A transformation of the West Auckland liquor retail model which introduced new brands to the region for the first time in 50 years has been recognised with a national award.
The Trusts owned Liquorland Hobsonville store was named Franchise of the Year ahead of 200 other outlets from around New Zealand at a recent Foodstuffs Liquorland conference – just months after it was opened under the new brand.
The recognition is in addition to a win for The Trusts iTi restaurant in Titirangi which picked up the Outstanding Local Establishment in The West at the recent Lewisham Awards, the venue has also been named one of New Zealand’s Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastro Pubs in the 2024 awards.
Allan Pollard, CEO of The Trusts, which operates 25 restaurants, hotels, and liquor retail stores in West Auckland, says the re-branding of their liquor retail stores has also been well-received by locals.
He says feedback from the judges of the peer-reviewed awards aligns with what they are hearing from customers at the point of sale throughout their store network.
“The intention of introducing new retail brands to West Auckland has always been to improve our service model and help increase the profits we return to the community.”
“What we have seen within the new stores is that by introducing greater choice to the region, we have brought customers back to West Auckland who may have previously shopped in other parts of the city.”
“It has meant we can continue to expand our footprint strategically in response to consumer demand and grow foot traffic at each store.”
“In just a few months since we moved to replace all Trusts stores with Liquorland and Super Liquor branded outlets, we have seen a significant increase in customer numbers and sales from across the region with our sites offering greater convenience for residents,” he says.
Pollard says iTi has crafted a local offering that has seen it become a vibrant dining destination for thousands of locals and foreign tourists visiting the area each year.
He says the gastropub is at capacity most days and they are planning further investment to increase the number of patrons they can accommodate.
“iTi has a dedicated following amongst Titirangi locals and a series of consistently positive reviews that help attract more international tourists to sample the food and beverage menu sourced from local craft breweries and producers wherever possible.”
“This offering changes frequently to add in seasonally abundant produce and we provide customers with a variety of cuisines dedicated to specialty dishes inspired from around the globe. This is helping to appeal to a wide range of palates and increasing the volume of visitors to the venue,” he says.
