Australian Hotelier November 2019

Hotelier AUSTRALIAN

AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL HOTEL INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

VOL. 36 no. 10 - NOVEMBER 2019

IN THIS ISSUE: PLANT-BASED MENUS | CIDER | WORKING WITH WHOLESALERS

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CONTENTS | ED’S NOTE

38 Editor’s Note

T

his is the beginning of what is without a doubt the busiest time of year for hotels, and so it’s only right that we bring you a bumper issue of Australian Hotelier to cover a whole range of issues that you might be dealing with at the moment. Behind the bar, we’re looking at the latest trends in cider (from p 14), and why more and more hotels are turning to microbrewery solutions (p 20).

Plus, we look at the new and innovative ways you can work with suppliers and wholesalers to not only provide you with stock for your back bar, but to transform your drinks offering. That’s on page 24.

In Pub Dining, we look at the pubs that are taking on more of a plant-based focus; how one Adelaide hotel’s sales skyrocketed with a new Mexican restaurant; and take a look at the latest iteration of the Robert Burns Hotel in Melbourne. You can find all of that food content starting on page 29.

These are just some of the features in the magazine, so settle in and check out what’s happening in pubs across the country!

Cheers,

14

Vanessa Cavasinni P: 02 8586 6201 | E: vcavasinni@intermedia.com.au

NEXT MONTH

Hot to Stock for 2020• POS and Op Tech • Craft Beer

30

Contents | November Special Features 14 Cider: The new styles becoming popular with Australian drinkers.

18 Compliance: Spotting money laundering in your gaming room.

20 Bar, Beer and Cellar: Why house brews are hot stuff.

24 Wholesalers: There’s more to it than just ordering stock.

30 Plant-Based Foods: How and ED’S PICK why to plate up plant.

34 Mexican Food: The restaurant that turned Hotel Royal’s business around.

PUBLISHER: Paul Wootton EDITOR: Craig Hawtin-Butcher PUBLISHED BY:

Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd 41 Bridge Road GLEBE NSW Australia 2037 Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419

34

craig@intermedia.com.au

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER:

Jason Wild Tel: 02 8586 6213 • jwild@intermedia.com.au

GENERAL MANAGER SALES – LIQUOR & HOSPITALITY GROUP: Shane T. Williams

36 Venue Profile: The renaissance of the Robert Burns Hotel.

Regulars 10 News: The latest happenings around the country.

38 Design and Build: Ben Walsh is building an empire.

42 Tales from the Top: Airbnb is backing country pubs.

GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY:

Kea Thorburn kthorburn@intermedia.com.au

ACTING CIRCULATIONS MANAGER: Troy Brookes subscriptions@intermedia.com.au

PRODUCTION MANAGER:

Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

DISCLAIMER

This publication is published by Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

Copyright © 2019 - Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd

6 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

WE ENCOURAGE RESPONSIBLE DRINKING Get the facts DrinkWise.org.au

SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1yr (11 issues) for $95.00 (inc GST) 2yrs (22 issues) for $152.00 (inc GST) – Saving 20% 3yrs (33 issues) for $199.00 (inc GST) – Saving 30% To subscribe and to view other overseas rates visit www.intermedia.com.au or Call: 1800 651 422 (Mon – Fri 8:30-5pm AEST) Email: subscriptions@intermedia.com.au

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NEWS

REDCAPE PULLS OFF BIGGEST GAMING SALE OF THE YEAR

DRUG-RELATED PUB ROBBERIES A PROBLEM IN ADELAIDE To date, Adelaide pubs have fallen victim to 36 pub robberies – making the rate about one a week. In almost all of these instances drug usage was a mitigating factor, with ice and other methamphetamines the main narcotic being used. Without going into details publicly, the police have suggested that the crimes are being perpetrated by an informal network of people, that they are connected in some way.

Ian Horne, general manager of AHA SA, says that for whatever reason, these people have decided that pubs are their main target for cash – albeit they are getting very little.

“The reward that they’re getting is minimal. They are taking significant risks for what is relatively little – it’s not great amounts of money and that reflects on the fact that the industry for a long time has taken cash-handling techniques seriously.”

