Crumb Wire weekly round up: January 9, 2026

Welcome to Crumb Wire‘s weekly round-up. Here, we’ll reshare the week’s hottest food and drink stories, launches and features.

ICYMI: Shake Shack to make Aussie debut

In case you missed it: Iconic American burger chain Shake Shack is set to make its Australian debut at the 2026 Australian Open. Appearing as a pop-up stall from January 12 to February 1, the brand’s first foray into the Australian market acts as a test run. A positive response from locals could pave the way for more permanent restaurants in the future.


Are they wings or ribs? Hungry Jack’s brings back chicken ribs in 2026

Hungry Jack’s is bringing back the controversial chicken rib debate in 2026 with the launch of a new menu item: Saucy Ribs. The fast-food chain has reintroduced the format under the name Saucy Ribs, capitalising on the ongoing confusion surrounding what a chicken rib actually is. 

El Jannah is giving out backyard pools with their new $45 chicken meal

El Jannah has launched a short-term summer promotion offering customers the chance to receive a backyard pool with the purchase of a new meal deal. The brand says the campaign is aimed at encouraging at-home summer gatherings, drawing on the role of food and shared meals in Lebanese culture.

Grill’d confirms return of viral Rais’n Grill’d sauce for limited time

Grill’d has confirmed the return of its Rais’n Grill’d sauce following strong demand during its initial release late last year. Available again for a limited time, the sauce previously sold out in under two weeks after gaining traction across social platforms.

Krispy Kreme rolls out new Matcha Moment collection

Krispy Kreme has announced the launch of its first Matcha Moment collection in Australia, marking the brand’s entry into the growing #matchaholic trend. Available for a limited time, the Matcha Moment range includes two doughnuts and three matcha-based drinks.

Allen’s launches new Sour Mix bag across major retailers

Nestlé confectionery brand Allen’s has stepped into its #SourCandyChallenge era with the launch of the new Sour Mix bag – a range focused solely on sour flavours.

Forage and Feast 2026 to showcase regional food and wine across Ararat

Ararat Rural City Council is calling on residents and visitors to support Forage and Feast 2026. The month-long food and drink festival is designed to highlight local tourism and hospitality businesses across the Central Highlands region.

Jamie Oliver brings food and health focus to new Audible podcast

A new Jamie Oliver podcast exploring the relationship between food and health launched January 8, via Audible. Titled Reset Your Health with Jamie Oliver, the six-part series is created and hosted by Oliver and centres on practical conversations around wellbeing, with each episode focusing on a specific health topic. 

New breakfast menu rolls out at Coogee Bay Hotel

Coogee Bay Hotel has launched a new breakfast menu, adding a morning offering designed to suit the area’s beachside routine.

Death & Co Melbourne launches food menu designed for bar dining

Death & Co Melbourne opened last month as the first international venue from the US cocktail bar, bringing the brand’s drinks-led approach to a two-level space on Flinders Lane. Alongside the cocktail list, the venue has introduced a food menu designed specifically for bar dining rather than formal meals.

Red Bull and Strava mark National Quitters Day with fitness challenge

Red Bull has launched a new Strava fitness challenge to coincide with National Quitters Day, offering Australians the chance to win a ticket to a HYROX event. The Red Bull Zero Excuses Strava Challenge launched on January 9 and runs for 28 days.

Find more food and drink stories on Crumb Wire.

Pallavi Mathur

pallavim9893@gmail.com

Pallavi Mathur is the founder and editor of Crumb Wire. She cut her teeth in PR before turning her lifelong passion for food into a full time gig. Pallavi brings readers a daily digest of what's hot in food and drink, covering restaurants, retail and features rooted firmly in food culture.

https://crumbwire.com/

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How Gami Chicken’s chips became Australia’s fast-food runner-up

