We’re stoked to share that GPK Group has been named Contractor of the Year at the 31st Annual Ritchies Supplier Conference in Queenstown, New Zealand.
For a team that spends its days keeping independent supermarkets running, being recognised by one of Australia’s leading independent retail groups is a seriously proud moment.
A record turnout in Queenstown
This year’s Ritchies Supplier Conference was the biggest yet, with a record 310 delegates in the room. GPK CEO Grant Klaaysen was there to accept the award on behalf of the whole team.
The annual Ritchies Supplier Awards celebrate innovation, collaboration and outstanding performance across a range of categories, so it was a big room to be recognised in, and a very competitive field of nominees.
Why this award means so much to us
Independent retail runs on strong partnerships, and Ritchies is a great example of one. Our job is to build and manage the IT that sits behind the stores, so the people running them can focus on customers, not technology.
As Fred Harrison, CEO of Ritchies IGA, has put it: “GPK provide retail-focused IT solutions, designed to enhance our operations and not complicate them.”
That’s exactly the standard we hold ourselves to, and it’s why this award is such a meaningful one for us.
What we do for independent retailers
GPK Group has supported Australian businesses for over 27 years now, and retail, supply chain and logistics IT is what we specialise in. That includes:
- Retail systems: POS (including our own Merlin platform), self checkouts, store connectivity and the hardware that keeps checkouts fast
- Cybersecurity and compliance: Essential Eight-aligned protection through GPK CyberControl, built for the risks retailers actually face
- Cloud, connectivity and backup: Microsoft 365 management, SD-WAN and disaster recovery, so an outage never means a lost day of trade
- Ongoing support: a team that understands 24/7 retail operations, not a generic helpdesk
We’re proud to be an MGA Platinum Partner, to support more than 200 businesses nationally, and to work alongside independent grocers across the country.
Thank you
Huge thanks must go to Ritchies CEO Fred Harrison and CEO-elect Wayne Harrison, and to the wider Ritchies team, for trusting us with the technology that keeps their stores running.
Congratulations also to every winner on the night, we were in great company up on that stage!
Looking ahead to the next chapter
We’re looking forward to being part of the next chapter for Ritchies, and to helping more independent retailers get their IT working harder for them.
If you run an independent supermarket, retail group or logistics operation and want to talk through where your IT stands today, we’d love to help.
Book a free, no-obligation 3 Year IT Roadmap Strategy session with our team and we’ll map out your risks, gaps and a clear plan for the next three years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book a free, no-obligation 3 Year IT Roadmap Strategy session. We’ll map out where your IT stands today, the risks and gaps, and a clear plan for the next three years.