While publicans are ensuring their cash is securely stored and moved off the premises quickly, the main anxiety they are facing at the moment is that weapons have been involved. A recent robbery at the Mawson Lakes Hotel ended in a patron being stabbed in the back as he tried to prevent a hold-up (the injuries were not life-threatening). In other instances screwdrivers and axes have been used to threaten hotel staff.

Horne has called the incidents shocking, but says that the AHA is working closely with police to keep members up to date, and help them secure their own venues.

“The messages that we’re giving to our members are: review security; ensure CCTV is good quality, focused and placed in the right direction; and brief staff not to be heroes but to cooperate and avoid eye contact.”

Horne said the police are doing everything they can to work with hotels and vice versa. Publicans assisted in the capture of one man who robbed a venue, after sharing a snapshot of the perpetrator’s face among nearby venues. The man was caught by police in that instance within 48 hours.

“The police are putting significant resources into the issue, and are developing a vast intelligence into what’s going on and who’s doing it,” says Horne, who is confident that the network will be eventually broken up.

While venues are encouraged to ensure their security measures and cashhandling is up to scratch to minimise their risk, Horne acknowledged that the root of the issue is methamphetamine use – a larger problem for the community at large.

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS FOLLOW US ON 10 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Redcape (ASX: RDC) announced recently that it had sold the St George Hotel in Sydney’s Belmore for $47.1 million, making it the largest gaming hotel sale in the country for the year to date.

The hotel was sold off-market to private buyers Michael Wiggins and Joanne Cassar, who earlier this year sold the Oxford Hotel in Drummoyne to Laundy Hotels for $41.75 million. The gamingfocussed hotel is ranked 43 in New South Wales for gaming machine net profit. The sale was handled by John Musca of JLL Hotels & Hospitality, who was not available for comment.

Redcape’s CEO, Dan Brady, said the sale would maximise return for investors in the publicly-listed company.

“The Australian pub industry is highly fragmented and has been very active. The sale of the St George Hotel, Belmore is in line with our approach of actively managing the portfolio to maximise returns for our securityholders. The funds from the sale will further strengthen our balance sheet with gearing reducing to 36% being at the lower end of our target gearing range of 35-45% and provide funding capacity for additional value enhancing acquisitions.”

The $47.1 million sale price represents a 2.7 per cent premium to the June 2019 independent valuation. Redcape has reaffirmed that its guidance for FY20 remains the same after the settlement of the sale of St George Hotel.

“The reaffirmed guidance today is reflective of the existing portfolio trading well year to date and general industry conditions being favourable. With access to existing capital and a belief the market still presents good acquisition opportunities, we will continue to look at value accretive refurbishments and acquisitions,” stated Brady.

The sale follows a strong FY19 for Redcape, with the group reporting total revenue for the year of $285.2m, up 17.4 per cent and EBITDA of $42m; and $46.5m in distributable earnings.

Anticipated settlement for the sale of St George Hotel is expected before February 2020.

CHECK OUT THESHOUT.COM.AU

NEWS

The Boardwalk Tavern at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast

QUEENSLAND’S PUBLICAN OF THE YEAR SINGS PEERS PRAISES The 2019 QHA Awards for Excellence were held last month, and Matthew Coorey, operator of the Boardwalk Tavern at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast was named Publican of the Year. In gracious comments to Australian Hotelier, Coorey shared the credit for the award for with his staff and his wife Giulia.

Off the back of the awards, Coorey reflected on the state of the industry in Queensland, noting the challenges that publicans across the country are facing, and singling out the operators within his own backyard who are setting the example of how to evolve and keep your offering relevant to consumers.

“The Queensland pub scene, much like the rest of the country, is experiencing a period of turbulence and change. Digital disruption from online delivery platforms and ‘Netflix bingeing’ are making it harder to attract customers into our hotels more than once a week.

