Image credit: Pat Brunet | Event Photos Australia
An independent supermarket tucked away in Adelaide’s CBD has been crowned Australia’s best small IGA store, beating out entries from across the country at the 2025 IGA National Awards of Excellence.
IGA Local Grocer Franklin St took out the title of ‘National Small Store of the Year’, and also collected two other honours, National Small Fresh Award and National Innovation Award, at the event held at The Star Gold Coast on 14 July.
The sweet twist? Owner Ivy Yu balances her time between operating the store and running her own specialty Asian bakery. I wonder if she ever sleeps!
Ivy’s freshly baked goods, Asian breads, cakes, and pastries are stocked on the shelves of the bakery section alongside all the big brands. As you’d expect, this little section has become a favourite for local shoppers.
Ivy said, “We are very excited and feel honoured to have been recognised with three awards. These awards mean a lot to us as we are a small store with a team who work incredibly hard to deliver a unique and tailored supermarket experience for our local community.”
“We would like to say a big thank you to our team for their dedication and passion, and to our local shoppers who support our store! We are very grateful for our family and community at IGA Local Grocer Franklin St.”
The national awards celebrate the achievements of independent retailers from across the country, recognising service, community support, and retail innovation.
In this year’s awards, Romeo’s Foodland IGA Royal Park was also named National Large Store of the Year and took out the top honour of 2025 IGA National Retailer of the Year. The store will represent Australia at the International IGA Global Rally in the USA.
Metcash Food CEO Grant Ramage said, “These stores are at the heart of thousands of communities across Australia, and they work tirelessly to provide locals with exceptional service, unique and tailored ranges, great value and so much more.”
