Liberty Imbil
Delivering exceptional service, fresh food and strong community support.
Liberty Imbil opened in April 2023 and is part of the Samreen MSO group. Imbil is a rural town located in the Gympie region in Queensland and lies 160km north of Brisbane, in the scenic Mary River Valley.
This site services a community of around 3,500 locals and also campers and tourists throughout the year. Offering a full range of groceries and frozen foods, general merchandise, magazines, an extensive selection of auto and camping gear, quality food services and a wide selection of local products.
The site has also embraced New Sunrise initiatives such as being a fully branded site, offering Common Good Coffee and Jill & Jack’s Daily. Imbil has also registered for the Golden Loo and the Accelerate training program.
We took some time this month to talk to Ally Brown, Liberty Imbil’s site manager for the past 20 months and got her tips for success!
What are your key focus areas?
“Stock management: Products need to be rotated, fresh and faced up at all times. Shelves must be full, neat and tidy. I am a very particular person and all staff are aware of the high retailing standards that I expect regarding my store.”
“Food service quality, freshness and variety is another focus. We have an extensive range of hot and cold meals options: from breakkie rolls, chicken alfredo, salt and pepper squid, burgers, fresh sandwiches and wraps. There is also a local favourite: our massive 14.5 inch pizzas that are made fresh on site!
I am blessed with a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen which allows us to produce and assemble large quantities of food in a small amount of time. We can cook one of our made to order pizzas in only 3 minutes, now that is fast food!”
“Training: It is important that all staff are adequately trained to ensure that we deliver an unparalleled and consistent customer experience from a clean and tidy forecourt, exceptional product freshness and quality, promotional tie up, product availability, staff appearance to well-maintained toilet amenities.”
“Accelerate Training program: I am impressed with the current content, and I made Accelerate mandatory for all staff to complete as part of their learning journey.”
Liberty Imbil making a difference in the local community “
Ally estimates that 90%+ of their business comes from the local community, so it is crucial that they understand and satisfy their needs and expectations. They support the local community by employing locals, sponsoring local events/ organisations such as the Imbil Bulls Bronc Barrels rodeo, Shitbox Rally, Purple Pantry, the local RSL and schools.”
Liberty Imbil buy from local suppliers and also employ a special needs person with Down Syndrome who works 3 hours a week to gain independence and social skills and to interact with the public and staff while learning how to complete tasks in a working environment.
What is your “Point of Difference”?
“Customer Service: In a small community, reputation and word-of-mouth are everything. A single positive or negative experience can spread quickly, either helping to build trust or potentially damaging relationships. In this kind of environment, exceptional customer service is key to standing out and building a loyal customer base. Since people know each other, showing genuine care, going the extra mile, and maintaining transparency can really make a difference. If your community feels valued and heard, they’ll likely share that positivity.”
What are the future plans for the store?
Business has been growing at such a rate that we need additional storage space and car parking. This growth coupled with the fact that a new 100 strong housing estate starts construction this year. We are going to have a significant influx of tradies in the area which we have started planning for.
Ally is very thankful to New Sunrise for the level of support, promotions, point of sale and the business initiatives that have had a positive impact on both business performance and staff growth. The site has experienced amazing growth, especially with Ally’s approach focusing on progress and encouraging constant learning and adaptation.
If you are ever in the area, be sure to pop into Liberty Imbil and say hi to Ally and her team. Be sure to order one of the famous 14.5 inch made to order pizzas, we highly recommend the Hawaiian!
