Marty Short and family have announced sale of controlling interest in their thriving B2B liquor business Shorty’s to Woolworths’ Endeavour Group.
Family patriarch Warwick Short began what was the Great Australian Wine Company in 1977, beside popular Crow’s Nest watering hold The Stoned Crow. Offering bulk wine stored in barrels, it serviced businesses and devotees in the area.
The Shorts took over the Australian Hotel in The Rocks in the late 90s, and soon started delivering wine to an eager local market. Marty’s younger cousin David joined the business, bringing a background in corporate, and they began supplying drinks for corporate functions and events.
By 2001 the burgeoning business had outgrown The Rocks pub, and moving to a warehouse facility in Ultimo the family launched Shorty’s Liquor, with a more agile business model, delivering out of one van.
In the past two decades it has grown to count 14 vans and a small army of delivery contractors, boasting large national clients and supplying to assorted businesses including all nine W. Short Hotel Group venues and selected other pub operations.
Shorty’s has built success bringing some of the family’s hospitality skills to the B2B sectors they targeted, offering more than just box-moving with often tailored and creative solutions. A second outlet was recently acquired in Melbourne, awaiting rebranding to Shorty’s.
The corporate market has grown to become the largest part of the business, and last year the company expanded further, into wholesaling.
Having fielded offers from a few entities, the Shorts considered a proposal from Woolworths that would relinquish the controlling interest in exchange for integration into a far larger logistics mechanism, facilitating expansion into Melbourne and Brisbane, and other capitals.
David Short will retain his role as managing director, with a major equity stake in the expanding Shorty’s.
“We’ll benefit greatly from tapping into Endeavour’s national supply chain, while also retaining our agility as a distinct business within the group.”
Short Hotels will continue its ongoing partnership with the supply business, and be freed for greater focus on the ongoing hotel portfolio. Marty is understood to be “very excited” for his cousin, who stands to benefit from the hard work and dedication the Shorty’s team has shown for many years.
Woolworths continues its history of partnering into innovation, seen in prior integration of Dan Murhpy’s, Cellarmasters and Jimmy Brings.
“Shorty’s has developed an exciting proposition over the years and we’re pleased to be partnering with them to build a bigger presence in the business to business segment,” says Endeavour Drinks managing director Steve Donohue.
Following the supermarket giant’s announcement of plans to merge Endeavour with its hotel arm ALH last July, shareholders voted and approved the merger last month. The ASX-listed Woolworths (WOW) plans to execute the merger in February, ahead of a spin-off of the Endeavour Drinks entity later this year, pending further shareholder approval.
