More than 350 members and industry professionals gathered to celebrate outstanding achievement across Australia’s retail liquor sector at the 2025 Retail Drinks Industry Awards this week.
As the peak national awards for liquor retail, the program recognises the year-round efforts of retailers, suppliers and service partners who deliver exceptional customer experience, product knowledge and professional standards.
Retail Drinks Australia CEO Michael Waters told National Liquor News that the awards highlight the strength and integrity of the sector.
“The Retail Drinks Industry Awards are run with the utmost of integrity and professionalism as a service for members and the broader industry. These awards celebrate exceptional businesses and individuals, showcase talent from all parts of the country, and importantly, promote liquor retailing as a career.
“Congratulations to all winners and finalists, thank you to the more than 500 members who took the time to nominate in this year’s Awards Program, and to our event partners, whose support we greatly appreciate and never take for granted.”
Excellence in liquor retail
The retail categories this year showcased the depth of talent within stores across the country, from independents to national chains, online innovators and future leaders.
Red Bottle Pitt Street claimed the title of Liquor Store of the Year, with the award accepted by store manager Julianne Hickey.
Speaking to National Liquor News, Red Bottle’s Associate Director Andrew McKay said the award reflects the dedication of the store’s team.
“The entire Red Bottle team are incredibly proud of this achievement by Julianne and her team at Red Bottle Pitt Street and feel it is well-deserved recognition of the efforts they all put in. Red Bottle Pitt Street stands out due to the diverse range of products, especially in the premium spirits and Asian categories, all backed up by well-trained and knowledgeable staff.”
He added: “We strive to be the best possible retailers we can… which I believe flows into a great customer experience in our stores.”
Liquorland’s transformative year was also recognised, with Liquorland Warehouse Hindmarsh winning Large Format Liquor Store of the Year, while Liquorland Warehouse Balwyn’s Steve Connors was awarded Liquor Store Manager of the Year.
Coles Liquor General Manager of Operations and Supply Chain Steve Hugginson said the results reflect the hard work of teams across the network.
“These awards are a wonderful recognition of the passion, dedication and expertise of our teams, who work hard to deliver great service, value and range to our customers across the country each and every day,” he said.
“Over the past eight months, Liquorland has undergone the biggest transformation in our history by uniting First Choice Liquor Market and Vintage Cellars under the much-loved Liquorland banner.
“The success of this transition is reflected in these results which highlight the strength of our team and consistent commitment to our customers.”
For Liquor Store Manager of the Year winner Connors, the win is a proud career moment.
“Winning Store Manager of the Year is a real honour and a testament to the hard work and commitment of the team at Liquorland Warehouse Balwyn. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together and am excited to keep building on this success and delivering for our local and loyal customers,” he said.
Hugginson added his congratulations, saying: “We’re especially proud of our Liquorland Warehouse store in Hindmarsh and Steve Connors from Liquorland Warehouse Balwyn who have raised the bar for customer experience in the industry.”
Tipple was recognised as Online Liquor Retailer of the Year, with Co-founder Ryan Barrington telling National Liquor News the recognition is the culmination of a decade of hard work.
He said: “We’re absolutely thrilled and proud to receive this award. The team put in an enormous amount of work to build our platform over the last 10 years. We pride ourselves on ensuring that we always do the right thing by customers while respecting the regulatory environment, and we put the win down to staying consistent and never budging on our principles.
“We’ve always focused on building fast, safe and compliant tech, and that discipline is what sets Tipple apart. As for what’s next – watch this space as we look to expand into other states.”
The industry’s future leadership continues to shine, with Caitlain Siega of Bottlemart Lower Plenty awarded Young Liquor Retailer of the Year.
Speaking to National Liquor News, she said: “I’m still in absolute shock! I am incredibly grateful and proud… staying true to who you are and what you believe in played a major part in this achievement.”
Other retail winners included Murray Croft of Murray’s Porter’s Liquor Group, named Liquor Store Owner of the Year.
