Hill Street

What Hill Street does

Hill Street Grocer is a family-owned independent food retailer founded by the Nikitaras family in 2001, when the original IGA store at 109 Hill Street, West Hobart was converted into a gourmet grocery store. The business operates a network of physical stores across Tasmania (reported as 10-11 store locations, including Devonport, Longford, Latrobe, New Town, West Hobart, South Hobart, Blackmans Bay, Sandy Bay, Dodges Ferry and Lauderdale) and employs over 800 people across 11 sites. It positions itself as Tasmania's leading independent food retailer, serving individual consumers with fresh produce, deli goods, butchery, bakery, dairy, pantry staples and specialty local foods, with a strong emphasis on sourcing from 30+ profiled Tasmanian producers.

The company operates a vertically integrated retail model. In 2021 it acquired Wursthaus, a Hobart-based butchery, smallgoods and gourmet food manufacturer in Cambridge, which now supplies all stores via the Hill Street Kitchen with hand-made pies, quiches, cakes, smallgoods and ready-to-eat meals; it also runs a Cambridge distribution centre for fresh produce. Beyond core grocery, the business runs adjacent lines including Hill Street Home (homewares, gifts, handmade chocolates and florist services), Hill Street Hampers (gift hampers with Australia-wide delivery), catering and platters, and gift cards. Technology is largely third-party: online grocery ordering runs on the MyFoodLink e-commerce platform, the Hill Street Rewards loyalty program is powered by the Go Rewards mobile app, recruitment runs on Teamtailor, and customer feedback on RateItNow. A notable operational initiative is a milk-on-tap dispensing system (via partner The Udder Way) using reusable 18L food-grade kegs.

Revenue is generated primarily through transactional grocery retail sales across physical stores and online channels, supplemented by Hill Street Home product sales, catering/platters, gift hampers and gift cards. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through regional physical retail, own-storefront e-commerce, a free loyalty program, weekly catalogues and promotions, and experiential "Meet Our Producers" events. The customer base is horizontal — individual Tasmanian retail shoppers seeking premium local produce and service. Consumer pricing is not publicly disclosed; the only quantified pricing signals in the data are employee wage rates set under Australian industry awards (base hourly rates roughly $25.40-$32.00 depending on role). The company is privately held and family-owned (Nikitaras, Longmore and Rockefeller families), led by CEO Steve Longmore, with no venture, private equity or public-market financing indicated.

Name

Hill Street

Legal name

Hill Street Grocer

Website

https://hillstreetgrocer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hill Street Grocer is a family-owned independent gourmet food retailer operating 10-11 stores across Tasmania, serving individual consumers with fresh local produce, deli, butchery, bakery and specialty foods, supported by in-house manufacturing, e-commerce and a loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gourmet Grocery Retail

NAICS

Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (445110)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Supermarkets & Neighborhood Grocers (CRAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG)

Keywords

• Gourmet grocery retail
• Fresh produce supermarket
• Artisanal food stores
• In-store butchery deli
• Local Tasmanian groceries

Headquarters

HQ city

Hobart

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: Core revenue from selling groceries across 11 physical store locations in Tasmania. Includes fresh produce, deli items, meat, bakery, dairy, pantry staples, and specialty foods. Online shopping available through MyFoodLink platform.
2. Hill Street Home Products: Homewares, gifts, handmade chocolates, florist services, and gift hampers sold through Hill Street Home. Available online with Australia-wide delivery.
3. Catering and Platters: Ready-to-eat meals, platters, and catering services for occasions. Christmas and Easter food ordering services with specialty prepared dishes.
4. Gift Cards: Gift card sales providing stored value for future purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hill Street Grocer operates a chain of 11 gourmet grocery stores across Tasmania, selling fresh produce, deli items, butchery, bakery, dairy, and specialty foods under its own brand. It complements in-store retail with Hill Street Home (homewares, florist, gift hampers), online grocery ordering, catering and platter services, and a Go Rewards-powered loyalty program. In-house Wursthaus production in Cambridge supplies handmade pies, quiches, smallgoods, and ready-to-eat meals to all stores.

Product overview

Hill Street Grocer is Tasmania's leading independent food retailer operating 10 stores across the state. The company offers a unified retail ecosystem comprising: the core Hill Street Grocer grocery business (fresh produce, deli, butchery, specialty foods), Hill Street Home (store-within-a-store for homewares, gifts, and flowers), the Hill Street Hampers gift hamper range, Hill Street Rewards loyalty program powered by Go Rewards, online grocery shopping, catering and platters, and weekly promotional catalogues. In 2021, Hill Street expanded its production capabilities by acquiring Wursthaus, a celebrated Hobart butchery and gourmet food manufacturer in Cambridge, which now supplies all stores through the Hill Street Kitchen with handmade pies, quiches, cakes, smallgoods, and ready-to-eat meals. The company employs over 800 people across 11 sites and is committed to supporting Tasmanian producers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hill Street Home: Store-within-a-store offering homewares, gifts, hand-made chocolates, gift hampers, and in-house florist services. Available at West Hobart, Sandy Bay, Latrobe, Longford and Devonport sites.
• Hill Street Flowers
• Hill Street Hampers
• Hill Street Kitchen
• Wursthaus

