Independent Liquor Retailers (ILR) has unveiled an aggressive three-year plan to members at its annual conference in Tasmania, which includes the launch of Bulletin Brewing Co.
ILR has already enjoyed significant success with its private label portfolio and will continue to grow the range, including a greater push into the craft beer segment with its new craft beer brand Bulletin Brewing Co.
The first beer that will hit the shelves under the Bulletin brand will be The Daily Pale Ale, which was brewed at Sydney’s Sauce Brewing Co.
ILR General Manager Corey Leeson said that the new beer will be hitting stores over the coming weeks and will be accompanied by marketing support across the network.
The three-year plan outlines a number of other key pillars for growth including the shift into a new digital-first promotional strategy, an investment in cutting edge data analytics, and an aggressive push into the Queensland market.
ILR will continue to expand its partnership with Foodworks in NSW while also pushing into the Queensland market. Already the group has appointed two new Business Development Managers to lead the growth strategy in that state.
Leeson said the final strategy was the culmination of significant consultation with the ILR Board, members and industry experts including specialist consultants.
“This is a genuine roadmap for an exciting future for the group and its members,” he said.
“Our plan continues to provide our members with significant rebate opportunities but also looks to invest in their future – providing retailers with unprecedented access to a suite of innovative decision making, marketing and business development tools along with access to an expanding range of quality, high-margin products.
“As a group that’s always focused on member value, our new strategy has been built to give members increased choice around the promotional and partnership model that works best for their business and their market.”
As a part of the three-year strategy, ILR will shift to a digital-first promotional and marketing strategy, which will reduce reliance on printed catalogues and overall marketing costs.
Leveraging significant data insights, the group will provide members with access to a new ‘smart’ marketing plan that will be executed in the immediate vicinity of each of its stores and expand the reach of its promotional cycle significantly along with targeting capability.
Finally, ILR has partnered with a specialist online commerce consultant to design a new click-and-collect service for members, which the group says makes “significant sense for a retailer with convenience at the heart of its competitive advantage”.
Leeson said the Tasmanian conference was a significant success and provided the group with the opportunity to showcase the results of its recent efforts while laying out an exciting plan for future growth.