Hill St IGA X-Press Lauderdale has come away from the National IGA awards as the ‘IGA X-Press Retailer of the Year’ for 2015.

This year was the first time Tasmanian entries were accepted into the National IGA awards and came on top of Hill St IGA X-Press New Town winning the ‘Australian IGA X-Press Fresh Department of the Year’, while Hill St Lauderdale also won the ‘Australian IGA X-Press Grocery Department of the Year’.

The judges’ stated that that quality fresh foods, large grocery range and outstanding presentation standards in every department, earned IGA X-Press Lauderdale this national award.

Hill St’s Nick Nikitaras said it was humbling for both stores to be recognised at such a level and paid tribute to the many hardworking members of the Hill St team who had helped make the business such a success.

IGA Retailer of the year 2015

Congratulations to the 2015 IGA Retailer of the year, Hill St IGA X-Press Lauderdale

“When we won the state award early this year we were pretty delighted, but to now get national recognition as a retailer of the year is pretty impressive,” Mr Nikitaras said.

“We couldn’t have done it without the help of our hardworking team at both Lauderdale and New Town, the strong relationships we have with our suppliers and most importantly the great support we get from our customers.”

Hill St’s success in Lauderdale reaffirms their recent decision to expand further into Hobart’s outlying suburbs, opening two new stores in Doges Ferry and Snug, expanding from six stores to eight.

Chief Executive Officer of Tasmanian Independent Retailers Grant Hinchcliffe, who operates the IGA network, paid tribute to the Nikitaras family for showing that a great independent family-owned store can mix it with the best at a national level.

“We’ve always known there have been some great independent retailers in Tasmania and this has proven it,” Mr Hinchcliffe said.

“The team at Hill St is great, they offer great service and have built a fantastic business off the back of a fresh food offering that is second to none in Tasmania, if not Australia.

“Just as importantly, Hill St has shown what you can do when you support the community that supports their business and I congratulate the Nikitaras family on their achievements.”

The award was presented at the National IGA Conference, held on the Gold Coast in July.