
Welcome to Crumb Wire‘s weekly round-up. Here, we’ll reshare the week’s hottest food and drink stories, launches and features.
El Toro Tequila launches new Pocket Cocktails range
El Toro Tequila has unveiled a new limited-edition release just in time for summer – the Pocket Cocktails range, a set of single-serve cocktail kits designed to make mixing easy without the bar setup.
The range launches with two classics: The Emergency Margarita, which pairs El Toro Blanco Tequila with Cawsey’s Margarita Mix and the Pocket Paloma, blending El Toro Blanco Tequila with Bickford’s Grapefruit Cordial.
The Botanica Vaucluse goes green with a weekend vegan menu
The Botanica Vaucluse will mark World Vegan Day with a special three-course vegan menu available for one weekend only, from Friday, October 31 to Sunday, November 2. The eastern suburbs restaurant, led by co-head chefs Abby James and Thai Sams, will serve a $99 menu that highlights the versatility of plant-based ingredients.
The verdict’s in: Sydney can’t stop talking about Auntie Anne’s pretzels
Earlier this month, Auntie Anne’s pretzels opened a new storefront in Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building – the second of five planned launches in Sydney this year. Since the first Australian store opened in Parramatta, pretzel lovers have turned out in full force. This is in part due to the clout the brand brings from its success in the United States, but the local team’s social media game has played an equally important role.
Founder Profile: Brazen Brownies’ Caroline Kropack on quality over quantity
From lawyer to brownie maker, Caroline Kropack swapped contracts for chocolate and never looked back. In this Crumb Wire profile, the Brazen Brownies co-founder talks about the art of indulgence, building a business on joy and why there’s a lot more science behind a perfect brownie than most people think.
Gin Lane brings #BookTok fantasy worlds to life with new Tales & Tonics pop-up
Gin Lane Sydney has turned its Kensington Street home into a fantasy-inspired world for its latest limited-edition pop-up, ‘Tales & Tonics’, running from now until late December 2025. The event draws from some of BookTok’s most talked-about stories, including A Court of Thorns and Roses, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.
The best KFC in Australia has been crowned
KFC Lakehaven in New South Wales has been crowned the 2025 KFC Games Champion after a high-energy national final in Cairns earlier in October.
Now in its 38th year, the KFC Games brought together top-performing restaurant teams from across the country at KFC Gordonvale. Out of more than 45,000 KFC team members nationwide, seven finalist teams earned their place in the competition through a series of regional heats testing their speed, accuracy and teamwork.
Stranger Things meets Maxibon in new Upside Down flavour
Maxibon has teamed up with Netflix’s Stranger Things for its latest limited-edition release, the Upside Down Bon. The new flavour has arrived ahead of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things and marks one of the brand’s biggest collaborations yet.
New Australian brand Café Bellezza rethinks coffee for women’s palates
A new Australian coffee brand, Café Bellezza, is putting women’s preferences at the centre of its blends. Founded by Rosa Gallo, Danielle McMaster and Claire O’Donnell, the brand began as a search for the perfect cup and has grown into a global launch that challenges how the industry approaches flavour.
Tom Smallwood’s upcoming recipe book explores maximum flavour, minimal effort
Maximum flavour, minimum effort: this philosophy forms the basis of celebrated social media foodie and author Tom Smallwood’s upcoming book, ‘Tom’s Diner.’
With a combined following of over a million across platforms, Smallwood’s approach to cooking has consistently been about keeping it simple. But his refusal to overcomplicate things in the kitchen isn’t about cutting corners – it’s about creating more with less: fewer ingredients, fewer steps and heaps less fuss.
McHappy Day merch is back, raising funds for families in need
McHappy Day is coming back on November 15, bringing another round of fundraising and community spirit in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). This year, Macca’s is adding a touch of style to the occasion with a limited-edition line of McHappy Day merchandise, available now across restaurants nationwide.
Christmas hams hit supermarket shelves for 2025
It’s that time of year again. Across Australia, shoppers are readying their roasting trays and making freezer space as the annual rush for Christmas hams begins. Whether you’re glazing in Coca-Cola, honey or brown sugar, the supermarket giants have delivered once again, bringing back crowd favourites alongside new premium offerings for 2025.
Box Divvy calls out grocery delivery mark-ups after CHOICE pricing study
A new report by consumer advocacy group CHOICE has found that groceries ordered through delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Milkrun can cost up to 40% more than in-store. Community grocery network Box Divvy says the findings highlight how the so-called convenience of delivery apps is costing Australians more than just money.
Two Kitchens, One Love: World Pasta Day 2025
In the spirit of World Pasta Day on October 25, we asked two pasta extraordinaires who know their way around a pot of boiling water to share the dishes they live for – and the memories that come with them: Bottega Head Chef, Axel Archenti and Pizza Pasta Please co-founder, Nichole Schlebusch.
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