Nathan Rowe, CEO of Paramount Liquor, provided an update on the performance of Sessions and the launch of Bottle Stop.
Q: How have Sessions and Bottle Stop performed so far in 2024? What have been the highlights?
Sessions has experienced a remarkable third quarter in FY24 and is poised to continue this momentum into the fourth quarter, culminating in a solid FY24 result. Sales have increased by three per cent across our member base.
The industry has warmly welcomed Bottle Stop, with several key retail players committing to its rollout in the coming months. This enthusiasm is largely attributed to the autonomy retailers have over their stores, allowing them to select products that optimise sales and margins – two objectives that don’t typically align. Bottle Stop is well-positioned for long-term success in a highly competitive market.
Q: What are the biggest challenges for liquor retailers right now? How are your members overcoming these?
The retail sector faces common challenges across Australia, such as the cost of living, current spending patterns, CPI, and supplier price increases that are a concern in all industries at present. Our members have successfully navigated these challenges by focusing on seasonal preference purchasing, particularly with RTDs, beer, and sparkling sales during summer periods. This strategy has proven effective in mitigating the impact of economic pressures.
Q: You’ve got bold growth plans for the next five years, can you share some insight into how you plan to scale your retail network over this time?
We have ambitious growth plans for the next five years, which we believe are attainable through a mix of growing our core business while innovating and expanding our retail footprint. We have a clear strategic plan with our retail team, led by our National Retail Manager James Wasley, who have been working behind the scenes to ensure we offer a competitive edge while providing a streamlined onboarding process for new members.
Due to our digital-first approach and market-leading innovation, prospects for our banner groups are promising, with expansion plans across the eastern states and into South Australia designed to position them competitively while forming strategic partnerships
with the right retailers to ensure sustained success.
This includes enhancing e-commerce and loyalty programs to drive additional sales and margins, ensuring our members benefit from our growth and value-added services.
Q: How can independent retail stores benefit from being a part of Sessions/Bottle Stop?
One our key differentiators is our proprietary POS system which we’re gifting to all members to ensure a digital-first approach, allowing them to unlock new revenue streams, increased loyalty and far more. Making a substantial impact for retailers by reducing staff costs, which in turn enhances store margins.
The autonomy our retailers possess allows them the freedom to stock products that suit their demographic, as they are most knowledgeable about their customers’ preferences, and this flexibility is a significant advantage.
While we’re experiencing challenging market conditions, it’s important to maintain a big picture perspective. If you’re a retailer seeking change and yearning for more control over your store, we encourage you to reach out.
We’re helping our members to not only keep up but to exceed market expectations by embracing technology, creating new revenue streams through e-commerce, building customer loyalty and in turn executing a dynamic digital marketing strategy.
This Q&A was originally published in the June/July edition of National Liquor News.
