Cheers to 20 years: Burleigh Brewing is marking two decades in business, making the Gold Coast independent older than a fair chunk of Australia’s current craft beer scene. The brewery poured its first lager in 2006, when founders Peta and Brennan Fielding took a punt on a newly built complex in the Burleigh Heads industrial precinct. At the time, the idea of a dedicated production brewery on the Gold Coast was still a bit of a head-scratcher. Peta Fielding said the milestone was not something they could fully picture when they first started the business. “20 years, wow; honestly, we came into this with a very long term view but two decades into the future wasn’t something we could picture – we’re extremely grateful to everyone who’s ever sipped and savoured a Burleigh Brewing beer during that time,” said Fielding. “And our team, we seriously couldn’t have done it without them. “It’s wild to think the Q1 had only just opened and the Titans still weren’t in the NRL when we started Burleigh Brewing in 2006; and Facebook still hadn’t made it beyond university dorm rooms. “At the time, the idea of an independent production brewery on the Gold Coast was perplexing to most people – we knew going in, it was a gamble. “But Brennan and I always believed that the Gold Coast was full of potential and adding quality, independent brewing to its long list of qualities was just what was needed. “We’re stoked that the people of the Gold Coast, and Australia, came to believe in that too.” Two decades later, Burleigh Brewing is the Gold Coast’s largest independent beer maker, southeast Queensland’s oldest independent beer company, and still operating out of the region it helped put on the beer map. The brand is known for its Bighead range, tropical pale ale Twisted Palm, and Czech Mates, an Australian-first international collaboration with the world-famous Budvar Brewery. Over the past 20 years, Burleigh Brewing has produced enough beer to fill more than 250,000 bathtubs, employed around 200 people, and paid more than $50 million in excise back into the Australian economy. There has also been a royal cameo along the way. Brennan Fielding was once asked to brew a special batch of Duke Premium Lager for Princess Anne, King Charles’ sister, which led to an invitation to have lunch with her in Brisbane. The anniversary lands at a hard time for independent brewing in Australia, with several well-known breweries entering administration over the past two years and smaller operators continuing to face pressure from rising costs, tax and consolidation. Fielding said the early years came with plenty of hurdles. “I remember when we were in those early stages, banks struggled to understand the scope of what we were doing and the local council’s planning rules hadn’t been tested on a project like ours yet,” said Fielding. “It’s been a huge honour to become part of the fabric of the Gold Coast – we’re not here because it’s been easy. “It’s a tough industry for independent players in Australia and we’ve watched good, independent breweries fall over; and we don’t take a single schooner of it for granted.” On the Gold Coast alone, around 20 beer brands have appeared over the past two decades. Some have since sold to global alcohol companies, but Burleigh Brewing remains independent. For the brewery, the 20-year mark is not just a birthday. It is a reminder that staying independent in beer takes more than a good taproom and a few shiny tanks. It takes people who keep choosing the beer, the place and the story behind it. “It’s something we’re very proud of – it’s cliche, but I think we’ve got soul,” said Fielding. “The Gold Coast is our home, and we plan to be here for another 20 years at least. “There’s some other great beer makers coming out of the area now, so I like to think we helped blaze a bit of a trail. “What’s the trick to lasting 20 years in the beer business? You have to love it – and I’m not just talking about a pint. “Our original KPIs had nothing to do with spreadsheets or bottom lines – it was a win if we simply saw someone rock up to a house party with a six-pack of Burleigh Brewing Twenty years later, we’re still proud to be the beer people are proud to bring along.” Source: Wolf PR Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

Krispy Kreme has launched a limited-edition Passport to Japan range, featuring three new doughnuts inspired by Japanese cheesecake, yuzu and strawberry shortcake. The launch follows Krispy Kreme’s recent Movie Night range, which leaned into cinema snacks with flavours including Caramel Popcorn, Sour Blue Raspberry and Sweet & Salty. Available from today, July 29 to September 1, the new range gives Japanese dessert flavours the Krispy Kreme treatment across three doughnuts. The trio includes: Japanese Cheesecake – A shell-shaped doughnut packed with airy, Japanese cheesecake-inspired kreme, hand-dipped in smooth white truffle, and finished with a rich caramel truffle drizzle. Yuzu Citrus Burst – A shell-shaped doughnut filled with bright, tangy yuzu kreme, dipped in a yellow truffle coating, and decorated with a white truffle drizzle and popping bursts of citrus candy crunch. Strawberry Shortcake – Original Glazed Doughnut dipped in a sweet strawberry truffle, dunked in a buttery shortcake cookie blend, and crowned with a swirl of vanilla kreme. The range also taps into Australia’s ongoing appetite for Japan, with Krispy Kreme noting more than one million Australians visited the country in the past year. Aimee Cutajar, Chief Marketing Officer at Krispy Kreme ANZ, said the brand’s limited-time offers continue to be popular with fans. “We know our fans love our limited-time offers, and we’re always dedicated to delivering big, delicious flavours,” said Cutajar. “Our Passport series is a true fan-favourite because it takes your taste buds around the world and celebrates iconic local treats. This time, we’re heading to Japan, one of Australia’s most popular travel destinations, with more than one million Aussies visiting in the past year alone.” Cutajar said the range takes some of Japan’s best-known sweet flavours and gives them a Krispy Kreme spin. “We’ve taken some of Japan’s most iconic sweet treat flavours, including zesty yuzu, Japanese cheesecake and strawberry shortcake, and given them the full melt in your mouth, Krispy Kreme twist,” said Cutajar. “Whether you’re catching up with friends, treating the team at work, or gathering with family, this range is the perfect excuse to come together, share the joy, and enjoy a taste of Japan.” Krispy Kreme is pitching the limited-edition trio at anyone missing late-night 7-Eleven runs, planning their next trip, or looking for a Japanese-inspired dessert fix without leaving the doughnut box. Source: Sling & Stone Find more food retail updates on Crumb Wire.

