What Coles Liquor does

Coles Liquor is the liquor retail division of Coles Group Limited (ASX: COL), one of Australia's largest publicly listed retailers. It operates a multi-banner national liquor portfolio across three formats: Liquorland (mainstream convenience, offering local and imported drinks), Vintage Cellars (premium wine and spirits with in-store tastings), and First Choice Liquor Market (value-oriented variety). Products are sold through dedicated liquor storefronts and via Coles Online, the group's e-commerce platform supporting home delivery and click-and-collect.

The division sits within Coles Group's broader integrated retail infrastructure: 1,800+ retail outlets nationwide, 800+ Coles Supermarkets, three manufacturing facilities (Chef Fresh, Retail Ready Operations Australia, and Fresh MilkCo, which sources 200+ million litres of milk annually), and two state-of-the-art Automated Distribution Centres at Kemps Creek (NSW) and Redbank (QLD) powered by Witron technology — the largest of their kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The Coles Digital team builds the omni-channel platform that serves millions of Australians weekly, processing thousands of requests per second.

Coles Liquor generates revenue through direct-to-consumer retail sales across its banner network and digital channels, serving Australian households. The business benefits from the parent group's 115,000+ team members, 8,000+ supplier partnerships, and shared logistics and procurement scale. Employer branding, diversity and inclusion programs, and supplier development (via the $50 million Coles Nurture Fund launched April 2015) support both talent acquisition and ecosystem positioning, but the division has no independently disclosed financial statements in the input data.

Name

Coles Liquor

Legal name

Coles Group Limited

Website

https://colescareers.com.au

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Off-Premise Liquor Retail

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Mixed Alcohol Specialty Retail (Beer/Wine/Spirits Combined) (CRANABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Liquor Stores (General Off-Premise) (CRANAAAA)

Keywords

• Alcoholic beverage retail
• Liquor store operations
• Wine and spirits retail
• Convenience liquor outlets
• Omni-channel liquor retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Hawthorn East

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - Supermarkets: Coles Group generates revenue primarily through its extensive network of over 800 Coles Supermarkets and 1,800+ total retail outlets across Australia.
2. Liquor Retail: Revenue from Liquorland, Vintage Cellars, and First Choice Liquor Market stores offering local and imported beverages.
3. Online/Digital Sales: Coles Online delivers groceries and products to customers through digital platforms including website and mobile applications.
4. Manufacturing: Three manufacturing facilities (Chef Fresh, Retail Ready Operations, Fresh MilkCo) producing convenience meals, fresh meat products, and milk for supermarkets.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Coles Liquor is the liquor retail division of Coles Group, selling alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, spirits, and ready-to-drink products) to Australian consumers through three core retail brands: Liquorland (mainstream local and imported drinks), Vintage Cellars (premium wines and spirits), and First Choice Liquor Market (variety and value). Products are sold in physical storefronts and through Coles Online for home delivery or click-and-collect, with supply fulfilled through Coles Group's Witron-automated distribution centres.

Product overview

Coles Liquor operates as part of Coles Group's portfolio of retail brands, offering alcoholic beverage retail through multiple formats including Liquorland (mainstream liquor convenience), Vintage Cellars (premium wines and spirits with in-store tastings), and First Choice Liquor Market. The products are available across physical store locations and through Coles Online's e-commerce platform for home delivery and click-and-collect services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Liquorland: Making it simple and convenient to shop a wide range of local and imported drinks.
• Vintage Cellars
• First Choice Liquor Market

Products and services

• Liquorland

Quantifiable outcome

• 115,000+ team members employed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Coles Nurture FundcoreOthers · 1 April 2015$50 million fund launched in April 2015 to help small to medium-sized businesses to innovate and grow. Part of Coles' commitment to supporting Australian producers and suppliers.
• SecondBitecoreOthersColes partnership with food rescue organisation SecondBite to help drive sustainability efforts. SecondBite collects surplus food from Coles and redistributes it to those in need, supporting Coles' goal of zero hunger.
• FoodbankcoreOthersCharity partnership with Foodbank to support community food relief programs across Australia through financial contributions, fundraising, and food donations.
• Clean Up AustraliaminorOthersCommunity partnership supporting environmental initiatives including beach clean-ups and environmental sustainability programs involving Coles team members.
• Red Cross LifebloodminorOthersCorporate volunteering partnership with Red Cross Lifeblood for blood donation drives and related community initiatives.
• Disability Works AustraliacoreOthersPartnered with Disability Works Australia who have specialist knowledge to help place motivated people with disabilities into great positions within Coles Group.
• AKG (Max Solutions)coreOthersPartnership with AKG (Max employment solutions) who have specialist knowledge and help place motivated people into positions within Coles Group.
• Australian Network on DisabilitycoreOthersMember of Australian Network on Disability and participant in the 'Stepping Into' Internship Program offering university students with disability valuable business experience.
• Grace PapersminorOthersPartnered with Grace Papers to provide CarerHub - access to a range of support services including on demand coaching that helps team members balance work and caring responsibilities.
• ACON's Welcome Here ProjectminorOthersColes is a proud member of ACON's Welcome Here Project, agreeing to welcome and include LGBTQI+ people, create positive change in local communities, and celebrate LGBTQI+ diversity.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Metcash Limited: Metcash (ASX: MTS) is the wholesaler behind IGA supermarkets and associated liquor banners in Australia. It is comparable as a competing grocery and liquor retail channel, particularly in regional and independent-store segments where Coles Liquor's banners also operate.
• Naked Wines Australia: Naked Wines is a UK-founded online wine merchant with Australian operations, connecting consumers directly with independent wineries through a subscription-funded model. Comparable to Coles Liquor's wine retail and subscription-adjacent initiatives, with a differentiated go-to-market model.

Emerging players

• Vinomofo: Vinomofo is an Australian online wine specialist offering curated wine sales to consumers. It is comparable to Coles Liquor's Vintage Cellars and online wine operations as an emerging digital-first wine retailer targeting similar consumers in the premium and casual wine occasions.

Broad incumbents

• ALDI Stores Australia: ALDI Australia is a leading discount grocer that also stocks a limited liquor range in store. Comparable as a competing grocery and beverage retailer, although its core liquor offering is narrower than Coles Liquor's specialised multi-banner strategy.
• Costco Wholesale Australia: Costco Australia is the local operation of the global membership warehouse club and operates large-format liquor retail within its store network. Comparable as a competitor for value-oriented liquor and bulk-buyer occasions that overlap with the First Choice Liquor Market value proposition.
• Woolworths Group Limited: Woolworths Group (ASX: WOW) is Australia's largest grocery retailer and historically the parent of Endeavour Group (spun off in 2021). It still operates some liquor banners and competes broadly with Coles Liquor, making it an established incumbent grocer with overlapping alcohol retail exposure.

Others

• Total Wine & More: Total Wine & More is the largest specialty wine, beer, and spirits retailer in the United States with 200+ superstores. Included as an international reference peer for the multi-banner, big-box liquor retail model that Coles Liquor's Vintage Cellars and First Choice Liquor Market broadly emulate.

Direct peers

• Endeavour Group Limited: Endeavour Group (ASX: EDV) is Australia's largest dedicated liquor retailer, operating Dan Murphy's (premium, 250+ superstores), BWS (mass-market convenience), and Pinnacle Drinks. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor for Coles Liquor's Liquorland, Vintage Cellars, and First Choice Liquor Market across both physical and digital channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coles-liquor
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifeatcoles

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 Coles Liquor