Australia’s top retailers shine at 2015 ARA eftpos Australian Retail Awards

THURSDAY 2 JULY, 2015: Australia’s top retailers and staff have been crowned today at the Australian Retailers Association’s (ARA) 2015 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards, with Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics taking out the coveted eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year title.

Winners were revealed for all 11 awards categories at a breakfast in Melbourne, with Jodie Fox, co-founder of Shoes of Prey delivering the keynote address at the Awards breakfast, attended by more than 400 industry supporters.

Beauty retailer, Lush, took home the top accolade for 2015, the eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year, recognised for its leadership within the retail sector. According to the Awards judges, Lush was chosen for its impressive employee education programs, focus on employee wellbeing, and corporate social responsibility.

Eftpos Managing Director, Bruce Mansfield, congratulated the winner of the 2015 eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year.

“eftpos is proud to support these awards because they recognise the extraordinary work that is done by the hundreds of thousands of retailers who serve Australian communities every single day,” Mr Mansfield said.

“Retail is an industry that touches all Australians and contributes to the economies of almost every community across the nation, no matter how small.  It is an exceptionally important industry because it impacts all of our daily lives and it is great to have an opportunity to recognise the contribution of these businesses and the people who run them. Today’s winners represent the diversity of Australian retailing and the depth of talent we have in this important industry.”

Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA, praised the quality of entries to the 2015 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards, with the high standard of submissions proving the retail sector’s strength and resilience.

“The Australian retail sector continues to go from strength to strength, with the diversity and calibre of entries this year showing the tenacity and innovation of retailers in this evolving and increasingly competitive environment,” said Mr Zimmerman.

“The ARA would like to congratulate all of the 2015 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards winners, who have beaten out tough competition to receive this recognition, particularly Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics, winner of the 2015 eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year.”

Other Award winners include Wilson Retail’s Saltwater Wine and Stormriders for The Realise Group Australian Independent Retailer of the Year; The Good Guys, NORA Australian Multichannel Retailer of the Year; Paul Baker, NRMA Insurance, REST Industry Super Australian Individual Retailer of the Year; Cannings Butchers, MasterCard Australian Retail Payments Leader of the Year; eyeclarity, Pronto Software Australian Retail Innovator of the Year; Stormriders, Shop for Shops Australian Retail Store Fit-out of the Year; Charmaine Wilson, Super Retail Group, FCB Australian Retail HR Rising Star of the Year; Leanne Stone, Beacon Lighting, Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Australian Retail Graduate of the Year; True Value Hardware, Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year, and Specsavers, BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year. A full list of the 11 Awards categories and winners can be found below.

 

The annual eftpos Australian Retail Awards are sector’s longest running Awards, and recognise the growth and achievements of both businesses and people within Australia’s largest private industry.

 

“Our Awards celebrate and congratulate Australia’s leading retailers. Australia’s retail industry is one of the most exciting, innovative and challenging industries, and it is important that these retail stars receive the recognition they deserve,” Mr Zimmerman said.

 

“Retail is an industry that touches all Australians and contributes to the economies of almost every community across the nation, no matter how small and it is great to have an opportunity to recognise the contribution of these businesses and the people who run them.”

 

The Awards breakfast was hosted by Executive Chairman of the National Online Retailers Association (NORA), Paul Greenberg, while Ms Fox provided the audience with an insight into Shoes of Prey’s growth, secrets of success, and trends and opportunities available to retailers for the future.

 

“The Australian retail industry is at a tipping point whereby the elements we’ve long wished for are all becoming available to us,” said Ms Fox. “It’s never an easy road to build a successful business – and there are plenty of failures along the way, but I’m optimistic about what we as a nation of retailers can achieve.”

ARA Executive Director, Russell Zimmerman and Award winners are available for interviews. Images of the winners of the 2015 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards will also be available following the event. For interview opportunities and images, please contact the ARA media team on 0439 612 556 or email media@retail.org.au.

 

 

2015 eftpos ARA Australian Retail Awards winners

 

eftpos Australian Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

RUNNER UP: Priceline Pharmacy

RUNNER UP: 7-Eleven

 

The Realise Group Australian Independent Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Saltwater Wine | Stormriders – Wilson Retail

NORA Australian Multichannel Retailer of the Year

WINNER: The Good Guys

 

BDO Australian Retail Employer of the Year

WINNER: Specsavers

MasterCard Australian Retail Payments Leader of the Year

WINNER: Cannings Butchers

 

Pronto Software Australian Retail Innovator of the Year

WINNER: eyeclarity

 

Shop for Shops Australian Retail Store Fit-out of the Year

WINNER: Stormriders

RUNNER UP: Pickings and Parry

 

FCB Australian Retail HR Rising Star of the Year

WINNER: Charmaine Wilson, Super Retail Group
RUNNER UP: Jarrod Appleby, The Coffee Club

REST Industry Super Australian Individual Retailer of the Year

WINNER: Paul Baker, NRMA Insurance

Expr3ss! Staff Selection Software Australian Retail Graduate of the Year

WINNER: Leanne Stone, Beacon Lighting

 

Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Retailer of the Year

WINNER: True Value Hardware

 

 

-Ends-

 

About the Australian Retailers Association:

 

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA is the retail industry’s peak representative body representing Australia’s $265 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. The ARA works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 5,000 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

For interview opportunities with ARA Executive Director Russell Zimmerman call the ARA Media team on 0439 612 556  or email media@retail.org.au.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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