Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM) has announced it has purchased a Darwin liquor store from within The Bottle-O banner group.
The Bottle-O Pit Lane is the largest standalone liquor store in Darwin and has been operating under the banner’s brand since 2017. Under its previous ownership the store has taken out the NT Retailer of the Year accolade multiple times from the Independent Brands Australia (IBA) Awards, which recognise excellence in retailing across all of the network’s banner groups across the country.
ALM noted the purchase was a significant demonstration of its commitment to the purpose of ‘championing successful independents’.
When asked about the acquisition, ALM CEO, Chris Baddock, said: “We believe it is vital for retail liquor in Australia to have a strong independent voice in the industry.
“We know that independent retail liquor contributes a great deal to the economy, to jobs and to the community at large. This is a show of support to ensure that the health of independents remains strong.”
As for next steps from this announcement, Baddock confirmed that “ALM will be working very closely with the team at Pit Lane to ensure excellence in retail service will remain the top priority – if it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix it.
“No date has been set for when the liquor license transfer will be completed with the focus being on working with the team on the transition plan.”