One of Never Never‘s most sought-after releases is back, with the distillery reuniting with World’s Best Bar winner Bar Leone to bring back Coffee & Cacao Gin. The cult collaboration first launched in 2023 and quickly sold out in Australia. Now, following Bar Leone’s rise to global fame and the opening of its new Shanghai venue, Never Never has revived the coffee and chocolate-forward gin for a limited return. “We sent a pallet of our original Coffee and Cacao Gin to Hong Kong, and then it promptly sold out here in Australia,” says Never Never co-founder Sean Baxter. Baxter says the Shanghai opening gave the team a reason to revisit the release. “Lorenzo couldn’t ship the original 500ml bottle from Hong Kong to China without going through the process of importation and paying duty taxes so we decided to re-release the product, again just for his new bar in Shanghai. “When Hong Kong runs out, no doubt we will send it there as well, but for now the new release will only be available in Bar Leone Shanghai and through our distillery door and website.” The re-release uses the same recipe as the original, built around roasted coffee bean, cacao nib, cacao butter, coconut cream and bergamot peel. Built for Negronis Coffee & Cacao Gin was the first gin Never Never Distilling Co. created specifically for Negronis. The South Australian distillery has since gone on to create its bottled Panettone Negroni, which was named World’s Best Contemporary Cocktail at the World Gin Awards in London. The gin was designed to work alongside the dark, earthy flavours of Italian sweet vermouth, creating rich coffee and chocolate-forward Negronis. “If we’re making a gin aligned to the very best that Italy and now the world has to offer it better make a damn good Negroni,” Baxter says. “We wanted to build a gin whose purpose was to create delicious coffee and chocolate forward Negronis and work with the dark, earthy flavours found in Italian sweet vermouth.” Cacao butter is washed into the gin to create a richer, more decadent mouthfeel, allowing notes of coffee and chocolate to linger before giving way to darker spices and soft vanilla. Distilled coconut cream is also added to further amplify texture and palate weight. “Coffee and Cacao tastes like standing at a bar in Rome ordering an espresso and a sfogliatelle before midday,” Baxter says. “It’s an exciting combination of roasted coffee aromatics and earthy cacao character, built for exceptional classic cocktails.” The production technique draws on methods commonly used behind the bar, where washing spirits with fats has become increasingly popular, but remains relatively uncommon in commercial gin production. “Washing spirit with fats is definitely something very prevalent within the bar community, however, it’s still largely something that doesn’t occur as a production technique within gin,” Baxter says. The flavour profile was inspired by Italian café culture and designed to capture the experience of drinking espresso and eating pastries in Rome before midday. The collaboration also reflects Never Never’s long-standing focus on innovation, whether through ingredient selection, production techniques or exploring new approaches to gin. From Hong Kong to Shanghai The original Coffee & Cacao Gin was shipped to Bar Leone in Hong Kong before quickly selling out in Australia. The opening of Bar Leone’s new Shanghai venue created an opportunity for Never Never to revisit the release, with the new batch initially produced for the Chinese market. Bar Leone was named World’s Best Bar at The World’s 50 Best Bars Awards last year and has since expanded with its new Shanghai outpost. Lorenzo Antinori, founder of Bar Leone, says the gin captures flavours that feel distinctly Italian. “I love the nod to Italy – these flavours are truly representative of both food and drinks tradition, this gin excites me because it carries a big body with lots of layers of flavours: toasted ones, umami but also citrusy and floral,” Antinori says. The collaboration also celebrates a shared appreciation for bold flavours, hospitality and Italian drinking culture. “When it comes to gin, Never Never makes some of the best in class,” Antinori says. “I’ve developed a friendship with the team, because we all share similar visions; quality over quantity, creative but still approachable.” “Bar Leone is a venue that is all about Italian fun, football and flavour, we wanted this gin to be a reflection of that attitude,” Baxter says. “Above or else we wanted to ensure our gin represented that same spirit that champions Roman caffé culture, its people and the passion that beats through the streets of Trastevere.” The bottle design pays tribute to both Bar Leone and AS Roma, drawing on the venue’s visual identity and the football club’s iconic orange and maroon colours through a bright checkerboard label. “The colours chosen for the gin bottle have a very strong nostalgic feel,” Antinori says. “They make me feel at home and work so well with our brand and universe.” Coffee & Cacao Gin was released during Bar Leone’s visit to Adelaide for Bartenders Weekender on 14 June, coinciding with the start of Never Never’s 10th anniversary celebrations at Latteria. “There will be a series of events this year that celebrate our 10th year in the industry. This will be a very special way to kick off those celebrations,” Baxter says. “Latteria is the perfect place to host such a special event. They will be the only bar in the country that will be serving Bar Leone classic cocktails featuring our Coffee and Cacao Gin.” While the launch event at Latteria is sold out, customers can still order cocktails featuring the gin at the venue for a limited time through its cocktail specials menu. Latteria is also the only bar in Australia currently serving Bar Leone classic cocktails featuring Coffee & Cacao Gin. Bottles of Coffee & Cacao Gin are available through the Never Never website, while the gin is also being poured at Bar Leone Shanghai. Source: HHPR Find more food retail...