“In saying that there are some great examples of hoteliers, such as the Comiskey Group at Sandstone Point and Eatons Hill Hotel, who are rethinking the norm and creating multi-faceted, self-contained entertainment precincts that cater to a diverse and receptive audience.”

He continued: “Suburban taverns such as Brian and Cathy Fitzgibbons’ Glen Hotel, are continually re-invigorating their offer to attract and retain customers. Their new pizzeria, restaurant cafe and sports auditorium are among the best in Queensland, highlighted by The Glen being acknowledged as the QHA Hotel of the Year for 2019.”

Coorey also believes that metropolitan hoteliers investing in regional areas will also see the level of quality in the state’s pubs rise even further.

“Whilst we have seen many southern operators buying pubs in Queensland for a few years now, we are also seeing some experienced

Matthew Coorey city hoteliers branching out into regional areas. Notably Richard Deery of the Story Bridge Hotel has acquired The Woodford Hotel, Woodford; Rob Comiskey has acquired the Samford Hotel, Samford; and Jim Davies from the Orion Hotel has, for a few years now, owned and successfully operated the Exchange Hotel, Kilcoy.

“I think this trend of inner city publicans diversifying and chasing yields through the creation of destination hotels will continue to flourish, which is only a great boom for our regional areas and hotels in Queensland generally.”

Coorey is considered one of the rising leaders in the state’s hotel industry, and as an hotelier in one of the country’s tourism hot-spots he continually works to keep his venue at the forefront of innovation.

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER NOVEMBER 2019 | 11

NEWS

SG GAMING BRINGS POPULAR TITLE BACK TO PUBS

NSW’S MOST PROFITABLE GAMING PUBS REVEALED

BY ANDY YOUNG

Liquor & Gaming NSW (LGNSW) has published its latest gaming machine data updates, which detail the gaming machine numbers and net profit for each NSW local government area as well as the net profit rankings for all NSW venues with gaming machines.

LGNSW publishes the data every six months which it says is “part of the NSW Government’s commitment to boost transparency on gambling activity in local communities”.

The latest report covers 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2019 for hotels. LGNSW said that “due to seasonal factors, gaming machine profits are historically higher in the second half of each calendar year”.

For this period the most profitable hotel in NSW was Markets Hotel in Flemington.

Top 10 gaming machine net profit hotels in NSW: • Markets Hotel, Flemington • Cross Roads Hotel, Casula • El Cortez Hotel, Canley Heights • Meridian Hotel, Hurstville • Railway Hotel, Lidcombe • The Crown Hotel, Revesby • Berala Hotel, Berala • Burwood Hotel, Burwood • Pritchards Hotel, Mount Pritchard • Twin Willows Hotel, Bass Hill LGNSW has also detailed some of the key numbers over the period, in particular how they compare with the same period last year and with the previous six month reporting period.

Compared to the previous six months, LGNSW said that the number of gaming machines in operation fell by 206 in clubs and by 39 in hotels. The number of club gaming venues fell by nine, and the number of hotel gaming venues fell by 34. In addition LGNSW said that in this period, compared

with the previous six-month period net profit in clubs fell by 3.9 per cent and by 6.3 per cent for hotels.

Additionally, compared with the same six-month period in 2018, the number of gaming machines in operation fell by 506 in clubs and by 42 in hotels. LGNSW also reported that the number of club gaming venues fell by 16, and the number of hotel gaming venues fell by 74. In terms of net profit in comparison with the same sixmonth period in 2018, for clubs this fell by 0.03 per cent, while hotels saw a 6.2 per cent increase in net profit.

LGNSW has moved to reporting net profit for machines, rather than turnover as it said “turnover has commonly been misinterpreted and led to wrong assumptions about levels of gaming machine loss”.

Net profit is the combined profit from gaming machines for all venues within an LGA. It is not exactly the same as player losses because some larger jackpots are ‘pooled’ when machines are linked across multiple venues and LGAs. The data has included LGA-based yearly statistics for the number of gaming machines and the total value of bets on gaming machines. However, it is the closest indicator of how much communities have lost on gaming machines.

