Fever-Tree is bringing spritz menus, bottomless brunches and cocktail trees to bars and restaurants across Australia this summer with Social Club. The national program takes inspiration from European summer afternoons spent over drinks with friends. Fever-Tree is working with venues across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth on G&T Gardens, happy-hour menus and sundowner sessions, with each venue offering its own version of Social Club. At selected venues, groups can order Spritz Trees, colourful, tiered displays holding a selection of cocktails to share. “Australians have really embraced the spritz, but we’re now seeing people look beyond the classics and explore something new. There’s a growing appetite for lighter, more refreshing cocktails, and that’s opening up some exciting possibilities,” said Darren Dalzell, Senior Marketing & Partnerships Manager at Fever-Tree Australia. “Citrus and grapefruit flavours are proving particularly popular, alongside more floral and botanical combinations like elderflower. Taste has always been at the heart of Fever-Tree, and our mixers use naturally sourced ingredients to bring out the best in these flavours.” The drinks include familiar spritzes alongside a Paloma and a Mediterranean G&T: Limoncello Spritz – Italian limoncello brings sweetness, balanced by sparkling wine and Fever-Tree Sicilian Lemon Soda for a bright, zesty drink. Hugo Spritz – Elderflower liqueur, prosecco, mint and Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic Water make a light, floral combination. Paloma – Tequila and tangy grapefruit combine with Fever-Tree Pink Grapefruit Soda for a crisp citrus finish. Lime & Yuzu Spritz – Vodka and Fever-Tree Lime & Yuzu Soda combine sharp lime zest with delicate floral notes from Japanese yuzu. Mediterranean G&T – Gin is paired with Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water, adding delicate herbal and botanical notes to the classic. Participating venues include Botanic House in Sydney and House of Bungalow in Surry Hills, plus Melbourne’s Rooftop Bar, Fleet Rooftop and Blossom Rooftop. In Adelaide, Merrymaker Rooftop Bar and Crowne Plaza are taking part. The program also includes Burly Bar in Currumbin Waters, Sofitel Brisbane and Cabarita Beach Bowls and Sports Club, along with Western Australia’s Bather’s Beach House in Fremantle, Island Brewhouse in Perth and Westin Perth. Social Club will run throughout the 2026/27 summer season. Source: Moxee Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Corelle has introduced a five-year chip warranty as part of a brand refresh that includes a new logo, updated packaging and dinnerware it says is five times more durable than before. The refresh arrives ahead of the festive entertaining season, with classic patterns and seasonal designs for everyday meals and special occasions. The plates and bowls are lightweight and stack compactly, leaving more cupboard space for the rest of the hosting kit. Dean Grice, Director of Marketing ANZ, Global Kitchen Brands, said, “Corelle has long been valued for its lasting durability, lightweight design and everyday affordability. “This brand refresh builds on those strengths, introducing a new 5-Year Chip Warranty (increased from the existing 3-year warranty), to give Australian consumers greater confidence. From busy family meals to entertaining, our focus remains on making quality, versatile dinnerware that is accessible and suited to the needs of Australian households.” Corelle has been made exclusively in Corning, upstate New York, since 1970. Its proprietary glass-forming process was invented there, and the company says it remains the only dinnerware maker in the world to use it. Its Vitrelle construction combines three layers of ultra-tough tempered glass to keep the dinnerware light while making it highly resistant to chips and cracks. Non-porous surfaces also resist staining, giving the range practical appeal for family breakfasts, weeknight dinners and tables crowded with guests. The low weight and compact size make the plates and bowls easier to pack for outdoor meals, picnics and camping trips than heavier ceramic alternatives. Corelle also presents durability as a sustainability benefit: fewer chipped or broken dishes mean fewer replacements. The updated packaging puts the warranty and durability claims front and centre, making those details easier to spot when shopping. The refresh began rolling out on October 12, 2026. Corelle dinner sets start at RRP $79 and are available through Global Kitchen Brands, Spotlight, BIG W and Amazon. Source: Closer Communications Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

DoorDash customers on the Gold Coast can now have gnocchi delivered by a robot, as Serve Robotics and DoorDash launch Australia’s first footpath robot delivery service. The pilot starts in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, where Gnocchi Gnocchi in Southport is the first participating restaurant. More local restaurants will join in the coming weeks, with community feedback helping determine any future expansion. Ben Cleary-Corradini, Co-founder of Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers, said, “We’re incredibly excited to be the first restaurant in Australia to offer robot deliveries through this partnership with Serve Robotics and DoorDash. At Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers, we’ve always embraced technology and innovation to make great food more accessible and convenient for our customers. “We see this as an exciting glimpse into the future of food delivery and customer service, particularly for our Pronto takeaway-focused stores. “Whether someone is enjoying our gnocchi for the first time or ordering their usual favourite, our goal remains the same: delicious food, warm Italian hospitality and a great customer experience. If a friendly robot can help us deliver on that, even better!” Customers order through the DoorDash app as usual. If a participating restaurant is nearby and a robot is available, robot delivery will appear as an option at checkout, and customers can choose whether to use it. Once selected, the robot collects the food from the restaurant and travels along the footpath to the customer’s address. A notification lets the customer know it has arrived, with a unique code to open the robot’s secure compartment and collect the order. In the most sci-fi move ever, the robots will travel at a walking pace and give way to pedestrians. They are designed to navigate footpaths safely, with trained remote supervisors available to help when needed. Each robot also displays a contact number for members of the public with questions. The service is intended for short trips in relatively dense urban areas, while drivers take on longer-distance orders. It forms part of DoorDash’s approach to using different delivery technologies to give customers and local businesses more flexible and efficient delivery options. Simon Rossi, Vice President at DoorDash APAC, said, “DoorDash is focused on building a delivery platform that gives customers and merchants more choice, while continuing to support the Dashers who are central to our platform.” “This pilot program will help us understand how footpath robots can complement existing delivery options for short, local trips creating another convenient way for Gold Coast customers to access the neighbourhood businesses they love.” For participating restaurants, the pilot offers another way to reach nearby customers, particularly during busy periods. What Serve and DoorDash learn during the trial will help determine how the service grows and whether delivery zones change. City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate welcomed the service. “We know that the Gold Coast’s future economy will be shaped by technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, and we want our city to be a place where those technologies are developed, tested and put to work,” said he said. “Having Serve Robotics choose the Gold Coast for its first operation outside the United States is a strong vote of confidence in our city and the innovation ecosystem we are building. Invest Gold Coast is helping drive that future economy by attracting global technology companies, connecting them with local partners and creating opportunities that translate into investment, skills and jobs for our city.” At the end of each shift, the robots return to Serve’s operations depot at Griffith University, the first university to host a Serve operations team. Serve and Griffith are also exploring internships and early-career opportunities for students and graduates in robotics, autonomous robot operations and field engineering. Craig Rowsell, Director Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, said, “It is fitting that the first robotic food deliveries in Australia will be made within one of the country’s leading innovation districts in the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, home to over 3,000 residents and 20,000 students. Serve Robotics joins other global technology companies basing operations in our Precinct,” The Gold Coast launch is Serve’s first operation outside the United States. Its robots have completed deliveries for thousands of restaurants in US cities including Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta. Serve and DoorDash have worked together in the United States since 2025. “This is the first time we’ve taken Serve beyond the United States, and the Gold Coast is the right place to start. It has the walkable neighbourhoods this technology is built for and a city that has shown it welcomes innovation. After delivering for more than 4,500 restaurants at home, we’re here to give local restaurants a new way to reach customers and to earn community trust one delivery at a time,” said Ali Kashani, CEO and Co-founder of Serve Robotics. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Blue Light Card has added San Churro, Oakberry, Ooshman, Burger Urge and PappaRich to its discount platform for Australia’s frontline and essential workers. The five additions take its quick service restaurant (QSR) partnerships to 12, giving members more places to save on meals, coffees, snacks and treats during a shift or off duty. National acai favourite Oakberry joins a restaurant roster that already includes Yo-Chi, Top Juice, El Jannah and Zeus Street Greek, with more brands expected in the coming months. “We’re continuing to build an even stronger QSR offering for our members, bringing together brands that people genuinely know and love,” said Hamish Moline, General Manager, Blue Light Card Australia. “Having a national brand like Oakberry join the platform alongside San Churro and PappaRich is a fantastic milestone for Blue Light Card and, most importantly, gives our members even more choice and more opportunities to save. “Our members work incredibly hard to look after the community, so we want to make sure they can enjoy meaningful savings on the everyday things they love – including a good meal or well-earned treat.” Food and dining are part of Blue Light Card’s push to offer practical, everyday savings at familiar brands. The platform launched in Australia in 2022 and now has more than 200,000 members, with eligibility covering healthcare, education, aged and disability care, emergency services and defence workers. Sandesh Thapa, Community Marketing Specialist, El Jannah commented: “If a brand wants to be reaching or supporting a customer base that they may not be able to interact with regularly, Blue Light Card provides you the best opportunity to do that. “For El Jannah, since onboarding with Blue Light Card, we’ve generated almost $1M in sales and reached four times more customers and guests with the same exact offer.” In 2025, members saved more than $1.5 million across more than 750 major Australian brands, covering food, fuel, technology, fashion, travel and more. A two-year membership costs $9.95 and includes access to in-store and online offers through the Blue Light Card website and app. Members can look for Blue Light Card signage at participating restaurants and use their unique barcode in the app to claim the discount, which is applied automatically at the point of sale. Source: Bastion Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.