timaru, [7] and Christchurch's Prestons Road. [8]

Liquor Centre

Liquor Centre is a New Zealand liquor franchiser founded in 1992, which sells beer, wine, spirits, cider, RTDs and snack food. [9]

It claims to be the largest liquor store network in New Zealand, [10] with 240 stores around the country. [11] There are 175 Liquor Centre stores and 41 Liquor Spot stores listed on the company's website. [9] The remaining stores are part of the buying network but do not have branding. [11] Within the Auckland region there are 71 branded stores, including 41 Liquor Centre stores an 29 Liquor Spot stores. [9]

Tasman Liquor Company supplies liquor to stores in the Liquor Centre network. [11] Metcash purchased the franchise itself in June 2020, [12] one of a group of acquisitions it was making at the time. [13] Metcash told shareholders the purchase was a "bolt-on" acquisition to add to its existing liquor portfolio, significantly expanding its retail network in New Zealand. [14]

History

A Liquor Centre operated in the low-income community of Victory, Nelson from 2013 to 2015, before closing down voluntarily due to community opposition. [15]

Franchisees were repeatedly targeted by crime in late 2015 and 2016. The Torbay, Auckland store was robbed twice. [16] The Mosgiel store was robbed at gunpoint in February 2016, [17] with the robber dropping a large amount of money on his way out. [18] A few days later, the owner of a Manurewa, Auckland store was stabbed with double-bladed knives. [19] Three 14 and 15-year-olds were arrested for the aggravated robbery of a Sandringham, Auckland store in May . [20]

The Warrington, Christchurch store was robbed at gunpoint in January 2018. [21]

In 2019, the owners of the Grafton, Auckland Liquor Spot store were ordered to pay almost NZ$200,000 in penalties and arrears to staff for breaches of labour laws. [10]

In November 2020, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment secured a freezing order to stop the owners of four Bay of Plenty stores from selling stores while it sought penalties for serious breaches to labour laws. [10]

In March 2021, the Royal Oak, Auckland store joined UberEats in a trial of alcohol delivery. [22]

In August 2021, a new store was approved to open in Washdyke, Timaru, across the road from where a proposed liquor store had been declined. [23]

In January 2022, Te Puna residents submitted against a proposed store near a kindergarten and early childcare centre. [24]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Liquor - Metcash". metcash.com. Metcash.
  2. ↑ "The Bottle-O". thebottleo.co.nz. Tasman Liquor.
  3. ↑ "Merchants Liquor". merchantsliquor.co.nz. Tasman Liquor.
  4. 1 2 Kilgallon, Steve (1 November 2020). "Bottle-O boss Grant Simpson steadfastly refuses to speak about migrant exploitation in some of its stores". stuff.co.nz.
  5. ↑ Kilgallon, Steve (2 August 2020). "Ravi Arora is accumulating a fortune - and a long record of migrant exploitation - from bottle stores". stuff.co.nz.
  6. ↑ Tobin, Chris (27 July 2021). "Pleasant Point bottle store compromise rejected". stuff.co.nz. Timaru Herald.
  7. ↑ Tobin, Chris (19 August 2021). "New liquor store given green light to open at Washdyke". stuff.co.nz. Timaru Herald.
  8. ↑ "New Prestons Rd liquor store approval prompts calls for city-wide alcohol policy". Allied Press. Christchurch Star. 29 October 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 "Liquor Centre". liquor-centre.co.nz. Metcash.
  10. 1 2 3 Kilgallon, Steve (18 November 2020). "Liquor store sales on ice after judge orders freeze amid allegations of staff exploitation worth over $600k in unpaid wages". stuff.co.nz.
  11. 1 2 3 Jackson, Deborah (25 June 2020). "Chris Baddock talks acquisitions, private label and COVID-19". Food and Beverage Media. The Shout.
  12. ↑ House, Alana (18 August 2021). "Lion to sell its Liquor King retail stores". Drinks Digest.
  13. ↑ Mithell, Sue (22 June 2020). "Metcash's multi-million dollar question". Australian Financial Review.
  14. ↑ Hutton, Julie. "Metcash 2020 Annual General Meeting Update" (PDF). Metcash.
  15. ↑ Bradley-Smith, Anna (1 September 2015). "Victory Liquor Centre shuts up shop for good". stuff.co.nz. Nelson Mail.
  16. ↑ Sparks, Zizi (31 March 2016). "Auckland liquor store and dairy targeted by cigarettes and alcohol thieves". stuff.co.nz.
  17. ↑ McAvinue, Shawn (26 February 2016). "Robber leaves trail of money (+ video)". Allied Press. Otago Daily Times.
  18. ↑ McNeilly, Hamish (25 February 2016). "Armed robber drops cash as he fled Crofter's Pub and Liquor Centre in Mosgiel". stuff.co.nz.
  19. ↑ Schoultz, Regan; Tapaleao, Vaimoana (29 February 2016). "Liquor store stabbing: Owner stabbed with double-bladed knife". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald.
  20. ↑ Edmonds, Elesha (12 May 2016). "Auckland youths arrested after aggravated robbery of Sandringham Liquor Centre". stuff.co.nz.
  21. ↑ Guildford, Jonathan (16 January 2018). "Police investigate aggravated robbery at Christchurch's Warrington Liquor Centre". stuff.co.nz. The Christchurch Press.
  22. ↑ Nadkarni, Anuja (25 March 2021). "Alcohol sales through food-delivery apps concerning, health advocates say". stuff.co.nz.
  23. ↑ Tobin, Chris (19 August 2021). "New liquor store given green light to open at Washdyke". stuff.co.nz. Timaru Herald.
  24. ↑ Carter, Sammy (21 January 2022). "Te Puna liquor store plan hits community opposition". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Bay of Plenty Times.
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