ALDI’s 2026 Christmas range is starting to hit shelves with more than 100 festive products, and many of them are priced under $5. The seasonal range sits alongside more than 700 everyday ALDI products already priced below $3, giving shoppers plenty of room to mix the bigger Christmas centrepieces with all the smaller things that somehow pile up in December. Belinda Grice, Group Director, Seasonal & Special Buys, ALDI Australia, said, “Whether it’s hosting family and friends, bringing a plate to Christmas lunch or stocking up on festive treats, we’ve got Christmas covered at ALDI. “This year’s range combines award-winning products, customer favourites and exciting new additions designed to help Australians celebrate in style without stretching the budget. With ALDI Prices at the heart of our Christmas range, more than half of our festive products are priced under $5, helping Australians enjoy all the magic of Christmas while keeping more money in their pocket. “Australians are looking for ways to make their money go further, especially at Christmas. That’s why we’ve focused on creating a festive range that delivers exceptional quality and value, helping customers enjoy everything from Christmas lunch to summer entertaining without compromising on the products they love.” Seafood, turkey, freezer snacks, desserts, mince pies and panettone are all starting to arrive, with more Christmas products still due before December 25. Festive freezer favourites for easy hosting New Curated Collection Prawn Toast (168g/$5.99) and Festive Selection Pork Belly Bites in Cranberry Sauce (400g/$9.99) are made for grazing plates, last-minute guests or the point in the afternoon when everyone suddenly wants “just a little something”. The freezer selection also covers entrées, mains, sides and desserts, taking some of the pressure off a Christmas spread that can very quickly turn into an all-day kitchen job. Seafood without the big price tag Curated Collection Atlantic Salmon Side with Toscana Style Herb Crust (700g/$23.99) and Curated Collection Split Rock Lobster (450g/$29.99) are among the bigger seafood options, with the lobster available in Garlic & Herb or French Style. Curated Collection Lobster Tails are back at $32.99, their lowest price since 2022 and down from $34.99 last year, while Curated Collection Croissant Prawn Puffs have dropped from $6.99 to $5.99. Turkey, turducken and Christmas mains The Curated Collection Premium Stuffed Turkey Breast Roast (1kg/$21.99) returns in Apple and Cranberry or Sage and Onion stuffing. For something a little less expected, the Curated Collection Turducken Roast (1.5kg/$32.99) layers turkey, duck and chicken with Cranberry and Apple Stuffing, giving the Christmas table a centrepiece with plenty going on before anyone even gets to the carving. Desserts and festive treats A new Curated Collection Lemon & Chantilly Cream Roulade (425g/$12.99) joins the sweets this year, while the Curated Collection Toffee and Pecan Roulade (445g/$12.99) is returning. Festive Selection Fruit Mince Pies (360g/$3.99) and Festive Selection Mini Puddings (2pk/$4.99) will also be back in the middle aisle, alongside Curated Collection Gourmet Nougat, Christmas Fudge and Luxury English Brittle at $4.99 in new flavours. ALDI has refreshed the packaging across its Curated Collection and Festive Selection ranges for 2026. “Customers will also notice a fresh new look across our Curated Collection and Festive Selection ranges, with artwork designed to bring even more Christmas cheer. While the packaging has had a festive makeover, customers can still expect the same award-winning taste they’ve come to know and love,” Grice said. The supermarket was named Finder’s Most Loved Supermarket for Christmas Groceries and has received multiple Canstar Blue awards for its Fruit Mince Pies, Plum Puddings and Mini Puddings. Its puddings have been recognised every year from 2018 to 2025. “The quality across our Christmas range continues to be recognised, with ALDI named Finder’s Most Loved Supermarket for Christmas Groceries, alongside multiple Canstar Blue awards for our Fruit Mince Pies, Plum Puddings and Mini Puddings. Our puddings have continued their winning streak every year from 2018 to 2025, reflecting our focus on delivering incredible products at the best value for Australian families at Christmas. “We believe Australians shouldn’t have to choose between quality and affordability during the festive season. From Christmas Day centrepieces to entertaining essentials, our Christmas range brings together award-winning products, customer favourites and seasonal must haves, all at prices that help customers celebrate more while spending less,” Grice said. The 2026 Christmas range is available in ALDI stores now, with more products still to arrive before Christmas Day. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

