A LOCAL business received top honours and national recognition at the 2025 Australian Small Business Champion Awards, winning the Bathroom/Kitchen Improvement category.
Macu Kitchens Mildura was announced as the category champion at a gala event in Sydney last week, attended by more than 1000 small business owners nationwide.
The Mildura-based company, which specialises in building kitchens and bathrooms, has been operating for 21 years and is owned by the husband-and-wife team of Justine and Simon McCarthy.
Mrs McCarthy said the business initially entered the awards to take part in the experience.
“It’s great to have come home with a trophy, but we applied thinking it would just be a good opportunity to see how we go,” she said.
“It was a great night, but even better that we won it.
“There were about 1000 people there, and then we won it, so we had to make a speech, which we were a little nervous about,” Mr McCarthy said.
Mr McCarthy attributed the business’s success to innovation and keeping up with trends.
“It’s really a fashion industry these days because things keep evolving and changing,” he said.
“You just have to keep up with innovation as well.
“We’ve always been trying to keep up with the technology to make sure we’re doing things the best way available.”
Mrs McCarthy said awards are nice, but nothing beats seeing the smile on a client’s face after a job.
“The trends are always changing for what the client wants, and seeing the satisfaction on your clients’ faces when they love their new kitchen is the best part,” she said.
The business owners also acknowledged their staff’s contribution to the achievement.
“We need to organise a night out with our staff because they have been incredible and have obviously helped us achieve a great result,” Mrs McCarthy said.
Mr McCarthy added, ”Our staff make up the great team we have here at Macu Kitchens, and I think it’s important to celebrate them as well.”
