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Hastings Co-op has won two major awards at the NSW/ACT IGA Awards – the Large Meat Department of the Year Award for Sovereign Place IGA and the coveted Community Service Award.
It is the second time the co-operative has won both state awards, qualifying them for the national titles later this year.
In his acceptance speech IGA and Liquor Division Manager Darren Partridge paid tribute to late Hastings Co-op CEO Allan Gordon, who passed away on March 6, 2023.
He explained that Allan was passionate about giving back to the local community during his 10-year tenure, which is reflected in the Co-op’s countless sponsorship, partnership and community support programs.
Acting Hastings Co-op CEO Gary Humphreys said the 2022 IGA National Community Service Award was an accolade that Allan was particularly proud of.
“To win this year’s NSW IGA Community Service Award is the ultimate recognition for Allan, who was not just a respected businessman, but a community leader in every sense of the word,” Mr Humphreys said.
“Allan was the first to coin the term ‘Hastings Co-op family’ and often talked about the need for customers to feel that they ‘belong’ and our responsibility to help the community thrive.
“Hastings Co-op is all about community benefit – from rewarding customers who are part of the Co-op family and giving back to local groups and charities, to being one of the largest employers of youth and showcasing local producers in our stores. ”Hastings Co-op employs almost 300 locals at Wauchope, Timbertown, Sovereign Place Town Centre and Port Macquarie IGAs.
Among other things, the NSW/ACT IGA Community Service Award celebrates Hastings Co-op’s: customer service excellence; Community Chest grants program; generous member reward program; extensive sponsorship program; giveaways and random acts of kindness; regular donation of food waste to Oz Harvest and Billabong Zoo and; business collaborations to drive the region’s economy.
