Last night’s 2025’s Retail Excellence Awards, hosted by Independent Pharmacies Australia (IPA) at Pullman On the Park in Melbourne, saw six of its own awarded with top honours.

Announced on the Monday 10th February at the inaugural Retail Excellence Conference at the Gala and Awards Evening, the awards recognised six of the most exceptional individuals within the IPA network, based on factors such as individual performance, innovation, and ongoing commitment to patient health.

Key selection criteria for those who took home first place included: connecting with consumers in an impactful and creative way, leveraging the power of loyalty programs to generate optimum performance, providing outstanding customer service, making a difference to pharmacy, community and team culture and being identified as a Rising Star early in their career.

The list of winners includes:

1. Award Category: Consumer Engagement Award
   Winner: Jessica Brown – Emerald Village Pharmacy
2. Award Category: Loyalty Champion Award
   Winner: Judith Kopp – Life Pharmacy Forbes
3. Award Category: Making a Difference Award
   Winner: Jess Horneman – Old Bar Pharmacy
4. Award Category: Rising Star Award
   Winner: Taylah Driesson – CDC Warragul
5. Award Category: Service Excellence Award
   Winner: Jakki Begley – CDC Patterson Lakes

In addition to these five awards, IPA also announced a highly anticipated sixth new award category – Commitment to Community Health – which recognised an individual within the network who exhibits outstanding dedication to their community and delivers services in a culturally appropriate way. Taking home this award for 2025 was Alyson Munroe Peddell of Thursday Island Pharmacy and Bamaga Pharmacy, for her tireless leadership and ongoing commitment to understanding the needs of the Torres Strait people.

IPA Managing Director, Steven Kastrinakis, said the 2025 Retail Excellence Awards were a testament to IPA’s determination to continue to recognise those within the network who not only generate results, but make a concerted effort to connect with and make a difference to their community and pharmacy teams.

“We are delighted to recognise and congratulate the exceptional hard work and dedication of all six winners to deliver quality healthcare outcomes at our first Retail Excellence Conference with 120 member delegates and 60 sponsor delegates. Each of their exemplary contributions to their pharmacies, communities and teams illustrate incredible problem solving and a can-do attitude,” Kastrinakis said.

As part of IPA’s focus on empowering the independence and capabilities of member pharmacies, IPA’s Retail Excellence Conference and Awards will become a regular part of the events calendar and complements IPA’s learning management platform, IPA Academy, launched in January this year.

Independent Pharmacies Australia (IPA) has announced a significant 9.1% growth based on like-for-like pharmacy sales year-on-year in 2024. The notable uptick follows a strategic reorganisation designed to better support its network of circa 1,100 member pharmacies across the country.

In addition, IPA’s key year-on-year data reveals:

• Retail sales (middle and front of shop) experienced a 6.7% increase over the same period.
• IPA outperformed the market by 3.1 percentage points in both middle-of-shop and front-of-shop categories (Pharmacy Market Report provided by Circana MAT to 22 December 2024)

According to Steven Kastrinakis, Managing Director of IPA, 2024 signaled an opportunity for IPA to provide strong support for pharmacy members within the IPA network. “The last year has been a rewarding one for our Advantage Pharmacies, Alliance Pharmacies, Chemist Discount Centres, Pharmacy Catalyst members, and other independent pharmacies that we support. We’ve worked closely with all our members to minimise the 60DD impact and seize opportunities through full scope of practice and the 8CPA strategy implementation,” Steven Kastrinakis said. “Our focus to support independent pharmacies at the forefront of healthcare has driven significant sales growth. Most notably, data provided by Circana shows we’ve outperformed the market by 3.1 percentage points in both middle-of-shop and front-of-shop categories.” he said.

Setting up independent pharmacies for success in 2025

In early 2024 to coincide with the business’ development goals, IPA refreshed its strategy, including a rebrand from The Platform Alliance Group to highlight its stronger commitment to independent pharmacies across Australia.

Steve Kastrinakis further added “Last year, IPA’s focus was on unifying our member and streamlining our operations to enhance technology, health programs, and marketing efforts,”

“The IPA rebrand sets the stage for us to better amplify the incredible work our pharmacies do through new marketing tools, platforms, and campaigns. We’re pleased to confirm that our new range and pricing strategy has delivered strong results, with the health category growth seeing a 6.8% increase over the past 12 months, compared to the industry average of 3.7% (Circana Australia Pharmacy report, MAT to 22 December 2024). This is a remarkable achievement, especially given the ongoing changes within the industry.” he said.

According to IPA’s Executive Director, Michael Flannery, 2025 will be a pivotal year for IPA and the pharmaceutical industry more broadly, with demand for affordable, accessible healthcare continuing to rise, signaling a need for point-of-care testing to meet these growing needs.

“2025 offers independent pharmacies the opportunity to fully integrate the full scope of practice into their services. Our sales results show that independent pharmacies play a critical role in providing primary care to their communities, and it’s essential that we evolve with the growing health needs of Australians,” he said.

At APP2025, IPA looks forward to showcasing this point-of-care solution developed in partnership with Arrotex – offering results from pharmacies that have participated in the pilot program. This will be shared at both the Plenary Session on Thursday 20 March at 11.50am-12.35pm and in information sessions at the IPA and Arrotex stands in the main exhibition hall.

We believe supporting communities locally and internationally is important to helping them thrive. We are inspired by the commitment of Growing Cambodia’s founders and patrons to educating rural Cambodians.