Gami Chicken is spilling the secret sauce behind its golden crunchy chips, which have just been ranked second across 18 major Australian fast-food franchises by a major food and drink guide. The Korean fast-dining chain, which has grown from a Melbourne laneway to more than 20 stores nationally since its founding in 2006, has been fielding a surge of attention since the ranking landed. Founder Jun Lee says the response has been welcome but not entirely surprising. “Australians love our Korean flavour and our chips have had a loyal following for a number of years. Australians also love crunch and these chips were developed to deliver the same sense of crispness that people associate with Gami chicken.” Crunch that lasts The chips are double-fried, finger-thick and wrapped in a light golden batter built around a single goal: crunch that lasts. They are the most frequently ordered item alongside Gami’s Korean fried chicken, with approximately 20 tons served nationally over the past 12 months. The recipe draws on Korean street food technique, where crispiness and contrast are non-negotiable. The cut was chosen to hold enough potato flavour while keeping its crunch well after frying. “To achieve this, the batter was developed with the goal of creating a chip that is crispy on the outside while still allowing the potato flavour to come through on the inside,” says Lee. “We wanted a cut that would hold enough potato flavour, while also keeping its crunch for longer – even after frying. The unique texture isn’t an accident. It’s inspired by Korean street-food techniques that prioritise crispiness, contrast and pure eating joy. “The thinking was to create chips that were not just a side, but with their own texture, structure and flavour to stand alongside Gami’s famous Korean fried chicken.” Gami’s potato supplier sits in the middle of a farming region, with potatoes processed close to harvest, often on the same day. “Our supplier’s factory is located in the middle of a potato farming region, which means the potatoes can be processed very close to harvest – in many cases on the same day. This was important to us because we wanted to retain as much of the potato’s natural flavour as possible,” says Lee. “Korean food is all about texture, comfort and fun,” says Lee. “There’s an increasing demand for Korean cuisine in Australia and this has been fuelled by the global phenomenon of K-culture. “It has created a wonderful platform for us to introduce our offering to mainstream markets. We aim to make quality Korean food accessible, convenient, and a favourite of every household.” Gami Chicken can be found at more than 20 locations across Australia. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Fissler cookware promotion lands at Woolworths

Woolworths is giving Everyday Rewards members the chance to earn premium German cookware brand, Fissler, through their regular shop. Regular shoppers will earn one Cookware Credit for every $20 spent in a single transaction in-store or online by scanning their Everyday Rewards card. Credits can be redeemed against a six-piece stainless steel cookware set compatible with all cooktops, including induction. Woolworths expects to give away millions of products over the course of the promotion. Bonus credits will be available throughout the promotion on participating items in-store and online, and members can track their balance at the bottom of their receipt or via the Everyday Rewards app. For those wanting to complete their set sooner, a Credits + Pay option allows members to use their credits to get 50% off the range. The promotion comes as new research from Woolworths found that 84% of Australians believe the quality of their cooking tools directly impacts their results in the kitchen, while 42% consider owning quality cookware an important adulting milestone. Cost remains a barrier, with one in five Australians not having replaced their cookware in the past three years. Quality cookware Robert Glenn, Head of Collectibles at Woolworths, said: “We are always looking at how we can give our customers more value when they shop with us. With fresh food at the heart of our offer, what better way to help our customers than with free, quality cookware to bring their home-cooked meals to life. “It’s clear – and our research shows – that our customers want quality cookware, but cost can get in the way of that. Fissler is a world-class brand, meaning our customers have the chance to get their hands on premium cookware as a bonus when they shop.” Hayden Quinn, Cook and Woolworths ambassador, said: “As someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I know first hand the difference it makes when you’re using high-quality cookware. It’s a game-changer that Woolies is now giving customers the chance to own this level of quality, with stainless steel products, for free.” The range Fissler 20cm Frying Pan – Suitable for stovetop and oven use, oven-safe up to 230°C. Fissler 16cm Saucepan – For sauces, boiling eggs or reheating small batches. Fissler 28cm Wok – Compatible with all stovetops, including induction, suited to high-heat cooking. Fissler 24cm Casserole with Lid – Transfers from stovetop to oven with sturdy handles. Fissler 28cm Frying Pan (Uncoated) – Uncoated stainless steel surface for searing and crisping. Fissler Turner – Designed to complement the range. The Fissler cookware promotion is running now until July 7 2026. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Miilk Cake Studio is turning Honey Soy Chicken chips into a cake

