What Australian Liquor Marketers does

Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM) is the largest wide-range wholesaler of alcoholic beverages to the independent liquor trade in Australia and the Liquor wholesale division of Metcash (ASX: MTS). Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Laverton, the company purchases from more than 250 suppliers and distributes over 10,000 products through distribution centres in every Australian capital city and major regional hub. ALM serves two primary customer segments: independent liquor retailers — operating under banners such as IGA Liquor, Cellarbrations, The Bottle-O, Bottlemart, Liquorstax, and Foodworks — numbering over 12,000 across Australia, and on-premise venues (bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels, clubs, and events) numbering over 7,500, served through a dedicated ALM On Premise division with state-based sales and support teams in all states and territories.

ALM's product and technology stack centres on B2B wholesale infrastructure rather than consumer-facing software. Core platforms include the ALM Portal and AskRoss-based member login for retailers and on-premise customers, ALM Connect and ALM Connect Admin for supplier administration, Metconnect (inherited from Metcash) for supplier integrations, and a turn-in warehouse ordering system for suppliers. The technology stack functions as operational plumbing — order capture, account management, supplier integration, and warehouse turn-in — and is differentiated primarily through interoperability rather than artificial intelligence or proprietary algorithms.

The business model is wholesale margin-based: ALM purchases liquor from 250+ suppliers and resells to independent retailers and on-premise venues at wholesale mark-ups under custom-negotiated multi-year contracts with pricing terms set individually after an expression-of-interest submission. Revenue is split across two go-to-market motions: enterprise field sales via Business Development Managers and dedicated account managers servicing independent retail banners, and a parallel channel-partner motion supporting banner operators and the on-premise division. Strategic suppliers Diageo Australia and Carlton & United Breweries are anchored as core channel partners, and exclusive brands are developed through the wholly-owned Independent Beverage Partners (IBP) division. ALM employs 501-1,000 people, operates with national geographic coverage restricted to Australia, and does not disclose standalone revenue.

Name

Australian Liquor Marketers

Legal name

Australian Liquor Marketers

Website

https://almliquor.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ALM is the largest wide-range wholesale distributor of alcoholic beverages to Australia's independent liquor trade, operating as Metcash's liquor division and serving 12,000+ retail customers and 7,500+ on-premise venues across all states and territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beverage Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Wholesale liquor distribution
• Beverage wholesale supply
• On-premise liquor supply
• Independent retailer support
• Liquor wholesale network

Headquarters

HQ city

Laverton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Liquor Distribution: ALM generates revenue by purchasing liquor products from suppliers (over 250) and reselling to independent retailers and on-premise businesses at wholesale margins. Revenue is derived from the mark-up on products distributed through the network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM) is the Liquor wholesale division of Metcash and operates as a B2B wholesale distributor of alcoholic beverages. ALM purchases liquor products from over 250 suppliers and resells them to more than 12,000 independent liquor retailers and 7,500 on-premise venues across Australia, distributing through warehouses in all capital cities and major regional hubs. It also runs ALM On Premise, a specialist division for bars, pubs, restaurants, and hotels, and Independent Beverage Partners (IBP), an exclusive-brand division for wines, beers, and spirits.

Product overview

Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM) is a wholesale distribution platform operating as the Liquor wholesale division of Metcash. ALM serves as the primary offering, providing the largest wide range wholesale service to independent liquor retailers and on-premise businesses across Australia. The portfolio includes ALM On Premise (a specialist division for bars, pubs, restaurants, and hotels serving over 7,500 venues), Independent Beverage Partners (IBP, providing exclusive wine, beer, and spirits brands), and supplier-facing portals including Metconnect, ALM Connect, ALM Connect Admin, and Turn-in Warehouse Orders. ALM supports over 12,000 retail customers through access to 250 suppliers and 10,000 products, distributed via a network of distribution centres in all capital cities and major regional hubs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ALM On Premise: Specialist on-premise liquor division supporting bars, pubs, restaurants, and hotels across all states and territories of Australia.
• Independent Beverage Partners (IBP)