The team behind TWØBAYS Brewing Co. is opening its first Melbourne flagship this August, bringing a 170-capacity bar, kitchen and community space to Rokeby Street in Collingwood. Called The Freehouse, the new venue marks a major city move for the Mornington Peninsula-born brewery, which has made a name for its gluten-free beer and is now expanding into a full hospitality offering in Melbourne’s inner north. The space has been designed deliberately to shift with the mood. Up front, there will be a pool table and games nook for casual drinks, followed by a communal bar area and a more polished seated dining room tucked behind greenery. A private dining room will sit alongside it for birthdays, group dinners and bigger celebrations. The kitchen will be led by former Mr Myagi chef Matt Kennedy, with a gluten-free menu that puts Victorian produce at the centre. South American flavours and European techniques will shape the food, with the menu changing around seasonal ingredients and local growers rather than trying to mimic a standard pub format. At the bar, TWØBAYS’ own beers will be front and centre on the tap list, joined by independent Victorian wines and a substantial alternative drinking selection for the designated drivers. TWØBAYS Brewing Co. founder Richard Jeffares said the aim was to create a local that could work across different kinds of occasions without losing its sense of community. “We wanted to build a truly inclusive local where world-class food, outstanding beer, and true, Aussie hospitality collide,” he said. “Whether you’re here for a quick pint after work, a celebratory dinner, to watch the game with mates or to play a game of pool, everyone has a seat at our table.” The Freehouse is also being built to do more than pour drinks and serve dinner. Local musicians and visual artists will feature regularly, giving the venue a cultural program alongside its food, beer and events offering. The venue finds itself at the intersection of neighbourhood pub, restaurant and community hangout, with enough room for an after-work pint, a proper sit-down meal, a game on the screen or a late-night round of pool. For TWØBAYS, the opening gives the brewery a permanent Melbourne home and a much bigger stage for its food, drinks and community ambitions. Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.

West HQ is making a play for a spot on Australia’s seafood festival map with an expanded month-long oyster and seafood celebration in Western Sydney this August. Running from August 2 to August 31, the Western Sydney Oyster & Seafood Festival will bring chefs, oyster growers and seafood producers to Rooty Hill for a program of seafood dishes, demonstrations and family entertainment. The festival is now entering its biggest year yet, with West HQ expecting to serve another 100,000 oysters across the month. It all began in 2023 as an idea from celebrity chef Sean Connolly, who leads Steak & Oyster Co. at West HQ, to make oysters more accessible to diners in Western Sydney. Since then, more than 300,000 oysters have been served during the festival, while visitor traffic from more than 25 kilometres away increased by 18.8 per cent in 2024 and another 15.1 per cent in 2025. West HQ Commercial and Communications Chief Robert Squillacioti said the aim was to create a major seafood event for Sydney without trying to copy the coastal festivals already established around the country. “Sydneysiders should not have to travel to the coast or interstate to enjoy a serious seafood festival,” Squillacioti said. “It is clear from the interest we have had as the event has evolved over the years that Sydneysiders have an appetite for oysters and other seafood. “What began as Sean Connolly’s idea to make oysters more accessible has grown into a month-long celebration attracting guests from across Greater Sydney. Guest traffic from more than 25 kilometres away during the festival period increased by 18.8 per cent in 2024 and a further 15.1 per cent in 2025.” That puts the Western Sydney event in the same conversation as the Narooma Oyster Festival, Mandurah Crab Fest, Tunarama Festival and Victoria’s TIDAL Seafood Festival, but with a format designed for an inland audience. August also lines up with peak oyster-growing season and World Oyster Day, giving the festival a natural reason to go big on Australian oysters and seafood. Connolly said the timing made August the right month to grow the event into something bigger. “August is peak oyster-growing season and the month of World Oyster Day, making it the perfect time to celebrate oysters and other outstanding Australian seafood in the heart of Western Sydney. “We look forward to realising our ambition to build one of Australia’s leading seafood festivals here in Western Sydney, one that is approachable, affordable and distinctly our own.” The month-long program will focus on making premium seafood feel approachable, affordable and worth travelling across Sydney for. Source: Lighthouse Communications Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.