Luke’s Bánh Mì is opening its sixth Melbourne store on Lonsdale Street this month and it’s celebrating with Australia’s first coloured bánh mì baguettes. The Melbourne bakery chain will open the doors to its new CBD location on Thursday, June 18, bringing limited-edition red, green and yellow baguettes to the city alongside 50% off bánh mì on opening day. In a playful nod to the store’s address at 19–21 Lonsdale Street, customers aged 19, 20 and 21 will also score a free bánh mì of their choice by showing proof of age. The story behind the coloured baguettes The colourful baguettes are made using beetroot, kale and imperfect carrots, drawing on a Vietnamese baking tradition that uses excess fruit and vegetables to naturally colour bread. The initiative not only celebrates Vietnamese bakery culture but also helps local farmers find value in produce that might otherwise go unsold for not meeting strict retail appearance standards. Using fruit and vegetables in baking first gained traction in Vietnam during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when bakers worked with local farmers to use excess dragon fruit that could no longer be exported, helping prevent significant financial losses. Third-generation baker and founder Luke Vu says the new bakery continues that spirit of innovation and adaptability that has long been part of Vietnamese baking culture. “We’re proud to be working with Aussie farmers to create our colourful baguettes that not only look and taste great, but help tackle the issue of food waste,” he says. The green baguette uses kale as a natural colouring ingredient, creating a vibrant green loaf while incorporating a vegetable packed with vitamins that support overall health and wellbeing. The red baguette uses beetroot, bringing rich colour, along with antioxidants, fibre and folate. Expansion plans continue The Lonsdale Street opening marks the next phase of growth for Luke’s Bánh Mì, which has grown from a single suburban bakery into a multi-site quick service restaurant business in just five years. The business already operates stores in Moonee Ponds, South Melbourne, Little Bourke Street, Port Melbourne and Preston, with the new CBD location supporting an ambitious goal of opening 30 stores by 2027. At the brand’s most recent opening on Bay Street in Port Melbourne in January 2026, more than 800 bánh mì were sold on opening day and queues stretched down the street. The team is expecting a similar response when the Lonsdale Street store opens next week. “Our special launch day offering is our way of saying thanks to the Melbourne community who have supported us since we first opened, and to showcase our relentless commitment to growth and innovation. Whether it’s new product development or finding better ways to reduce waste, every store opening is an opportunity to set a new benchmark,” Vu says. Post launch day, the coloured bánh mì will remain available at the Lonsdale Street store for a limited time before the coloured baguettes are rolled out as part of the brand’s new catering range in the weeks that follow. Source: littleBig Marketing Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

The IKEA x Chupa Chups meatball lollipop is finally leaving the group chat and hitting stores this month. After teasing the collaboration on April 1 and leaving plenty of people wondering whether it was a joke, IKEA and Chupa Chups have confirmed the limited-edition meatball-flavoured lollipop will be available across Australia and New Zealand from June 20. Definitely not a drill Created by Chupa Chups, the limited-edition flavour takes inspiration from IKEA’s iconic Swedish meatballs and their lingonberry jam sidekick, turning one of the furniture giant’s best-known menu items into a sweet-on-the-outside, savoury-on-the-inside snack. The savoury-sweet treat, while not for sale on shelves, will be given away to IKEA Family members who purchase a plate of ‘eatballs’ at an IKEA Swedish Restaurant and scan their membership card at checkout. The offer applies to meatballs, plant balls, fish balls and falafel balls, with customers receiving one complimentary meatball-flavoured lollipop per eligible purchase. Those who aren’t already IKEA Family members can sign up for free online or through the IKEA app. Tim Prevade, Country Food Manager, IKEA Australia and New Zealand, says, “They’re here! We’re thrilled to be bringing the highly anticipated meatball-flavoured lollipops to our IKEA Family Members across Australia and New Zealand. “We’ve loved watching the conversation unfold on social after the announcement. We’re so excited to finally have it in-store, and we can’t wait for everyone to try it. The exciting collaboration with Chupa Chups has felt right at home for our customers, bringing together two much-loved brands to spark joyful moments and unexpected experiences.” Customers will need to move quickly, with the meatball-flavoured lollipops (will anybody ever get used to saying that?) only available while stocks last. More than just meatball lollipops The giveaway arrives alongside several additions to IKEA’s food offering across Australia. New fish balls have joined the menu, Daim cake has returned and falafel balls served with couscous and aioli are now available in IKEA Swedish Restaurants nationwide. A bonus for parents Parents also have another reason to stop by. Every Tuesday from June 2 to August 25, IKEA Family members can receive one complimentary kids’ meal from the selected kids’ menu when purchasing a hot main at participating IKEA Australia stores. The IKEA x Chupa Chups meatball-flavoured lollipop giveaway begins on June 20 and is available while stocks last at participating IKEA Swedish Restaurants across Australia and New Zealand. Source: Omnicom Find more food culture updates on Crumb Wire.