A year after taking over the Sydney Opera House’s harbourside dining venues, Applejack Hospitality is unveiling the biggest transformation in Opera Bar’s history. The reopening completes the first major overhaul of the precinct under Applejack, following the arrival of Winnie’s next door in July. At Opera Bar, the familiar blue nautical styling has been retired in favour of deep green interiors, new internal and terrace bars, new furniture and lighting and an all-electric kitchen, all designed by Australian studio Luchetti Krelle. “Opera Bar is one of Australia’s most iconic venues. It’s known by people all over the world, but it also belongs to the people who live here. We wanted to create something that honours both: a venue worthy of this extraordinary location that still feels unmistakably Sydney,” said Ben Carroll, Co-Founder, Applejack Hospitality. Sydney on the menu From that new kitchen, Applejack Culinary Director Patrick Friesen and Opera Bar Precinct Executive Head Chef Daniel Cooper will serve a market-style menu that pulls together the food cultures Sydney knows well, from Asian and Middle Eastern flavours to pizza and modern Australian classics. “Sydney is the most delicious city on earth,” said Friesen. “You can travel around the world just by moving through its suburbs, and that’s what we wanted to capture at Opera Bar.” “The menu celebrates the people who make Sydney’s food culture what it is – the producers, makers and businesses doing incredible things in neighbourhoods across the city – while still being generous, approachable and exactly what you want to eat beside the harbour.” Sydney producers are worked directly into the dishes rather than simply name-checked on the menu. Pork spring rolls made by Banh Mi Bay Ngo in Bankstown are served with herbs, lettuce and fish sauce, while falafel from Basta in Bondi comes with amba and pickled turnip. La Stella’s Auburn-made Italian mozzarella is used in the pizza kitchen, where one of the signatures pairs prawns with miso, Calabrian chilli and roasted shellfish oil. Sydney rock oysters sourced through Rock Oyster Depot arrive with mignonette and hot sauce from The Fermentalists, while the fish n chips uses Young Henrys Newtowner in the beer batter. Potter Sam Gordon has made the plates for the new menu, giving each of its four sections a different coloured rim. Applejack Group Beverage Manager Matt Johnson and Opera Bar Precinct Beverage Manager James ‘Rusty’ Russell have kept the same attention on Sydney and NSW producers behind the bar. Young Henrys, Stone & Wood, Hawke’s, Mountain Culture, Yulli’s and Heaps Normal appear across the beer list, while wines come from the Hunter Valley, Orange, Mudgee, Tumbarumba and the Canberra District, alongside Champagne and Provence rosé. Applejack has commissioned its own wines from NSW producers too, including Mercer Wines Pinot Grigio and Rosato from Orange and Margan ‘Otis’ Shiraz from the Hunter Valley. A Hugo Spritz made with Papa Salt Coastal Gin sits alongside cocktails that borrow from familiar Australian flavours. The Mango Weis Bar becomes a frozen mango and coconut drink made with Sydney’s Red Mill Rum, while the Cheeky Lamington mixes coconut tequila and white chocolate and comes topped with a lamington from TOKYO Lamington. Non-alcoholic cocktails, wine and beer have their own place on the list too. “The drinks list has been designed with the same philosophy as the food – to celebrate the incredible producers we have here. We’ve brought together Australian spirits, wines and beers alongside cocktails that feel fresh, fun and distinctly Opera Bar. Whether it’s a quick drink before a show or settling in for an afternoon by the harbour, we wanted the drinks to feel considered but never complicated,” said Johnson. Precinct General Manager Holly McMahon will lead the front of house team, including Opera Bar’s Guest Experience Officers. Arts Matter will curate live music every night, and sculptor Tan Alridge will present a launch exhibition at the southern end of the venues from November 10 to December 13. Jade McKellar, Chief Customer Officer, Sydney Opera House, said “Opera Bar is where the Sydney Opera House meets the city, and this new era makes that connection stronger than ever. Just as we bring many voices and traditions together on our stages, the new Opera Bar brings that same spirit to the harbour’s edge, with a bold and diverse mix of flavours that reflects the vibrant, multicultural Sydney we call home.” “Everything we’ve done has been guided by