Turnover refers to the total value of bets on gaming machines, including bets made using credits won during the course of play. It is simply the amount of money bet, regardless of whether that money is won or lost.

In NSW, gaming machines must return at least 85 per cent of turnover over the playing out of their full course of combinations, with the average return of all gaming machines being about 90 per cent.

12 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

The popular Drifting Sands™ title makes a welcomed return to pubs with Drifting Sands™ X due for release in November. Launching on the super stylish DualosX™ cabinet, this latest version of the classic Egyptian-themed game will give players who loved the earlier versions a chance to enjoy this new release, and for those new to the game it offers a fresh playing experience.

SG Gaming’s vice president of product, Peter Wilkins, has long been a fan of the Drifting Sands series and was delighted to see that a new iteration was in the works at the company’s Silverwater office.

“People who work with me know I get very passionate about our games, they become like children to me.

Drifting Sands was one of the first games I really loved.

As a hotel sales rep back in the day, you quickly learn that if the game is successful for your partners you will have a much easier job, which is part of the reason I loved it!”

Wilkins added: “The other reason I love it is that the theme has stood the test of time. Players have an affinity with Drifting Sands, so when the games team were excited to reimagine it, I was confident that there would be a high level of player acceptance.”

Earlier this year, SG Gaming released the DualosX cabinet at Brisbane’s AHGE. While the goal is to achieve a greater portability of content across markets using the company’s new Argos platform, games have trickled out at a slower rate than anticipated while the jurisdictions were brought into alignment.

Product Director, George Pasmalidis, explained “it’s customary for most businesses to slow down at this time of the year; however, we’ve got a few good titles that are going to take us nicely into 2020. Hot Hot Jackpots ™ is currently being rolled out with Silver Stallion™ and Golden India™; there’s also Hola Toro™ coming soon.

The launch of Drifting Sands X now will give us a chance to hit the ground running into the New Year and from there we’ll be looking forward to a good 2020.”

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CIDER PROMOTION

SIPPERS CIDER CAN BE ENJOYED ALL YEAR ROUND, BUT WHEN CHILLED IT’S THE PERFECT BEVERAGE FOR A SUMMER AFTERNOON. HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITES FOR 2019/2020.

CIDER PROMOTION 1. KAIJU! GOLDEN AXE CRISP APPLE CIDER Hand-crafted from freshly crushed, premium Victorian apples. Golden Axe is a crisp, thirst-quenching drop with just enough sweetness to satisfy. Aromas of fresh-cut apples and blossom.

ABV: 5.2% Contact: hq@kaijubeer.com.au kaijubeer.com.au

2. FLYING BRICK CIDER CO PACHINGA Co-fermented chilli, lime, ginger and pear, this sublime cider is a most refreshing summer beverage with a cheeky back-palate kick. Pachinga is a match made in culinary heaven for anything with an Asian twist. Gluten free.

ABV: 8% Contact: lyndsay@thesharpgroup.com.au www.flyingbrickciderco.com.au

3. N IGHTINGALE BROS ALPINE CIDER PINK LADY DRY Big flavour, floral scents and low residual sugar. The crisp Pink Lady is the hero of the show, with a gentle blast of green apple at the tail end. A drier style of cider that gets the balance right and keeps the flavour of the fruit front and centre.

ABV: 5.9% Contact: sales@alpinecider.com.au www.alpinecider.com.au

4. P RESSMAN’S ALL AUSTRALIAN APPLE CIDER Made with 100 per cent Australian apples from the Goulburn Valley. The cider is a fresh, light, thirst-quenching beverage with crisp apple notes that pairs well with a summer cheese plate. Gluten-free and vegan friendly. Best served over ice.

ABV: 4.5% Contact: Your Coca-Cola Amatil rep or call 13 COKE. www.ccamatil.com

5. GRANITE BELT TREEHOUSE CIDER Treehouse Cider is made using 100 per cent real apple juice, with no added sugar or concentrates. Handcrafted from a blend of red and green apples, the cider is not too sweet or too dry — it just tastes like real, juicy apples.