Large Format Liquor Store of the Year: Andrew Filipou, Store Manager, Liquorland Warehouse Hindmarsh 
Liquor Store Manager of the Year: Steve Connors, Liquorland Warehouse Balwyn, VIC 
Liquor Store of the Year: Julianne Hickey, Store Manager, Red Bottle Pitt Street 
Liquor Store Owner of the Year: Murray Croft, Murray’s Porter’s Liquor Group, NSW 
Young Liquor Retailer of the Year: Caitlain Siega, Bottlemart Lower Plenty, VIC
Supplier and partner leaders
The supplier categories highlighted the strength of collaboration across the industry, with several major partners recognised for their execution, innovation, and customer alignment.
Lion was one of the night’s standout winners, securing both Beer Supplier of the Year and National Supplier of the Year for the second year in a row.
Executive General Manager – Sales Kerry Appathurai told National Liquor News the business is enormously proud of the achievement.
“We’re extremely proud – to have taken home these awards for the past two years running is an incredible achievement… it is fantastic recognition for our teams across the business who all share a strong commitment to our industry partners.”
She said the wins reflect a clear strategic direction and deep internal alignment.
“We have a clear strategy that everyone in the business is working towards… Our culture of collaboration and ownership means everyone understands their role and how they can contribute to raising the bar.”
Lion’s recent momentum has been fuelled by consistent execution and trust with customers.
“These wins reflect our consistent focus and hard work in recent years to develop that razor sharp clarity on our strategy. Time and time again, our people have put in the effort, shown up for customers and delivered on promises, and that reliability and commitment has helped us evolve from a trusted supplier to a true strategic partner.”
Looking ahead, Appathurai said the business is far from slowing down.
“We’ve got momentum and we’re ready to build on it… Innovation, collaboration, and excellence are at the heart of what’s next.”
Treasury Wine Estates was awarded Wine Supplier of the Year, with Treasury Collective’s General Manager Sales & Marketing International Sarah Parkes highlighting the strength of its partnerships.
“It was fantastic to receive this recognition from Retail Drinks – we know it is a competitive time to win the shopper, and we can only do this through better partnerships with our retailers.”
She said: “Working with our customers on innovation and activation has been a big focus over the past 12 months, plus planning much further out so we can take the time to listen and collaborate with our retailers.
“Our category first approach means we are truly working in partnership to understand their shoppers and bringing solutions that encourage shoppers to spend more on wine, more often. We also appreciate the increased costs the industry is facing and improving the value of every shopper has never more important.”
Diageo was named Spirits Supplier of the Year, with Commercial Director Nicole Dennis saying it was a fantastic recognition of the progress they are making through strong partnerships, collaborative planning with customers, and excellent execution in stores.
She said: “We’re thrilled to have been named Spirits Supplier of the Year… This award highlights the strength of our customer relationships – built on shared objectives, a belief in our ambition for the category, and the outstanding capability and talent across our organisation.
“It’s an exciting time for Diageo. As we implement our strong plans for the key festive season ahead, we’re more committed than ever to being the best partner – for the category, for our customers, and for shoppers.”
Uber Eats secured Services Partner of the Year, recognised for its responsible and compliant approach to delivery partnerships.
A spokesperson told National Liquor News: “We’re incredibly proud that Uber Eats has been named 2025 Retail Drinks Australia Services Partner of the Year. This award, voted for by RDA members, reflects the strong collaboration and trust we’ve built with our retail partners, underpinned by a shared commitment to compliance and responsible practices.”
Other winners included Belinda Gallagher of Taylor’s Wines who received Sales Representative of the Year for her dedication to retailer support and category execution.
2025 Retail Drinks Industry Awards Winners:
Liquor Store of the Year: Red Bottle Pitt Street, NSW
Large Format Liquor Store of the Year: Liquorland Warehouse Hindmarsh, SA
Online Liquor Retailer of the Year: Tipple
Young Liquor Retailer of the Year: Caitlain Siega, Bottlemart Lower Plenty, VIC
Liquor Store Manager of the Year: Steve Connors, Liquorland Warehouse Balwyn, VIC
Liquor Store Owner of the Year: Murray Croft, Murray’s Porter’s Liquor Group, NSW
Beer Supplier of the Year: Lion
Wine Supplier of the Year: Treasury Wine Estates
Spirits Supplier of the Year: Diageo
Services Partner of the Year: Uber Eats
National Supplier of the Year: Lion
Sales Representative of the Year: Belinda Gallagher, Taylor’s Wines