BUILDING A BENCHMARK

Sophie and James Laird have owned a Liquorland franchise in the Christchurch suburb of Shirley’s Homebase shopping complex for four and a half years. Their business was already seeing strong growth, but in the past year, the Lairds say they have seen especially rapid growth in the business following their relocation to new premises within the shopping centre.

Sophie explains that they had begun to outgrow their old site before that part of the complex was demolished a year ago. “Turnover was strong and we had built a store we were really proud of, but our small storage area meant there were some limitations on our operational efficiencies.”

The new store is much larger, including a vast new chiller area, and follows Liquorland’s smart new layout plans, meaning they can now carry an increased range of premium products, have cut down on restocking times, and are able to deliver a top-tier customer shopping experience.

“This has also led to a change in our overall customer profile,” says Sophie, “with a wider range of shoppers attracted to the lighter and brighter, more modern and sophisticated store layout.”

High levels of support

Although they had not owned a business together before, Sophie and James brought useful skills and experience to their new franchise. Sophie’s background was in events and hospitality management, giving her vital product knowledge, while James had been working in retail operations management for both Liquorland and its parent company Foodstuffs New Zealand. 

However, they credit Liquorland’s high levels of support as contributing hugely to their success. Sophie says they are surrounded by a wonderful group of fellow franchisees and support office team members. “There’s no feeling of competition between franchisees,” she smiles, “it’s more like a community and there is never any shortage of people willing to help and  give advice when you reach out.”

The pair say they are kept pretty busy at home with three small children aged between four and eight years old, but they have also gathered a great team of employees around them, which Sophie says gives them a lot of flexibility and makes it easy to work the business around their lifestyle. “We have a fantastic team, they all have incredible product knowledge, and we are always receiving positive feedback on their customer service. Most of our staff have been with us since we joined Liquorland. We have all developed great relationships with our customers.”

Leveraging all the advantages of the brand

Launched over 40 years ago as a franchise of independently owned liquor stores, in 2009 Liquorland became part of Foodstuffs New Zealand, introducing an unrivalled depth of retailing, liquor and franchise experience to the group. Through global recessions and pandemics, growth has continued and Liquorland stands out as one of the largest liquor retailing businesses in New Zealand, with over 170 franchised Liquorland stores nationwide. 

Liquorland was awarded New Zealand’s Best Liquor Retailer for the tenth year running at the 2025 Reader’s Digest Quality Service awards and was rated in a recent Nielsen survey as the most-preferred retailer with the highest brand equity by shoppers.

Dave Yurak, Liquorland’s Head of Merchandise and Operations, describes liquor retailing as a competitive, mature market, but says, “There are so many examples of our franchisees creating great income and building value in their businesses. They achieve this by leveraging all the advantages of the Liquorland brand and combining these with their own flair, effort and care of their stores and customers. 

“Our franchisees benefit from preferential supplier pricing, marketing campaigns, IT infrastructure, online and social media capabilities and will soon be joining Foodstuffs’ new Club+ loyalty programme, which will be one of the biggest loyalty programmes in the country.

“In recent years the franchise has also introduced an annual profit-sharing rebate scheme, increasing profitability for franchisees, using a performance-based formula for calculating the size of dividend for each franchisee.”

A common thread

Dave says that success as a franchisee requires drawing on all Liquorland’s commercial experience, product offerings, comprehensive marketing programmes and promotions.

“Although most of our franchise opportunities are resales, new builds and renovations present a unique opportunity to create an exciting retail experience even from existing businesses. James and Sophie’s new store in Shirley is a benchmark of what is possible.

“It’s a real hands-on role. Our most successful franchisees embrace the exacting standards of Liquorland retailing and customer service and put a lot of energy into fostering community connections.

“While a strong retail background helps, we have examples of franchisees who have succeeded after coming to Liquorland from being chartered accountants, sales reps, ex-military, builders, police and lawyers. Our franchisees are a truly diverse bunch, but their common thread is caring for people and the experiences they create for them.

“If we can see that you will deliver great service and create a welcoming and friendly environment that resonates with customers, our proven training and ongoing support will get you over the line. That support includes a full promotional programme, strong supplier terms, excellent marketing support, regular regional meetings, IT infrastructure, and all the tools required to run a retail business. Contact me today to find out more.”  

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