Selected from 105 stores nationwide, the Bendigo business, owned by Rocky and Rachel Minicozzi and brothers Dustin and Matt Newton, was named among five finalists before being awarded the top honour on the night, hosted by former cricketing great Max Walker.

Having owned the Bendigo and the Echuca franchises for just two years, Mr Minicozzi believes the award highlights the hard work and the high level of professionalism and dedication shown not only by the franchisees, but by their staff and suppliers.

“There’s a strict criteria for selecting finalists for the award,” Mr Minicozzi said.

“The national directors of Autobarn take into account every aspect of running a store, from sales and growth, through to compliance to the corporate standards of the company.

“Industry involvement is also a vital component of the judging process – the way each business contributes to the Autobarn group,  supporting other franchisees and encapsulating the Autobarn model.”

With 10 full-time staff and six part-time employees, excellence in customer service has played a big role in the Bendigo store’s success.

“You can’t achieve success in business without having great staff,” Dustin Newton said, or without the support of loyal customers.

“Without people walking through the door – without having great working relationships with suppliers – none of this is possible.”

In what Rachel Minicozzi describes as serendipitous, the AutoPro chain also recently named their franchise of the year, which was awarded to the Kyneton store. “It just goes to show the quality of businesses that are being operated right here in central Victoria,” Mrs Minicozzi said.

“We’re not just excelling locally, but making a real impact on a national level. It’s great for local business.”