Wendy’s is opening its first Victorian restaurant in Melbourne’s Dandenong South this month, with the chain’s first Australian drive-thru helping sweeten the deal. Launching June 24, the new restaurant marks a major milestone in Wendy’s national rollout and the first step in the brand’s Victorian growth plans for 2026, with the state expected to become a major part of its Australian expansion. The move follows Wendy’s record-breaking Queensland launch, which delivered the strongest opening week sales in Wendy’s global history and generated overwhelming demand from Australian customers. Melbourne customers have also been the most vocal nationally in calling for Wendy’s arrival. A different take on drive-thru Wendy’s Dandenong South introduces a new take on drive-thru, combining the brand’s fresh, never frozen food with a more personal approach to service. Instead of ordering through a speaker box, customers will be greeted face-to-face by crew members working directly in the drive-thru lanes. Orders are taken on handheld tablets and confirmed on screen before customers reach the collection window, a format designed to improve accuracy while creating a more welcoming customer experience. Corina Black, Chief Marketing Officer, Wendy’s ANZ, said, “The category has spent decades training customers to shout into a speaker box and hope someone gets the order right. Wendy’s is doing things differently. “We’re putting customers back at the centre of the experience from the moment they arrive. It’s a more human approach to service, designed to feel more personal, more accurate and more welcoming.” The restaurant features dine-in seating for up to 74 guests alongside the new-format drive-thru, which has been designed to deliver faster and more personal service to one of Melbourne’s fastest-growing communities. The Wendy’s factor Dandenong South customers can expect the full Wendy’s menu, built around the brand’s promise of ‘Fresh Famous Food, Made Right, For You’. Square burgers, made with fresh, never frozen beef – 100% Australian beef available in Classic Single, Double and Triple patties, because Wendy’s doesn’t cut corners. Hand-breaded chicken tenders – made with fresh 100% Australian chicken, double hand-breaded in restaurant and developed specifically for the Australian palate. The Baconmator – Wendy’s Australian burger featuring two quarter-pound patties of fresh 100% Australian beef, topped with crispy bacon, cheese, ketchup and mayo on a toasted brioche-style bun. Wendy’s Loaded Fries – available in Baconmator, Chilli Cheese or Cheese. The Original Frosty – thick enough for a spoon and smooth enough for a straw. The new Dandenong South restaurant draws on Wendy’s signature look while adapting it for the Australian market, blending traditional hospitality with quick-service dining. The interior includes subtle references to Wendy’s iconic red pigtails, while ambient lighting and music help create a warm and social atmosphere. With crew members positioned front and centre for face-to-face service alongside the reimagined drive-thru experience, the restaurant has been designed to feel both welcoming and efficient. “Dandenong South is an important milestone for Wendy’s in Australia and the first step in our Victorian growth plans. We see strong potential in the state and are excited to invest in a restaurant format that brings something genuinely different to customers while creating jobs in the local community,” said Richard Wallis, President, Flynn Group Asia Pacific. The Victorian expansion is expected to create approximately 100 jobs in the local community, with the majority of crew currently being recruited. Located within Melbourne’s fast-growing south-east corridor, the Dandenong South restaurant reflects Wendy’s confidence in Victoria as a key part of its broader national expansion strategy, with plans to open 200 restaurants across Australia over the next decade. Wendy’s Dandenong South opens on June 24 at 1A Assembly Drive, Dandenong South, Victoria. Source: Burson Global Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.