Granite Belt Cider Co is proud to support the farmers of the Granite Belt in south-east Queensland by sourcing all of their apple juice from the region.

ABV: 4.8% Contact: orders@squarekeg.com.au www.granitebeltciderco.com.au

6. FLYING BRICK CIDER CO ORIGINAL CIDER An easy choice for a delightful and satisfying beverage on a hot day. Opulent golden straw in colour and a fine, delicate bead. Lovely vanilla notes shining through on the nose. A playful creaming soda-like toffee complexity upon the palate and loads of fresh apple sweetness. Gluten free.

ABV: 4.4% Contact: lyndsay@thesharpgroup.com.au www.flyingbrickciderco.com.au

Shot at The Light Brigade

CIDER

A FRUITFUL CATEGORY AS THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF AUSTRALIAN CIDER IMPROVES, PUBS CAN MAKE THE MOST OF THE CATEGORY IN THE WARMER WEATHER.

A

fter the massive boom in cider’s popularity five years ago, you would be forgiven for thinking that the thirst for the category had petered out. However, with more brewers getting on board, using fresh fruit and finding their signature taste, cider has gone the way of craft beer – a multitude of styles of the highest quality – allowing venues to find the right ciders to match their overall drinks offering.

This boon of quality and quantity is reflected in the record entries into the Australian Cider Awards, and the trend towards more diverse styles.

“The number of entries in standard cider and perry classes is stable overall but there is a shift towards the drier classes, reflecting the continuing evolution of consumer palates and preferences”, said Warwick Billings, chief steward of the Australian Cider Awards and Vice President of industry body Cider Australia.

“Growth in entries is largely driven by the specialty classes with a 50 per cent jump in entries in the cider with fruit class and 20 per cent more experimental products. We have responded to this development by introducing a new Best Specialty Cider/Perry trophy”.

“Each year we are seeing an improvement in the quality of entries, making the task of narrowing the field of stand-out products even more challenging.”

Cider continues to have a place on-premise, particularly for patrons looking for a thirst-quenching alternative to beer or wine.

“We started producing Pressman’s Cider in 2014 to introduce a clean, refreshing, thirst quenching answer to the dry Australian sun, providing an alternative to beer and wine. We know that cider is often chosen as one of the first preferred drinks in the early evening and shared with friends, whilst later in the evening we see a shift in preference to spirits,” says Pip Hearn, senior brand manager – cider and emerging for CocaCola Amatil.

Lyndsay Sharp, national sales manager for Flying Brick Co agrees, and says the elevated styles of cider also allow it to compete with wine as a drink for social occasions.

“It very much has its place as an on-premise beverage option for lunch, dinner or cocktail-style function. Also, with products such as the Flying Brick methode champenoise MC Cider, there are seriously sophisticated, elegant options that stand tall against the best wines.”

Promoting styles that are less known to the typical Aussie cider drinker might seem like a hard sell, but it’s all about staff education, and giving them the tools to communicate that message to patrons. It's something that passionate cider makers put a lot of effort into, as Hearn can attest.

“It is important to us to continue to work quite closely with our customers/publicans to make sure that they understand our products so that they feel confident recommending us to consumers looking for a refreshing drink.”

“There is a shift towards the drier classes, reflecting the continuing evolution of consumer palates and preferences.”

Warwick Billings, vice president, Cider Australia

16 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Contact your Coca-Cola Amatil rep for more information or call

13 COKE (13 2653)

COMPLIANCE

MONEY MATTERS PUBS ARE TARGETS FOR MONEY LAUNDERING THROUGH THEIR GAMING MACHINES, SO AUSTRAC HAS RELEASED SOME NEW TOOLS TO HELP OPERATORS AND THEIR STAFF IDENTIFY AND CURB THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THEIR VENUES.

A

USTRAC, the Australian Government’s financial intelligence agency, has recently launched a communication initiative targeted at pubs and clubs to help build awareness of the tell-tale signs of money laundering activity, and how to report and curb it.

