The Clareville launches summer tasting menu and 2025 Christmas Hamper

The Dolmio Family is returning to Australian screens

Pallavi MathurSeptember 7, 2026

Dolmio is bringing back the famous puppet family that helped make its pasta sauce ads part of Australian supermarket memory. More than 20 years after Papa, Mama and the rest of the Italian-inspired puppet family first appeared, Dolmio is reviving the characters in a new campaign celebrating family mealtime. The brand has long been tied to weeknight pasta in Australian households, with supermarket staples including tomato pasta sauce, bolognese, lasagne sauce and pasta bake sauce. Rachel Humphrey, Marketing Director, Mars Food & Nutrition Australia, said, “The Dolmio Family has been part of Australian households for more than two decades and remains one of the most recognisable parts of our brand’s history. “As we looked to the future of the brand, we saw an opportunity to celebrate a family that a whole generation of Aussies grew up with. Bringing them back is about reconnecting with that nostalgia, while introducing them to a new generation in a way that feels fresh, relevant and true to what made them so memorable in the first place.” The relaunch also includes the Dolmio Puppetiser, a limited-time digital experience that lets families upload photos and turn them into personalised Dolmio-style puppet portraits. Some participants will have the chance to see their puppet portraits featured on digital billboards in selected locations across Australia. The original Dolmio Family was created in Australia in 2003 by Sydney-based special effects studio Make-Up Effects Group, using handcrafted puppets, costumes and animatronics. The characters later appeared in global campaigns and became one of Australia’s most recognisable brand marketing exports. For the new campaign, Papa, Mama and the rest of the family have been recreated digitally. Actors’ performances were captured using motion technology and refined by animators, with 3D artists designing the characters to keep the puppet-like feel of the originals. The characters are also voiced by Italian-born actors. Humphrey said, “The original Dolmio Family was created to capture the joy, humour and connection that happens around the dinner table. “Our Puppetiser gives families the opportunity to become part of that story themselves. It’s a new way to celebrate what has always sat at the heart of Dolmio: bringing people together, one meal at a time.” The campaign is partly about nostalgia, but Dolmio is not just putting the puppets back on screen and calling it a comeback. Through the Puppetiser, created in partnership with oOh!media and POLY, families can place themselves inside the same visual world. Content creators will lead the initial rollout, with the campaign also running across out-of-home billboards, social content and PR activity. The idea is tied to Dolmio’s Wear the Dolmio Grin platform, celebrating the different personalities, traditions and dinner-table moments that shape family life. For anyone who remembers the original ads, the return is a very specific kind of supermarket nostalgia: red sauce jars, big family dinners and puppet faces that somehow lodged themselves in the Australian advertising memory bank. Source: Herd MSL Find more food culture updates on Crumb Wire.

Lipton Sparkling Sessions: Why The Jungle Giants are getting on the Manly Fast Ferry

Pallavi MathurSeptember 7, 2026

Lipton is putting The Jungle Giants on the Manly Fast Ferry for a one-afternoon floating gig on Sydney Harbour. On Thursday, September 10, the Brisbane band will perform across multiple afternoon ferry crossings as part of Sparkling Sessions, an activation tied to the launch of Lipton’s new Zero Sugar Sparkling Iced Tea range. For Sydney commuters, the set turns the usual ferry ride home into something closer to a tour send-off. The band is coming off its Australian tour and the release of its fifth album, Experiencing Feelings of Joy, before heading to the US. The Jungle Giants have also been getting attention for their triple j Like A Version cover of Underworld’s Born Slippy, which became a fan favourite and sparked calls for an official release. Commuters on board may hear it live, alongside songs from the new album and some of the band’s biggest tracks. The activation is tied to Lipton’s research on commute boredom and the role music already plays in getting through the trip. The research found 59 per cent of Gen Z call the commute one of the most boring parts of their day, while 62 per cent have found ways to avoid it altogether, including chucking a sickie, making up an excuse to work from home or even turning down a job. It also found 77 per cent of Gen Z listen to music while travelling, 30 per cent say a great song has completely changed their mood, and 17 per cent believe live entertainment would make the daily commute better. Sam Hales, lead singer of The Jungle Giants, said, “We’ve played some pretty wild places over the years, but never on the high seas, so this is going to be a fun new experience. Absolutely loving the idea of livening up everyone’s daily commute with a live show. “We’re about to head off to the US, so getting to squeeze in one last show on a ferry, on Sydney Harbour of all places, feels like the perfect send-off.” DJ Mistah Cee will also play between crossings, while passengers will be able to try Lipton’s new Sparkling Iced Tea range on board. The new Zero Sugar Sparkling Iced Tea is made with real tea leaves and comes in three flavours: Lemon Lime, Berry and Tropical. It is available now at major supermarkets nationally for RRP $4.00 for a 1.25L bottle. Sparkling Sessions will take over the Manly Fast Ferry on Thursday, September 10. Lipton will reveal clues about which ferry to catch via its Instagram handle – @liptoniceteaanz. Source: Akcelo Find more food culture updates on Crumb Wire.