Growing Cambodia aims to facilitate a self-sufficient and sustainable quality of life for rural Cambodians through education and enhancement of health and well-being. Growing Cambodia’s efforts focus on education to empower the current generation to improve their living standards as it helps individuals make more informed choices about their future.

A key to the education program is teaching English to enhance employment opportunities in the expanding tourism and business sectors.

Enjoy a coffee at Victoria Park Broadbeach APP2024 and donate

To raise funds for Growing Cambodia, we have a Coffee Van at Victoria Park, Broadbeach (on the corner of Gold Coast Highway and Victoria St, diagonally across from APP2024 at GCCEC)

Drop by to meet the team, grab a coffee and a croissant

• Thurs 14 March – 7-11am
• Fri 15 March – 6.30-10.30am

You can either donate via the donation box or via EFTPOS.

Thank you for the support of two great local businesses

• Cactus Coffee for their great organic, locally grown and roasted coffee from Mt Tamborine
• Bakers Delight Broadbeach for their freshly baked croissants

Thank you to the City of Gold Coast for their support in allowing us to have the Coffee Van at Victoria Park.

What an incredible week it was at APP2024! We are thrilled to have unveiled our new brand, Independent Pharmacies of Australia (IPA), which has been met with immense enthusiasm and resonance within the pharmacy industry. This marks a significant milestone for us, promising a future of enhanced support and flexibility to empower you, our members, in achieving your goals.

Before we delve into the highlights, we want to congratulate Chemist Discount Centre Gosnells and Narrabri Pharmacy on being finalists for Pharmacy of the Year 2024. A big congratulations also goes to Narrabri Pharmacy on receiving the “Excellence in Professional Innovation award”. Their outstanding achievement exemplifies their dedication to serving the local community, and we are immensely proud to celebrate Karen and her team’s success.

Our panel sessions sparked insightful discussions throughout the event, providing attendees with invaluable knowledge and networking opportunities. We were also honoured to have Andrew Pattinson, Chief Innovation Officer at IPA, host the Rural Pharmacy Forum and highlight rural pharmacies’ vital role in healthcare delivery.

From industry sessions to networking opportunities, APP2024 has been a testament to the strength and unity of our pharmacy community.

We look forward to continuing this journey together, growing stronger with each shared success.

We were so proud to support Growing Cambodia at APP2024 and help raise awareness for a great cause!

A heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who made a donation and contributed to this important cause. Your support will make a meaningful difference in the lives of rural Cambodians, empowering them through education and enhancing their health and well-being. Together, we’re making a positive impact and helping communities thrive!

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making the APP2024 cocktail party an unforgettable evening. Here’s to our continued growth, innovation, and success!

We’re thrilled to announce our lucky winners from the recent events! Congratulations to Edwina Capell, Jodi Wishaw and Nicholas Ikonomos, who each won a Zero-10 E-Scooter from our various giveaways at APP2024!  Thank you to everyone who participated, and stay tuned for more exciting opportunities in the future!

If you didn’t manage to attend APP, as part of our commitment to supporting your growth and sustainability, I invite you to explore our exclusive whitepaper, “Navigating the Future of Pharmacy: Unlocking Growth and Sustainability.” This insightful resource provides valuable strategies and insights to help you thrive in today’s dynamic pharmacy environment. 

Gold Coast, Australia (March 15, 2024)

At the APP2024 Conference yesterday, Steve Kastrinakis, Managing Director, and highly regarded founding Pharmacist, announced the formation of Independent Pharmacies Australia (IPA).  IPA is a new chapter for The Platform Alliance Group, a previous merger between several longstanding independent pharmacy groups – Advantage Pharmacy, Pharmacy Catalyst, and Pharmacy Alliance.

IPA aims to provide comprehensive support tailored to the unique needs of independent pharmacies operating across Australia. With nearly 1,200 member pharmacies, the group leverages its scale to invest in innovative programs, services, and technology that provide their members with an integrated and unique approach to drive better patient outcomes and sustainable business growth.

“Our name change reflects our DNA and who we are. We understand that no two pharmacies are the same. We are here to support your independence,” stated Kastrinakis in his speech. “IPA is the product of pharmacy groups founded by pharmacists, for pharmacists, over 20 years ago, and we remain dedicated to [their] success as independent operators.”

Key benefits of the new brand for independent pharmacists include:

• Flexibility to operate branded or fully independent pharmacy models
• Group buying power for improved margins and market-leading deals
• Marketing expertise to drive consumer engagement and loyalty
• Implementation support for professional services and revenue streams
• Business intelligence tools including procurement analytics and loyalty insights

“Our goal is to simplify running independent pharmacies so our members can focus on delivering outstanding service to their patients,” added Kastrinakis. “Whether you want to be part of our national brands or operate an independent model, we have support levels that meet the needs of you and your local community.”

IPA launched at this year’s APP conference, inviting attendees to visit their stand to learn how the group can help independent pharmacy owners maintain their independence while charting a successful future.

About Independent Pharmacies Australia

Independent Pharmacies Australia (IPA) is a member-owned organisation supporting over 1,200 independent community pharmacies across the country. Founded by pharmacists with a mission to champion independent and sustainable pharmacy ownership, IPA provides group buying power, marketing resources, business coaching and a range of professional services to help members grow their businesses and better serve their communities.

For more information or media inquiries, please contact:

Nimfa Martinez

General Manager Marketing – Brands

E: nimfa.martinez@thepagroup.com.au

M: 0433 122 713