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.

Gelatissimo is taking on one of Italy’s most contested desserts with a limited-edition Tiramisu Slice, landing in all stores nationwide from May 8. Tiramisu has been argued over for more than 50 years, with two Italian regions, two government rulings and a dessert so fiercely contested it needed a notary to settle it. In 2010, the original recipe was formally notarised in Treviso and lodged with Italy’s Academy of Cuisine. The debate escalated in 2017 when Friuli Venezia Giulia secured official recognition of tiramisu as a Traditional Agri-Food Product (P.A.T.), before Veneto followed in 2024 with Treviso-style tiramisu added to the same list, giving the dessert dual recognition across two regions. At the heart of both traditional recipes is the same core lineup: savoiardi biscuits, mascarpone, coffee and a cream made from egg yolks and sugar in a zabaglione style. Gelatissimo’s Tiramisu Slice works from all of them. This is not some predictable tiramisu-flavoured gelato mission. The slice is a proper layered dessert featuring light Italian mascarpone gelato, Forno Bonomi savoiardi soaked in freshly brewed coffee and a dusting of cocoa powder, served with a chocolate-dipped savoiardi biscuit, traditional zabaglione, whipped cream and a crispy round wafer. All the distinct layers are visible, just as they would be in a traditional tiramisu. The Forno Bonomi savoiardi are recognised by the Federation of Italian Chefs and have been made in Verona since 1939, the same ladyfinger biscuits Italian chefs have specified for generations. Australia is home to one of the largest Italian-born populations in the world, with more than one million Australians claiming Italian ancestry, making tiramisu a dessert with real cultural weight locally. The slice also lands just ahead of Mother’s Day on May 10, which feels fitting given tiramisu’s own origin story. Folklore has it that the original was inspired by the zabaglione and coffee breakfast that Alba Campeol’s mother-in-law made for her each morning to recover after childbirth. Anna Temellini, Innovation Lead at Gelatissimo, said: “Tiramisu literally means ‘pick me up’ and that’s exactly what we set out to create. Every year our team travels to Italy for inspiration. This year it was all about tiramisu and experiencing the most authentic versions we could find to understand what makes a true one: the ingredients, the layers, the craft. “As an Italian, these traditions aren’t just recipes, they’re part of your heritage, your identity. At Gelatissimo, we wanted to bring something that honours both without cutting corners on either. This isn’t a tiramisu-flavoured gelato. It’s a dessert that brings two iconic Italian treats together the right way.” Gelatissimo’s Tiramisu Slice is available from May 8 in all stores nationwide, priced at $13.50. Source: Two Palms Media Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

Buddha’s Birthday Festival is returning to Darling Harbour for 2026 with a free, family-friendly celebration of harmony, peace and unity open to visitors of all backgrounds. The two-day festival spans performances, vegetarian food, meditation and mindfulness, cultural ceremonies and family activities across the precinct. The Harmony in Diversity performances at the Sound Shell weave together music, movement and storytelling reflecting the festival’s themes of harmony, peace and coexistence. The Vegetarian Food Fair takes visitors on a plant-based tour through the cuisines of Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, India and beyond, with appetisers, mains and desserts all represented. Whether a committed herbivore or simply curious, there is plenty to explore across the stalls. Elsewhere across the precinct, Tea Meditation, a bustling marketplace of cultural crafts, wellness products, thoughtful gifts and Buddhist artworks, and plenty of opportunities to pause, connect and unwind are all part of the programme. Saturday May 2 opens with the VegRun: Run for Peace, Run for Happiness, before traditional Lion Dances at Tumbalong Park and a ceremonial blessing lead into the major Harmony, Peace and Coexistence Ceremony in the afternoon. Sunday May 3 offers a quieter close, with the Baby Blessing Ceremony, continued performances and food experiences across the precinct before the festival wraps with the Voices of Peace finale. Buddha’s Birthday Festival runs from May 2 to May 3 at Darling Harbour, Sydney. Entry is free and the precinct is accessible by ferry, bus, train and light rail. Source: Keep Left Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.