Berry’s famous donut van is rolling into Canberra for Floriade 2026

Pallavi MathurSeptember 4, 2026

The Famous Berry Donut Van is taking its hot cinnamon donuts from Berry to Canberra for Floriade 2026. The touring van will roll into Commonwealth Park from September 12 to October 11, serving its signature donuts as part of this year’s Feast of Flowers program. The event will bring more than one million blooms to the park, alongside food, entertainment, workshops, talks and family-friendly activities. For the Berry Donut Van, the Canberra stop brings the travelling version of the business to one of the country’s biggest spring events. The original van has been part of Berry for more than 50 years, drawing locals, road-trippers and visitors for freshly made cinnamon donuts. The dedicated touring van has spent the past year taking those donuts to food festivals, music festivals and major events around Australia. There is also a bit of history in the road trip. Before the original Donut Van settled permanently in Berry in 1974, it travelled the streets of Australia serving fresh donuts to different communities. Teresa Nazareth, owner of The Famous Berry Donut Van, said, “We love that Berry Donut Van On Tour allows us to take something that has been such a big part of Berry’s history and share it with people all over Australia. “Floriade is such a vibrant celebration of spring, with incredible flowers, food and an atmosphere that brings people together, so we’re thrilled to be part of it this year.” At Floriade, the van will serve its signature hot cinnamon donuts alongside Nutella donuts, coffee, hotdogs, smoothies and milkshakes. This year’s Feast of Flowers theme celebrates the connection between nature, food and community, giving the travelling van a Canberra stop that actually makes sense for spring. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Uncle Tobys Roll-Ups turns kids’ slang into tongue prints

Pallavi MathurSeptember 3, 2026

“6-7” has been crowned Australia’s family word of the year, and Uncle Tobys Roll-Ups is putting the phrase where plenty of schoolyard jokes already end up: on kids’ tongues. The cult fruit leather snack has added new edible tongue prints to its Strawberry and Apple varieties, with designs featuring phrases including “6-7”, “No Cap”, “Delulu” and “Aura”. The launch follows Uncle Tobys research showing plenty of parents are not exactly fluent. According to the brand, 63 per cent of Australian parents say they do not understand the lingo their children use, while 40 per cent have had to ask their child to explain modern slang. Uncle Tobys Marketing Manager Jessica Barnes said, “Every generation has its own language, and right now kids are having fun with phrases like ‘6-7’ and ‘No cap’. With the new Roll Up tongue prints, we’re giving families a fun way to get in on the conversation. “Roll Ups have always been about imagination, and this launch brings that spirit into today’s culture – with a nostalgic snack Aussie parents grew up with, reimagined for the next generation.” Uncle Tobys is also asking Roll-Ups fans to vote on the next tongue print design via the brand’s Instagram comments. The Tongue Print varieties are made with real fruit and available now at leading supermarkets nationally for RRP $5.50. Source: Omnicom Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Maltesers Duos x PEDESTRIAN.TV campaign gives one Australian couple a $60,000 wedding

Pallavi MathurSeptember 3, 2026

PEDESTRIAN.TV and Maltesers have named the winners of their national dream wedding competition, with engaged couple Bianca and James set to receive a fully planned and funded wedding package valued at up to $60,000. The campaign asked couples across Australia to share their love stories and the compromises behind their wedding planning, tying the search to the launch of Maltesers Duos. The prize includes support across major costs including clothing, food, hair and makeup, flowers and venue expenses. The campaign was created around the idea that wedding planning often means bringing together two different sets of tastes, traditions and expectations into one celebration. Mars Snacking ANZ Bitesize Portfolio Director Ana Laskova said, “The launch of Maltesers Duos was the perfect opportunity to explore the ultimate joint decision: a wedding. “PEDESTRIAN.TV has been instrumental in bringing this ambitious idea to life with us, they know their audience so inherently and we’ve been delighted by the creativity and heart shown in the entries to the competition. “We congratulate our winning couple and can’t wait to share their journey of how they achieved their dream wedding, with a little help from Maltesers Duos.” Bianca and James will now work with the PEDESTRIAN.TV team across the planning process, from styling and fashion through to catering and entertainment. Their wedding journey will also be documented in a content series for PEDESTRIAN.TV platforms. Publicis OneMars Group Planning Director Jasmin Christie said, “This campaign was built on a simple truth: the best relationships aren’t about choosing one way over another, but about having the best of both worlds. “Through this partnership with PEDESTRIAN.TV, we’ve created a campaign that brings the spirit of Maltesers Duos to life in an authentic and engaging way, turning one of life’s biggest decision-making moments, a wedding, into a celebration of not having to choose.” Most weddings are not shaped by one person’s perfect vision. They are shaped by two people, two families, two sets of priorities and a lot of decisions that need to land somewhere in the middle. For Maltesers Duos, that gives the product launch a matched campaign hook. The new product is centred on two flavours in one, while the wedding campaign follows a couple trying to bring two visions into one day. PEDESTRIAN.TV Senior Creative Project Manager Madison O’Nions said, “Bringing this campaign to life has been an absolute blast. It took a massive effort across our strategy, creative, partnerships, and production teams to make something that feels culturally relevant and genuinely hits with our audience. “Partnering with Maltesers to throw one lucky couple the ultimate wedding is a total dream, and we’re only just getting started!” Now that Bianca and James have been selected, the campaign will move into production. The wedding is scheduled to take place later in 2026, with content rolling out across PEDESTRIAN.TV in the lead-up to the event. Source: Soda Communications Find more food culture on Crumb Wire.

The Dolmio Family is returning to Australian screens

Lipton Sparkling Sessions: Why The Jungle Giants are getting on the Manly Fast Ferry

Berry’s famous donut van is rolling into Canberra for Floriade 2026

Uncle Tobys Roll-Ups turns kids’ slang into tongue prints

Maltesers Duos x PEDESTRIAN.TV campaign gives one Australian couple a $60,000 wedding

Allen’s Choc Blocks have landed in supermarkets nationally