Melbourne’s Miilk Cake Studio is releasing a Honey Soy Cake this weekend, timed to coincide with the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. The cake combines layers of vanilla sponge with a buttercream infused with honey and Japanese soy sauce, topped with a crumble of Honey Soy Chicken chips for texture. Only 50 will be made, available in-store on Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29. The flavour came out of Miilk’s Dream Flavour Competition, which invited Melbourne cake lovers to submit their ideas for a chance to see them realised. After hundreds of submissions and weeks of testing, Honey Soy was chosen as the winner. A love for ‘swavory’ foods Sweet and savoury combinations have long existed on the fringes of food culture, the kind of thing people tried once on a dare and then couldn’t stop ordering. Chicken and waffles, fries dipped in soft serve, salted caramel: combinations that once seemed odd enough to be novelties have gradually become menu staples. What was once filed under “weird combos that shouldn’t work” has moved firmly into the mainstream, with soy sauce in particular finding a new home in dessert applications, adding an umami depth that plays against sweetness in ways that are hard to put down. Founded on family baking traditions with a Southeast Asian influence, Miilk Cake Studio has built a following in Melbourne for its creative approach to dessert. Source: Modern Currency Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Ferrero Rocher is coming to Broadway Shopping Centre with free Easter samples

Ferrero Rocher is bringing its Easter 2026 collection to Broadway Shopping Centre next Thursday for a one-day sampling event. On March 26 from 3:30 pm to 8:30 pm, shoppers can try Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut and Cocoa Easter eggs alongside classic Ferrero and Raffaello balls. There is also a Guess the Eggs in the Jar competition running on the day, with the prize a gift pack including two of the season’s new releases. Easter 2026 New for 2026, the Ferrero Rocher Gold Bunny ($9) is a novelty Easter character made with smooth milk chocolate and crunchy hazelnut pieces, while the Ferrero Rocher Egg Tin ($24) packs 16 Ferrero Rocher chocolates into a reusable gold aluminium tin that doubles as a table centrepiece. Both star within a broader Easter range that includes returning favourites across gifting and entertaining. The Ferrero Collection Boxed Egg pairs a smooth milk chocolate egg with six Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Rondnoir and Raffaello pralines, while the Grand Ferrero Rocher and Ferrero Rocher Easter Egg round out the lineup for those after something more classic. The full range is available at leading supermarkets nationwide. Source: ID Collective Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

QLD dairy farm Summer Land Camels raises $700,000 in crowd-sourced funding

Summer Land Camels, Australia’s largest camel dairy farm, has raised $700,000 through a crowd-sourced funding campaign to fund its next phase of growth. The Queensland-based business closed its crowd-sourced funding campaign with backing from retail investors and long-standing customers, most of them based in Queensland and New South Wales. For many, it was a chance to formalise a relationship with a brand they had already been buying from for years. Founding Director Paul Martin says: “We’ve been incredibly encouraged by the response. Many of our investors are people who have supported the brand for years and are excited to now be shareholders as we enter our next phase of growth.” The company has identified significant demand for camel milk products in the American market and will use the capital to scale operations accordingly. “Our priority now is executing the scale-up strategy to deliver on the US export opportunity,” says Martin. It is not a bad time to be making big moves. Summer Land Camels recently scored 99.6 out of 100 from international dairy judges in Madison, Wisconsin, taking Bronze for its Marinated Camel Cheese, Persian Feta Style. “For a camel dairy farm in Queensland’s Scenic Rim to be recognised alongside some of the world’s most established cheesemakers is a proud moment for our team and for Australian regional food producers,” says Martin. The business also runs a working agritourism destination on its Scenic Rim property alongside its camel milk dairy and health and wellness product range. Source: Conway Communications Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

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