The Australian Drinks Awards return on Thursday, 23 July at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, and Supplier of the Year remains one of the most closely watched categories on the night. Ahead of the event, we spoke with Steve Andrews of Advantage Group, whose benchmarking work underpins the result.
What retailers are rewarding this year
Steve says the clearest trend in this year's data is a shift in how retailers talk about their suppliers. "The suppliers that retailers are backing this year are the ones acting like partners, not suppliers," he says. Retailers describe their strongest partners as those who bring a retailer-first lens to planning, rather than turning up with a fixed agenda.
Proactive communication is a related theme. Suppliers who flag issues early and follow through consistently are being rated well ahead of those who need to be chased. Innovation is being judged the same way, with retailers rewarding new products that grow a category and bring in new shoppers, rather than incremental additions to an existing range.
Supplier of the Year
The award, sponsored by Advantage Group, recognises the supplier with the strongest combined strategic and executional performance, as rated by retailers. Lion won the title in 2025, recognised for pairing category-led thinking with consistent delivery.
Most Improved Supplier of the Year
Sponsored by ALM, this award goes to the supplier that has made the most significant improvement in how it's rated by retailers over the past year. In 2025, Diaego took out the trophy, following a marked shift toward more proactive engagement and investment.
Category Management Award
In 2025, Lion bolstered their Supplier of the Year Award win, also taking out the Category Management Award. Sponsored by Shopper Intelligence, the award recognises the role Category Management plays in the retailer and supplier interface and the impact it has on how suppliers are perceived in their engagement with retail partners.
Supply Chain Management Award
The Supply Chain Management Award, sponsored by BevChain, is awarded to the supplier that most consistently drives high-quality service outcomes and deliverables, and manages both short- and longer-term supply complexities. Australian Vintage was recognised in 2025 for delivering an efficient, reliable and collaborative supply experience across the trade.
All the winners of the Supplier Awards will be announced at the Australian Drinks Awards on 23 July, alongside the Brand and Contribution to Industry Awards, recognising excellence across the industry.
