Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day is returning to Australia on May 5, with 34 Scoop Shops across the country serving unlimited free scoops for one day only. From classics like Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Cookie Dough to Scoop Shop exclusives, the offer is straightforward: turn up, get a scoop, rejoin the line and go again as many times as you like. Last year, Australians scooped up more than 160,000 free cones nationwide. Victoria led the charge with over 50,000 free cones, followed by Queensland with 45,000 and New South Wales with 41,000. Choc Chip Cookie Dough was the runaway favourite, with more than 24,000 scoops served. This year, Ben & Jerry’s is targeting one million and one free scoops globally, up from one million in 2025, across 13 countries. Sean Farrell, Country Manager for Ben & Jerry’s ANZ, said: “Free Cone Day is one of our biggest and most-loved days on the calendar. What started as a thank you to fans in one store and one community has turned into an iconic global event that brings fans, scoopers and our local communities together. There’s something pretty special about seeing Aussies come together over free ice cream.” The tradition dates back nearly 50 years to Burlington, Vermont, where co-founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield handed out free scoops as a thank you to locals who had supported the business through its first winter. What began as a single Scoop Shop giveaway has since grown into a global annual event spanning 13 countries. “Free Cone Day is all about our fans,” Farrell added. “Having served one million scoops globally in 2025, this year’s aim is to go bigger and better, one million and one scoops to spread a little joy on the best unofficial holiday of the year.” Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day takes place on May 5 at 34 participating Scoop Shops across Australia. Source: Society Marketing Communications Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Hospitality veteran Franck Sammut is opening his first all-day eatery, Upper Middle, in South Melbourne. The industry luminary has spent his career shaping some of Melbourne’s most recognised dining rooms, including France-Soir, Bistro Thierry, Stokehouse and The Botanical. Located within the Eastern Rd project, development-managed by Fortis, the venue is pitched as a neighbourhood spot for a quick baguette and coffee or a leisurely lunch on the terrace. Running the kitchen is Head Chef Lakshay Kapoor, classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu Melbourne and formerly of Bistro Thierry, where he worked his way up from apprentice to leading the kitchen. His cooking balances technique with comfort, food designed to be eaten every day and executed with care. Sammut says: “Upper Middle is a new chapter for me, and one I’m excited to bring to South Melbourne. After many years working in other dining rooms, it feels special to create something that reflects my own style of hospitality; relaxed, genuine and built for the neighbourhood. “The menu and the space both draw on the food and places I love: simple things done well, European touches, and a room with personality. My hope is that it becomes part of people’s daily routine, a spot they return to without thinking.” The menu Upper Middle centres on a baguette and pizza bar, with St Ali coffee and a brunch offering for the morning crowd. The baguette bar spans six options: Ham-Damme – Premium Leg Ham, Comte, butter, pickled beetroot, Alfalfa Prosciutto – DOP prosciutto, stracciatella, tomato, basil pesto & rocket Poulet – Poached chicken, grilled peppers, kipfler potato & house dressing Salmon – House-cured salmon, dill cream & fennel salad, capers Salumi – Salami, provolone, roasted capsicum, grilled eggplant & Harissa pesto Vegetarian – Roasted Peppers, Eggplant, sun-dried toms, goat’s cheese mousse, rocket, salsa verde The pizza oven turns out nine options: Margherita – San Marzano tomato and fior di latte Patata – potato, rosemary and parmigiano Salumi – felino salami and olives Prosciutto – buffalo mozzarella and 18-month DOP prosciutto Gamberetti – prawns, lemon and herbs Porcini – mixed mushrooms and truffle oil Verde – zucchini, capsicum and pickled broccoli Denise – roasted pumpkin and gorgonzola Daniella – nduja, salami, pickled chilli and jalapeño honey The design Melbourne design studio In Addition, known for its work with luggage brand July, has shaped an interior with personality to match. The space draws on the familiarity of a neighbourhood café and the quiet ritual of European bakery culture, with food making and display at its centre. A layered green palette runs throughout, complemented by soft timbers, stone, warm whites and walls lined with vintage French newspaper clippings that give the fit-out a genuinely lived-in feel. Upper Middle opens on May 4 at 34 Eastern Road, South Melbourne. Source: Georgia Heathcote PR Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

For a decade, Australian gin has been a story of proliferation. New distilleries, new botanicals, new releases crowding the shelf. But Never Never co-founder Sean Baxter thinks the real action has moved somewhere else entirely. “There’s a limit to how many gin bottles can fit on a supermarket shelf,” he says. “And if you plan on staying there, you need to work hard on being able to move it. Realistically, that’s your job as a brand, not the retailer.” It is thinking that sits behind Never Never’s Great Aussie G&T, a national initiative designed to get Australians back into venues and reconnect them with one of the category’s most dependable on-premise serves. Not a reinvention of the drink, but a celebration of it. Baxter is pragmatic about why the on-trade matters so much right now. “In many cases, it’s easier to invest money into on-trade discounts and partnerships with the right venues than to spend on expensive awareness campaigns to drive velocity. It’s also the most cost-effective way to create new brand fans and generate trial.” Why the G&T is still king In an era of constantly evolving cocktail menus, the gin and tonic has held its ground. Baxter puts that down to its inherent flexibility. “It can be dressed up in a wine glass with multiple garnishes or delivered in a can at Laneway Festival or Gather Round. Its flexibility as a serve speaks to a wide array of customers, and it’s a great example of an aperitif serve that caters for the widest selection of drinking occasions.” The botanical complexity that defines gin as a category is also what makes the G&T such a reliable canvas. Baxter still thinks the best expressions start from the same place. “The best Gin and Tonic expressions come from a solid base of classic juniper character, which can then be manipulated through the tonic addition and garnish.” For Never Never’s Triple Juniper Gin, that means lemon. For its Oyster Shell Gin, a salty coastal tonic and lime leaf. “When all else fails, flip over the bottle and check for a signature G&T recipe,” he adds. “Gin producers love adding these to the back label.” What venues actually want The conversation with bartenders and venue owners has shifted, according to Baxter. Price point still matters, but it is no longer the whole story. “More than ever, venue owners and bartenders are asking for support, not only in spirit price points but in the way brands are able to promote and drive the product’s availability among your own support networks. What can you offer the venue that other larger brands can’t?” For Never Never, that local angle is a genuine point of difference. “How do your local connections work better than those interstate or international brands? Working with venues is critical if you want to see any sort of volume through that channel. No one is in the business of selling bottle-shaped dust collectors.” The goal, he says, is to create incentive to have the spirit featured as often as possible on cocktail menus and specials boards. Education versus enjoyment On the suggestion that premium spirits brands risk over-explaining their product at the expense of just letting people enjoy the drink, Baxter pushes back. “Australian consumers are some of the most educated in the world when it comes to how we consume. We’re so aware of wine varieties we often joke openly about it in our popular culture (SavvvvyBeeee Kim), and this is shared in our beer and coffee industries as well.” He points to wine, beer and coffee as categories where Australians have long been comfortable with both knowledge and pleasure existing in the same glass. “When your bottle is often twice the price of an imported entry-level product, you need to stand on your quality assurances and local ingredient claims. The only way to do that is through education.” And the payoff, he argues, is a better drink. “I strongly believe the higher quality of the gin, the better the final drink, regardless of whether it’s served with tonic water or served straight up in a martini.” Never Never’s Great Aussie G&T is running nationally across hospitality venues now. Find more food and drink features on Crumb Wire.

Muffin Break has teamed up with Starlight Children’s Foundation for the month of May, with a limited muffin and a fundraising target to match. Throughout May, a specially created Starlight Muffin is available in stores at $7.50, with $1 from every sale going directly to Starlight. Customers can also make a $2 donation in-store. The campaign is targeting $50,000 to support Starlight’s hospital programs nationwide, which help seriously ill children and their families through play, entertainment and moments of joy during some of the hardest times of their lives. The push sits within Starlight’s broader annual appeal, which kicked off on Starlight Day on May 19 and is calling on Australians to collectively raise $1.95 million by June 30. As Australia’s broadest-reaching children’s charity, Starlight has spent decades working to make hospital a better place for kids, bringing brightness to wards across the country at a time when families need it most. For Muffin Break, the partnership is a natural extension of its community focus, with the campaign giving customers a tangible way to contribute every time they walk through the door. A muffin has never felt more meaningful. Kathryn Clift, Head of Brand at Muffin Break, said: “At Muffin Break, we are committed to creating moments of joy in our communities, and we are proud to support Starlight in helping bring smiles, fun and positivity to children and families facing challenging times. We’re delighted to play a small part in making a meaningful impact alongside our customers and teams.” Matt Geraghty, National Partnerships Manager at Starlight Children’s Foundation, added: “We’re incredibly grateful to Muffin Break for their generous support in helping Starlight bring joy and laughter to seriously ill children and their families when they need it most. “We encourage customers and communities across Australia to visit their local Muffin Break in May – every donation and every Starlight Muffin sold helps bring more smiles to sick kids.” Muffin Break customers can pick up a Starlight Muffin at their local store between May 1 and May 31. Source: Grande Creative Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.