Products and services

• Australian Liquor Marketers (ALM) Wholesale Liquor Distribution The core B2B wholesale liquor distribution service, providing independent liquor retailers with access to 250+ suppliers and over 10,000 products delivered via distribution centres across all Australian capital cities and major regional hubs.
• ALM On Premise Specialist on-premise liquor wholesale division supplying bars, pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels, clubs, and large format events, with dedicated sales and support teams in every Australian state and territory, currently serving over 7,500 on-premise businesses.
• Independent Beverage Partners (IBP) ALM's exclusive brand division that partners with top wineries, breweries, and distilleries to deliver multi-award-winning owned and exclusive wine, beer, and spirits products offering quality, value, and margin benefits to independent retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supporting over 12,000 retail customers across Australia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Diageo AustraliacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDiageo Australia has a long-lasting and collaborative partnership with ALM to service the valued independents network. Both parties understand each other's businesses and work together to ensure Diageo brands reach consumers through ALM's independent retail network.
• Carlton & United BreweriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCarlton & United Breweries (CUB) has ALM as a strategic business partner supporting the distribution and growth of their beer and beverage brands nationally through the independent retail and on-premise network.
• MetcashflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerALM is the Liquor wholesale division of Metcash, Australia's leading independent retail solutions provider. Metcash provides the enterprise infrastructure and backing that supports ALM's operations across Australia, including technology platforms like Metconnect for supplier integrations.
• Independent Beverage Partners (IBP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBP is ALM's exclusive brand division providing independent retailers with owned and exclusive products. IBP partners with top wineries, breweries, and distilleries to deliver multi-award-winning wines, beers, and spirits with exceptional quality, value, and margin benefits across the value chain.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Metcash: Metcash (ASX: MTS) is ALM's parent company and provides shared infrastructure including the Metconnect platform. It is directly comparable as the umbrella entity but its grocery and hardware divisions place it outside ALM's core wholesale channel.
• Diageo Australia: Global spirits major and named strategic partner of ALM. Comparable as the upstream counterpart whose brands are distributed through ALM's independent retail and on-premise network, and whose direct-to-retailer ambitions could disintermediate ALM.
• Treasury Wine Estates: One of the world's largest wine producers and a key supplier flowing through ALM's wholesale network. Comparable as a counterpart in the Australian liquor value chain, though it operates upstream rather than as a peer wholesaler.
• Carlton & United Breweries (CUB / Asahi): CUB (owned by Asahi Group) is Australia's largest brewer and a named strategic partner of ALM. Comparable as a major alcohol manufacturer whose brands rely on ALM's wholesale channel to reach independent retail and on-premise.

Broad incumbents

• Endeavour Group: Endeavour Group (ASX: EDV) operates Dan Murphy's, BWS, and ALH hotels. It is Australia's largest liquor retail and on-premise operator and the dominant force ALM's independents compete against, making it the most strategically comparable incumbent.
• Coles Group: Coles Group operates Liquorland, First Choice Liquor, and Vintage Cellars alongside its supermarket business. It is a major vertically integrated liquor retailer that competes with ALM-served independents for consumer share and supplier attention.
• Lion (Lion Beer, Spirits & Wine): Lion is a major Australian brewer and beverage company (XXXX, Hahn, James Boag's) with proprietary distribution into on-premise. It is comparable as a major alcohol supplier-distributor competing for on-premise shelf space and supplier relationships that ALM mediates.

Direct peers

• BevChain (Lion): BevChain is Lion's dedicated beverage logistics and distribution business, providing end-to-end supply chain for alcohol and FMCG. Comparable as a direct competitor in outsourced alcohol distribution services to suppliers and retailers.

Emerging players

• Torresan Group: Torresan is an Australian liquor wholesaler and distributor serving independent retailers and venues, particularly in Victoria. Comparable as a smaller-scale direct competitor focused on the same independent-trade segment that ALM dominates.

Regional players

• Independent Liquor (NZ): Independent Liquor is one of New Zealand's largest alcohol wholesalers and distributors, supplying on-premise and retail. Highly comparable as a regional peer operating the same independent-trade wholesale model across the Tasman.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Australian Liquor Marketers