53 Gourmet Grocer

GOURMET GROCER

As an independent local grocer, Lee’s IGA at Sanctuary Cove stocks a wide selection of gourmet products and household necessities.

WORDS MARJ OSBORNE

I’M MEETING THE MAN with a mission, the person who steers the ship, the one who locals depend on for their daily sustenance.

You may look at his role in a different way, but Andrew Suljan’s position as the General Manager of Lee’s IGA at Sanctuary Cove is indeed a complex one.

It involves forward thinking, social psychology, staff management and team building, marketing, and excellent people skills.

Few stores have the reach in a community of the local independent grocer.

What used to be the role of the corner store or delicatessen has been subsumed by supermarkets, making the local grocer especially valued in small communities such as Sanctuary Cove.

For some people it’s where they purchase the bread of necessity, for others their secret indulgence.

It may be their only daily point of contact, a social excursion, or at the very least the place that supplies their entertaining needs.

“I’ve been in supermarkets all my life,” Andrew tells us as I question him about his world of work.

It’s his mission, his ‘raison d’être’; a role he takes great pride in.

Conveniently located at the entrance to The Marine Village, Lee’s IGA is a shining example of how a retail business can make a difference to people’s lives.

Andrew and owner Lee, who is a Hope Island local and on the store floor every day, say that it’s the one-on-one relationships that they have built with their customers that make all the difference.

“I can walk down the road and ten people will say hello,” Andrew explains.

“I know them by name. We have conversations about the products they like and what their needs are.”

The individuality of Lee’s IGA is noticeable as soon as you walk in the store.

Local products such as Darlington Farms sauces, Willowvale spices, LocoLove Chocolates and chopping boards from the Sunshine Coast catch our eye just inside the door.

Perfect for birthday or Christmas presents, some are arranged in gift packs, or you can ask the store to make a hamper to suit your specifications.

Operating under the IGA brand gives Lee’s a pricing advantage on its core range, yet IGA supermarkets are individually owned, giving them the independence to tailor their stock range to their community.

“We have increased our grocery holding by 1400 new lines and are intent on evolving with the market, always on the lookout for new local products and suppliers,” Andrew says.

He also tells us that they recently installed a new deli section, stocking the best French cheeses, such as La Dauphin (named after the heir to the French throne) and Port Salut (the famous cheese made by Trappist monks in the Loire Valley).

Many local and regional cheeses and specialty smallgoods are also featured.

We spot products from one of our favourite local producers, Grobnik Smallgoods, alongside kabana from Noosa Meats, and Byron Bay pizzas, which are bestsellers according to Andrew.

There is a meals-to-go section over on the far wall, and a bakery section with bread, croissants, pretzels and pastries baked daily in the store’s new oven.

One of Lee’s unique roles is catering to the boating fraternity.

“We have one of the biggest marine sections you’ll see in a supermarket,” says Andrew.

“We stock fishing gear, cleaning products for boats, crab pots, lifejackets and other safety compliance equipment and much more.

“Onboard supplies also need to be replenished and we make a lot of platters to order for boats.

“Plus, we have a buggy which we use to service boats, or to collect owners from their boats and bring them into the store to shop.”

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Service and convenience are foundational to a great local independent supermarket.

Open every day, including Christmas Day, Lee’s IGA takes preorders for Christmas catering include roast pork, roast chicken, hams and platters.

Christmas hampers and fishing kits are also made to order.

“Lee’s IGA is many stores rolled into one; a ‘one stop shop’ for locals,” Andrew says.

“We are here to provide for them and to support them and we need to think outside the square to anticipate what their needs will be, sometimes a year ahead,” he adds.

“OK,” I say, “So what do I need to take home? What product would you recommend for me?”

We head towards the grocery section where Andrew points out a particular product from Jamworks in Stanthorpe.

He has read me perfectly and sure enough, five minutes later I’m at the checkout, a jar of handmade shiraz jam in my hand. shop.leesiga.com.au

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