Carlton & United Breweries celebrated a back-to-back victory last Thursday night, being crowned the 2024 Supplier of the Year for the second consecutive year. Carlton & United Breweries received the award in the presence of around 400 attendees at the 2024 Australian Drinks Awards hosted at the Hilton Sydney.
The beer division of Asahi Beverages clinched two of the four highly coveted Supplier Awards, including the 2024 Category Management Award for the third year in a row. Casella Family Brands received the Most Improved Supplier Award, while Lion and Brown Family Wine Group jointly won the Supply Chain Management accolade.
Steve Andrews, Advantage Australia's Managing Director, presented the award on behalf of the company. He said, “The Supplier of the Year Award recognises excellence and engagement across the key disciplines that we value in the liquor industry.
“Tonight's winner is building a reputation for being a customer-centric organisation that is building categories through excellence and innovation. It’s also a fantastic recognition of capability in their teams. And so the 2024 Supplier of the Year, going back to back, is CUB Beer.”
Danny Celoni, Carlon & United Breweries’ CEO was present to accept the Supplier of the Year Award.
In his speech, he said: “Customer centricity is at the heart of everything we do. It's one of the three pillars in our strategy. It's ingrained in our organisation. We talk about it all the time, and I'm just so happy that we're showing up in the way it makes a difference.”
“To our customers, thank you for the challenges, thank you for the partnerships, thank you for leading us in the right direction, thank you for being honest when you need to be. I can promise you that we’ll continue to raise the bar and show up in the way that you need us to.”
Celoni also took the opportunity to thank his wider team.
“I'm so proud to be a part of a team where we're really inspired by making a difference and making great things happen, getting a little bit disruptive and trying new things.”
“To the unsung heroes, the people that are in the manufacturing plants as we speak, rolling beers and RTDs off the manufacturing lines, to the guys driving trucks, in distribution centres….to all the people in the background that aren't always at the coal face, that have actually touched this award individually, a big thank you to all of you.”
All four Supplier Award winners were determined by the Engagement Program facilitated by the Drinks Association's Corporate Partner, Advantage Australia. Advantage has also been a dedicated sponsor of the Supplier of the Year Award since the first awards ceremony 12 years ago.
Reflecting on the success of this year’s winner, Steve Andrews, Advantage Australia's Managing Director, said: “Given the success of their whole-business approach to customer engagement that has been championed by the leadership team; it’s no surprise that retailers, wholesalers and on-premise groups have, for the second year in row, recognised Carlton & United Breweries as their best-in-class supplier partner.”
Andrews added: “Carlton & United Breweries’ customers are particularly impressed with the proactive support for their strategies, underpinned by now three consecutive years of leadership in collaborative planning. Whilst there are many other competencies they excel in, this approach has become the heartland of their high engagement.”
This sentiment was echoed last month at the Drinks Association’s Network Breakfast, where Danny Celoni, as the keynote speaker, generously shared the remarkable changes within Carlton & United Breweries that have led to the business's exceptional performance since he was appointed CEO in February 2022.
During the session, he reinforced Carlton & United Breweries' focus on consumer appeal, improving customer value propositions, and increasing organisational capability and reach.
Celoni stated, “We are absolutely fixated on customer centricity. It's non-negotiable, it's at the centre of everything we do. We've made customers the centre of our world.”
Asahi Beverages takes home a total of 10 awards
It was a big night for Asahi Beverages. In addition to the two Supplier Awards won by Carlton & United Breweries, Asahi Beverages also collected five Brand Awards in the Fan Favourite category and three in the Gaining in Popularity category.
Fan Favourite Brand Awards
Beer - Classic: Victoria Bitter
Beer - Contemporary: Carlton Dry
Beer - Premium: Corona
Cider - Somersby
RTD White - Vodka Cruiser Original
Gaining in Popularity Brand Awards
Beer - Premium: Asahi Super Dry
Beer - Non-Alcoholic: Great Northern Zero
RTD White - Hard Rated Alcoholic Lemon
Edwina Bartholomew was MC at the 12th annual Australian Drinks Awards, where 48 awards were distributed to recognise achievement and excellence in the drinks industry, including four Supplier awards: Supplier of the Year, Most Improved Supplier, Category Management and Supply Chain Management.
The Drinks Association congratulates its Category One Member Asahi Beverages and the team who has helped Carlton & United Breweries 2024 Supplier of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Advantage Australia is a Corporate Partner of the Drinks Association.
The Drinks Association would like to extend its thanks to its generous sponsors for this year’s event.
All the winners from the 2024 Australian Drinks Awards are available here: