Macca’s is launching a new breakfast menu fronted by Birdie the Early Bird, and for the first time, Australia gets it before anywhere else in the world. Birdie, a longtime McDonaldland character known for singing, painting and loving breakfast more than anything, is fronting a new pink-themed menu launch with Birdie’s Brekkie Meal. From Wednesday, August 26, Macca’s is rolling out a full pink takeover: new menu items, exclusive packaging and even an original soundtrack, all built around Birdie’s brand of colourful, feel-good energy. Tobi Fukushima, Acting Marketing Director of Menu for McDonald’s Australia, said: “Birdie has always been one of our most loved McDonaldland characters and we’re excited to bring her colourful world to life for longtime fans and a whole new generation of Aussies. “As a world-first, Birdie’s Brekkie Meal brings Birdie’s optimism, playful spirit and unmistakable pink aesthetic to Macca’s breakfast menu for the very first time. From Birdie’s delicious Brekkie Signature Sauce and Strawberry Shortcake Frappé to exclusive packaging and an original soundtrack, every detail has been designed to bring a little more fun, colour and personality to mornings.” A menu dressed in pink The centrepiece is Birdie’s Brekkie Signature Sauce, a pink, creamy sauce dropped onto a lineup of breakfast classics. Choose a McMuffin or a Brekkie McWrap, pair it with a Strawberry Shortcake Frappé and a Hash Brown, and you’ve got Birdie’s Brekkie Meal, Macca’s usual breakfast staples with a rosy hue and packaging designed to be as photogenic as it is functional. The lineup includes the Birdie Sausage and Egg McMuffin, Birdie Bacon and Egg McMuffin, and Birdie Chicken and Bacon McMuffin, all topped with the signature sauce, alongside the Birdie Brekkie McWrap, which packs bacon, hash brown, egg and cheese into a warm tortilla. The Strawberry Shortcake Frappé completes the package with biscuit crumb swirled through the drink and sprinkled over the whipped cream on top. Birdie’s got her own soundtrack too Macca’s has given Birdie an original theme song, pulling from noughties pop and classic cartoon anthems, streaming on Spotify from August 26. It sits inside a broader Birdie’s Brekkie Beats playlist, which also features remixes and covers from Australian creators and fans. Birdie’s Brekkie Meal is available nationwide from August 26 for a limited time via drive-thru, front counter, McDelivery and the MyMacca’s app. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Plate It Forward has hit a serious milestone: one million meals donated since the social enterprise was founded six years ago. The Sydney-based hospitality group, founded by Shaun Christie-David, runs venues including Colombo Social, Kyiv Social and Kabul Social. Through its restaurants, catering and events, it creates employment and training opportunities for people facing systemic barriers to work, while running meal programs for communities experiencing food insecurity across Australia and Sri Lanka. It now provides 14,000 meals a week. Of the million meals, around 710,000 have gone to communities in Sydney, with the remaining 290,000 reaching people in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Ukraine and beyond. Christie-David said, “It’s very rare that we stop and reflect on the impact we’ve created, but one million meals is a pretty special moment. When we started Plate It Forward, I never imagined it would become what it is today. Around 710,000 of those meals have gone to communities here in Sydney, with another 290,000 reaching people in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Ukraine and beyond. “What makes me most proud isn’t really the number. It’s the people behind it. We have this incredible team who inspire me every day, and a community we are so proud to feed. Every one of you has a story, every one of you matters, and every meal carries a little bit of the love we put into making it. “I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at Plate It Forward and beyond who has made this possible. I can’t wait to see what the next million looks like.” In Sydney, Plate It Forward provides meals through partnerships with RedLink in Redfern, Rough Edges in Darlinghurst, Redfern Jarjum College in Redfern, Weave Youth & Community Services in Waterloo, and Hume Housing in Telopea. In Sri Lanka, the organisation supports Harvest, a long-term food security program delivered in partnership with Dilmah Tea and the MJF Foundation. The program currently runs across 23 schools, providing daily meals to more than 2,700 children while supporting better school attendance and long-term opportunities in rural communities. To mark the milestone, Plate It Forward is throwing a party in the Kyiv Social laneway, bringing together the team, volunteers, partners, donors and the guests who’ve dined, catered or booked events across its venues over the years. A serious lineup of chefs and hospitality names will be on the BBQ, including Mitch Orr (formerly Ace Hotel and 25hours Hotels), Darryl Martin (Watermans), Brendan King (Derrel’s), NipCooks, Serwan Roman and Andrew Vu (Roman’s Deli), and the women of Kabul Social. Young Henrys will be pouring, with music running throughout the afternoon. Plate It Forward’s One Million Meals Laneway Party runs from 12:30 pm on August 30 at Kyiv Social Laneway, Grafton Lane, Chippendale. Source: Electric Collective Find more dining out updates on Crumb Wire.

Sydney Showground will host hundreds of Sydney Royal medal-winning wines, beers, ciders, spirits and fine foods at Grape, Grain & Graze Festival, set to return on September 19. Presented by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, the one-day festival brings together the best of the Sydney Royal Wine, Beer, Cider, Distilled Spirits and Fine Food Shows, giving guests direct access to medal-winning products from across the country in one afternoon. “Grape, Grain & Graze offers outstanding value and an experience unlike anything else in Sydney. Guests can sample hundreds of award-winning wines, beers, ciders and spirits in a single afternoon, while enjoying quality food, live entertainment and the atmosphere of a genuine Sydney Royal celebration,” said Murray Wilton, General Manager, Agriculture & Sydney Royal Easter Show. “Held after Sydney Royal judging, the festival offers guests a rare opportunity to discover and taste recently awarded trophy, gold and silver medal wines from across Australia. “It is ideal for emerging wine lovers keen to discover what they enjoy, as well as enthusiasts wanting to explore favourite varietals and find wines they may not usually encounter in Sydney. “Beer, cider and distilled spirits fans are also well catered for, with recently awarded champions from the Sydney Royal Beer & Cider and Distilled Spirits competitions available to try.” General admission starts at $128.25 and covers entry, tastings of Sydney Royal medal-winning wines, beers, ciders and spirits, grazing stations, live music and access to the Sydney Royal Marketplace. Festivalgoers can also try produce from the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show and pick up meals from food trucks, including Bianco’s Kitchen and Antico Woodfire Pizza. For those wanting to go deeper, there are optional add-ons: trophy-winning wine tastings, a guided medal-winning wine and cheese masterclass, an award-winning beer masterclass, a distilled spirits masterclass and premium food experiences like oysters and dessert boxes. The festival is run by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, the organisation behind the Sydney Royal competitions and the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

KeepCup‘s Ora Insulated Water Bottle now comes in Nitro Pine, a deep, earthy green paired with chrome, available across the bottle range. The Melbourne-founded reusable drinkware brand is rolling Nitro Pine out across the Ora Bottle, the Go Bowl Luxe and the Commuter Insulated Travel Cup, so anyone after a matching set can pick up all three in the one colourway. The Ora Bottle remains KeepCup’s most versatile piece, with two ways to drink from it: through the removable stainless steel straw, or straight from the spout. It’s made for all-day use, whether that’s the gym, the desk or dinner, and works as a simple swap for single-use plastic bottles. The lid is leakproof and one-touch, so it’s safe to throw in a bag and easy to open with one hand. A carry handle and a shape that fits standard cup holders mean it works equally well on the school run or on a hike. It’s vacuum insulated, keeping drinks cold for 24 hours or more, and the stainless steel construction means no flavour transfer between drinks. With fewer parts than most bottles, it’s also quicker to clean. The Ora Bottle is made from 90% recycled stainless steel, with a 50% recycled Tritan lid, keeping it light, durable and lead-free. It’s made to last and to be repaired rather than thrown out, which fits with KeepCup’s broader stance that the most sustainable product is simply the one people keep using. “Hydration is a daily habit and we wanted to create a bottle that is as versatile and easy to use as it is durable,” says Abigail Forsyth, co-founder of KeepCup. “Nitro Pine has become one of our most-loved colourways, and it felt like a natural fit for the Ora Bottle, giving people another way to bring a considered, cohesive design into their everyday routine.” KeepCup was started in Melbourne in 2009 by Abigail and Jamie Forsyth. It began with the world’s first barista-standard reusable cup, made to cut down on single-use coffee cup waste, and the brand is now sold in more than 75 countries. The Ora Bottle in Nitro Pine is available for $60 AUD (700ml) and $70 AUD (950ml) via the Australian website and selected retailers. Source: OneTwo Agency Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.