Products and services

• Hill Street Grocer In-Store Grocery Retail
• Hill Street Home
• Hill Street Hampers
• Hill Street Flowers
• Hill Street Rewards
• Hill Street Kitchen Prepared Foods
• Wursthaus Butchery and Smallgoods
• Online Grocery Shopping

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,000+ plastic 2L bottles prevented from waste through milk-on-tap program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Loaves and Fishes TasmaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHill Street partners with Loaves and Fishes, a not-for-profit organisation that gathers surplus food bound for landfill, transforms it into ready-to-eat meals, and delivers it state-wide through 250+ partner agencies. Hill Street collects customer donations in-store and matches amounts donated. Through this partnership, Loaves and Fishes feeds 15,000 Tasmanians each week and supports 60+ school breakfast programs.
• Bream Creek DairycoreOthersFamily-owned Tasmanian dairy supplier for milk-on-tap program. Established in 1950s by John Bignell. Three generations of the Bignell family run 2000 acres milking 800 Friesian cows, supplying premium quality milk and artisan cheese.
• AshgrovecoreOthersFamily-owned Tasmanian dairy since 1908 by Bennett family. Has supplied Hill Street's bottled milk for many years and supplies milk-on-tap to Longford store. Produces award-winning cheeses, butter, cream and milk.
• La CantaracoreOthersLocal success story - family artisan cheese and milk producer in Smithton operated by Genaro and Rosselyn Velasquez. Awarded 2020 Fonterra Dairy Sharefarmer of the Year. Produces European and Venezuelan-style cheeses and supplies milk-on-tap to Devonport store.
• Go RewardscoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner powering the Hill Street Rewards mobile app loyalty program. Provides points accumulation, cashback from major retailers, and flexible wage access features.
• Coal River FarmcoreOthersTasmanian producer since 2015 supplying award-winning handmade chocolates and cheeses. Head Cheesemaker Tim Gadischke produces multi-award-winning cheeses. Hill Street is the only retailer outside of Coal River Farm's own stores stocking their individual chocolates and boxed chocolates.
• Plastic-Wise TaroonaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental group partnership to offer a deposit and return cloth bag library, supporting Hill Street's sustainability initiatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Harris Farm Markets: Australian family-owned premium independent grocer operating a multi-store chain across NSW, ACT, QLD, and VIC with strong emphasis on fresh produce, local sourcing, and specialty departments. Most directly comparable to Hill Street on premium positioning, family ownership, and curated assortment.
• Ritchies IGA: Large Australian independent IGA-affiliated supermarket chain operating across NSW and VIC with strong community and local-producer focus. Comparable to Hill Street as a multi-store independent grocer within the IGA network.
• Thomas Dux Grocer: Australian upmarket grocery banner owned by Woolworths Group operating specialty supermarket stores focused on fresh, gourmet, and premium everyday products. Comparable to Hill Street on gourmet positioning and store-within-store specialty departments.
• Drake Supermarkets: Family-owned Australian independent supermarket chain operating across QLD, SA, and NSW with strong fresh and local-produce positioning. Comparable to Hill Street as a multi-store independent grocery operator with regional depth and family ownership.
• Foodland (Metcash): Network of independent Australian supermarkets affiliated with Metcash/IGA, including flagship Foodland stores in SA. Comparable to Hill Street as a regional independent supermarket brand within the broader IGA ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Coles Supermarkets: Australia's second-largest grocery chain operating full-line supermarkets nationally, including Tasmania locations. Directly competes with Hill Street across fresh, packaged grocery, and prepared-food categories.
• ALDI Australia: Global hard-discount grocer with a significant Australian store network including Tasmania locations. Competes with Hill Street on price-led grocery assortment, pressuring value perception across the market.
• IGA Australia (Metcash): National network of independent IGA-branded supermarkets supplied by Metcash. Comparable as the parent banner and supply network for Hill Street's original IGA heritage, providing wholesale and brand infrastructure across Australia.
• Woolworths Supermarkets: Australia's largest grocery chain operating full-line supermarkets nationally, including multiple Tasmania locations. Directly competes with Hill Street on fresh, deli, and grocery lines at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• Macro Wholefoods Market: Smaller Australian premium grocer focused on organic, health, and specialty products with a limited store footprint. Comparable to Hill Street on premium specialty positioning but with a narrower health-and-wellness focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hillstreetgrocer
• Instagraminstagram.com/hillstreetgrocer
• Xx.com/hillstgrocer

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hill Street