The Trusts report $1.6 million grant funding in FY26 Annual Report
- $5.1M EBITDA in FY26 (before distributing community grants)
- $180,000 reduced costs achieved through streamlined central management fees
- Increased investment toward initiatives that benefit the West Auckland community, including $1.6 million in grant funding
The Trusts, comprising the Portage and Waitakere Licensing Trusts, has released its FY26 Annual Report, highlighting $1.6 million in grants distributed to 78 West Auckland organisations. This comes at a time where cost-of-living challenges have placed even more strain on New Zealand households.
“This year has been about future-proofing our business so we can continue serving our growing West Auckland community,” said Allan Pollard, CEO of The Trusts. “We’ve funded initiatives focused on youth, Māori, Pasifika, refugee, and lower-income communities, offering support where it is needed most. Investing in West Auckland’s future is a big priority, and around 40% of these organisations work directly with children and whānau.”
Both the Portage and Waitakere Licensing Trusts are governed by elected trustees who represent the interests of West Auckland voters, with Greg Presland and Mark Allen serving as their respective presidents.
Funding increase for West Auckland
The Trusts’ $1.6 million in grants investment marks their largest funding round for the Your West Support Fund (YWSF) and Your West Innovation Fund (YWIF) to date.
The YWSF delivered $1,236,881 across 73 organisations, with 48 (58%) receiving the maximum $20,000 grant. The YWIF, designed to encourage fresh ideas, delivered $373,262 to five recipients.
The Trusts’ hospitality venues also operate a monthly Supporters Club Fund, offering up to $500 to help smaller local groups. In FY26, the Supporters Club delivered $44,588 and The Trusts directly donated a further $97,072 to local organisations.
Retail and hospitality
The Trusts operate 25 retail stores, 8 hospitality venues, and the 4-star Quality Hotel Lincoln Green, employing over 170 team members across these sites.
Despite challenging trading conditions, Pollard says the franchise model supported consistent performance across the network.
“With the current cost of living, Kiwis still don’t have much discretionary cash available,” he said. “Despite that, our retail team has continued to perform ahead of the wider Auckland market. We’ve been able to invest in venue upgrades – most notably at Liquorland Swanson and iTi – and for the first time in many years, we have no stressed property assets. Every site across our portfolio has now been reviewed, repaired, or upgraded.”
The Trusts is also preparing to open a new hospitality venue on Great North Road.
Building toward 2027
Pollard says he’s pleased with the company’s FY26 financial results, achieved in a challenging year for hospitality and retail. “We have zero debt and a strong balance sheet, and that positions us well to make deliberate and strategic choices for our future. That stability is key in our ability to provide community support, and employment for the 300+ staff across our operations.”
This year’s funding round attracted more than 280 applications, with funding requests exceeding $5 million.
“This shows how tough things are for many families,” says Pollard, “but also the incredible work happening across West Auckland. We’re proud to back these groups, and we couldn’t do it without our team – including 25 staff celebrating 20 years with us this year. Looking ahead, our focus remains on supporting our community and continuing to deliver great hospitality across all our venues.”
About The Trusts
The Trusts is made up of the Portage Licensing Trust (PLT) and Waitākere Licensing Trust (WLT), which were established in 1972 and operate under community mandate. Voted in by the public, the Trusts hold preferential trading rights to sell alcohol through their 25 retail liquor stores and 8 hospitality venues across West Auckland.
Under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, their core purpose is the responsible sale and supply of alcohol. As 100% community-owned entities, The Trusts reinvest all surplus profits back into West Auckland through grants and funding for local initiatives. Over the past decade, The Trusts have distributed more than $14m in community funding.