the Sydney Opera House’s ambition to be Everyone’s House – a place for all, whether you’re here for a performance, a drink by the water or simply to take in the view. Together with Winnie’s, we’ve created two very different venues that give people even more reason to spend time here. One year into our 10-year partnership with Sydney Opera House, this is just the beginning, and we’re incredibly proud to be part of its next chapter,” added Hamish Watts, Co-Founder, Applejack Hospitality. Opera Bar and Winnie’s will celebrate the completed precinct transformation from 6 pm on November 10. Opera Bar reopens to the public on November 6, scheduled to operate 7 days a week from 11 am till late. Source: Pendulum Communications Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

Christmas ham season has officially started at Woolworths as the supermarket brings back its Australian Half Leg Ham at $8 per kilo alongside a 14-strong festive range. That is the same price the supermarket charged for the ham 12 years ago in 2014, giving shoppers at least one familiar number as Christmas food bills start to stack up. “We know that ham is one of the most popular Christmas products on Aussie dinner tables, not just for the main feast, but for all those leftover toasties and salads throughout the festive week. With cost-of-living top of mind for so many families, getting quality Aussie products at a great price matters more than ever,” said Annette Karantoni, Managing Director for Woolworths Retail. “By keeping our Australian Half Leg Ham at $8 per kilo for the fourth Christmas in a row, our customers can enjoy their holiday traditions without stretching their Christmas budget.” The Half Leg Ham is part of a 14-strong Christmas range arriving nationally from October 22, with everything from whole legs and quarter hams to pre-sliced packs, crackling ham and a few shortcut options for anyone who would rather spend less time glazing and more time eating. “We’re also helping hosts take shortcut options without compromising on quality – introducing exciting new flavours like Australian apple cider and honey glazes, alongside pre-sliced and bake-in-tray cuts that provide added convenience in the kitchen so you can focus on enjoying the day,” Karantoni said. One of the new additions is the Apple Cider and Honey Glazed Ham, a boneless ham infused with Tasmanian apple cider from Willie Smith, smoked over mountain ash wood and finished with honey glaze, dried apple slices and fresh rosemary. Woolworths is also bringing out two Glaze & Bake Leg Hams in oven-ready trays, each weighing 840g and ready to serve in up to 60 minutes. One comes with a Honey, Fig and Rosemary Glaze, while the other uses Davidson Plum and Honey, with the Davidson plum purée and Australian honey sourced from producers in the northern regions of New South Wales. There are plenty of more traditional options too, including the Gold Collection Triple Smoked Free Range Half Leg Ham, naturally smoked with karri wood chips and a gold medal winner at the 2025 Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards. Smaller tables can go for the Double Smoked Quarter Leg Ham, smoked over mountain ash wood for a richer flavour without committing to a full leg. Woolworths expects Australians to get through around 1.2 million ham products from its range this season, adding up to more than 4.3 million kilos. More than 650,000 of those are expected to be Half Leg Hams alone. The classics Woolworths Half Leg Ham – $8.00 per kilo Woolworths Quarter Leg Ham – $12.50 per kilo Woolworths Double Smoked Half Leg Ham – $13.00 per kilo Woolworths Double Smoked Quarter Leg Ham – $14.50 per kilo Woolworths Gold Collection Triple Smoked Free Range Half Leg Ham – $15.50 per kilo Woolworths Gold Collection Triple Smoked Free Range Quarter Leg Ham – $17.00 per kilo Woolworths Whole Leg Ham – $7.50 per kilo Woolworths Easy Carve Shoulder Ham – $10.00 per kilo Woolworths Easy Carve Double Smoked Shoulder Ham – $11.50 per kilo Woolworths Gold Thick Sliced Ham off the Bone (500g) – $14.00 per pack Flavour packed for cooking shortcuts Woolworths Apple Cider and Honey Glazed Ham – $29.00 per kilo Woolworths Gold Collection Glaze & Bake Leg Ham with Honey, Fig and Rosemary Glaze (840g) – $27.50 per pack Woolworths Gold Collection Glaze & Bake Leg Ham with Davidson Plum and Honey Glaze (840g) – $27.50 per pack Woolworths Crackling Ham – $22.00 per kilo The full Woolworths Christmas ham range will begin rolling out in stores nationwide and online from October 22 and remain available through to Christmas Day. Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Australia is not exactly a tipping culture, but MILKLAB is making a pretty convincing case for changing that, at least once a month. The plant milk brand has launched Australia’s Greatest Tip, a monthly $10,000 cash prize for a standout barista or café team, as hospitality businesses continue to feel the squeeze from rising costs and tighter margins. Research cited by MILKLAB shows 12% of Australian small businesses, including cafés and other food outlets, have closed in the past 12 months, almost double the national average. Changes to card surcharge rules have added another pressure point, leaving many cafés to absorb more of the cost of doing business while trying to keep prices and cash flow under control. MILKLAB has spent the past decade working closely with Australian baristas and coffee professionals, with its products developed, tested and refined in cafés using their feedback. The brand says that relationship helped shape everything from formulations to how its milks perform across seasonal menus and changing coffee trends, and Australia’s Greatest Tip is its way of putting some of that support back behind the counter. “MILKLAB wouldn’t exist without baristas and café owners. They’re the reason our brand tastes and performs the way it does,” said Natalie Latimore, General Manager Marketing. “Right now, a lot of cafés are doing it tough, and we wanted to say thank you in a way that makes a real difference. The work of a barista or café owner is physically demanding and often underappreciated, and Australia’s Greatest Tip is our way of giving that role the recognition it deserves.” The latest winners are Johnny Phonafai, a barista at Jozo Paddington in Sydney, and the café itself, with the $10,000 prize split evenly between them. Phonafai’s winning entry captured a day in the life of a barista, mixing the daily grind and familiar customer orders with the lighter moments that make café work what it is. “It’s no secret things are tough for small businesses right now, and cafés are feeling it. Winning Australia’s Greatest Tip is a huge help for me and the whole team at Jozo. We’re so grateful to MILKLAB for backing the people behind the counter,” said Phonafai. Australia’s relationship with tipping is part of the joke. Research cited by MILKLAB shows just 7% of Australians regularly tip at restaurants, 43% refuse to tip at all and 50% of Baby Boomers say tipping “has no place in Australia”. Instead of asking everyone to suddenly start adding 15% to the bill, MILKLAB is effectively making up for years of rounded-up coffees in one hit, with a monthly cash prize big enough to make a real difference. Phonafai and Jozo Paddington follow Cafe Briquettes in Kew, Melbourne, the first winner of Australia’s Greatest Tip, while October’s challenge is themed around MILKLAB Lactose Free. Australia’s Greatest Tip: How it works Each month, MILKLAB sets a new content challenge on Instagram, asking baristas and café teams to film the bits of café life that customers do not always see: latte art, workplace friendships, memorable regulars and the orders that somehow become part of the daily routine. “Every café has a work bestie, a regular with an order that makes no sense, a Chux-folding hack nobody outside the industry would understand,” Latimore said. “We’re asking baristas to show us what café life is really like, and we’ll be rewarding the best of it, every single month.” One standout entry is selected to receive $10,000 cash, either as a single prize or split into $5,000 each between a barista and their café. Here’s how cafés and baristas can enter MILKLAB’s Australia’s Greatest Tip: STEP 1: FILM IT: Create a video based on the month’s theme. Judges are looking for creativity, community spirit, a strong team vibe and extra effort in showing what café life looks like through the lens of MILKLAB. STEP 2: POST IT: Share the video on Instagram or TikTok, tag @milklabco and use #AustraliasGreatestTip. STEP 3: YOU’RE IN: MILKLAB will choose the most memorable and creative entry to take home the $10,000 cash prize. The campaign coincides with two product updates from the brand: a reformulated MILKLAB Lactose Free, using ultrafiltration technology to keep the barista-grade texture and froth cafés already rely on, and an upgraded MILKLAB Soy, refined for greater consistency across espresso-based drinks. Both products are now available in Woolworths stores across Australia, giving customers access to the same milks baristas have been working with behind the counter. Entries for October’s Australia’s Greatest Tip are open now via MILKLAB’s Instagram. Baristas and café teams can enter by posting their video, tagging @milklabco and using #AustraliasGreatestTip. Source: Blue Planet PR Find more food culture news on Crumb Wire.