“AUSTRAC regularly engages with its reporting population, and this current initiative includes the creation of material directly targeted at staff at pubs and clubs and industry associations to build awareness of money laundering and the risks of criminals exploiting pubs and clubs,” stated an AUSTRAC spokesperson.

While there may be a perception that money laundering is a victimless crime, the reality is that this money is then used to fund other criminal activity, which harms the local community. This illicit activity can include drugs and weapons trafficking.

By making your business resilient to money laundering, you are playing an important part in protecting your community from serious criminal activity.

Tell-tale signs that a customer could be using gaming machines to launder money could include putting large amounts of money into a machine and then cashing out after a few plays, or trying to buy other patrons' cash-out tickets for cash.

As part of the intiative, AUSTRAC has created a suite of posters that help staff identify suspicious behaviour and give instructions on how to report it; as well as aid compliance officers to dispel myths about the risks faced by pubs and clubs when it comes to money laundering.

By remaining aware of suspicious activity, and keeping your staff educated to these odd behaviours, operators can help keep their venue, personnel and communities safe.

If you do suspect that money laundering has taken place in your venue, you are obligated to report such behaviour to AUSTRAC through a Suspicious Matter Report (SMR), within three days of the incident occurring. Information on how to create an effective SMR can be found on the AUSTRAC website.

The AUSTRAC resources aimed at pubs and clubs can be found at www.austrac.gov.au/money-laundering-risks-new-pubs-and-clubs-staffresources-now-available

18 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

BEHAVIOUR TO KEEP AN EYE ON Suspicious behaviour in gaming patrons can include: • Winning more often than most • Trying to buy cash-out tickets from others • Putting large amounts of cash into machines without using an ATM • Playing frequently but cashing out after only a few plays • Asking for cheques to be written in someone else’s name • Asking for their winnings in cash • Controlling a bank of linked machines • Actively avoiding staff

COOL CUSTOMERS There are several misconceptions around money laundering in pubs, but a major one is that regular customers well known to venue staff could not be involved in money laundering activity. AUSTRAC has found that where it does occur, it is often by regular patrons, who use their familiarity to avoid detection.

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BAR, BEER AND CELLAR

THE RIGHT FORMULA FOR BREWING YOUR OWN BEER THERE ARE SOME GREAT BENEFITS TO BREWING YOUR OWN BEER. SUCCESSFUL PUB BREWERS EXPLAINED ALL THE BEST BITS TO BRYDIE ALLEN.

I

t’s a pinch yourself moment to be able to say, ‘Hey, we brewed this!’”

That’s what Ella Ogden, fourth generation publican and marketing manager of The Windsor Hotel said the effect of brewing your own beer is like. The Windsor Hotel in South Perth has been brewing their own beer under the Ogdens Brewery name for just under a year, and are just one example of an Aussie pub exploring the possibilities of in-house brewing.

Customers are increasingly looking for local options. The ethos of community togetherness is driving a desire to support local business and creating opportunity for smaller producers to compete with the larger national and international brands.

Engineering and technology advancements mean that the market is more accessible than ever. Julian Sanders, managing director of Spark Breweries and Distilleries said: “Brewing high quality consistent beer is easy if you have good equipment and good local support to set-up and brew.”

Brewing your own beer not only lets you tap into a consumer desire for a local craft option, but it also gives your venue a unique point of difference. These days it’s more common for customers to look for destinations and experiences above anything else. The Winston Bar in Hobart is finding that their beer under the same name is helping the pub cater to this trend.

“Having our own beers is a big drawcard for the pub. People like the connection between the brewery and the bar,” said Kris Miles, Winston’s co-owner.

Tasting paddles at Great Ocean Road Brewhouse

20 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

The Prickly Moses brewery

BAR, BEER AND CELLAR

“Having our own beers is a big drawcard for the pub.

People like the connection between the brewery and the bar.”

Kris Miles, co-owner and head brewer, The Winston Bar and Brewery The Winston Bar

WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU BREW Thanks to great engineering, including that of the systems offered

by Spark Breweries and Distilleries, Sanders said “brewing in-venue has never been so easy and profitable.” But what can you actually do when you brew?

Endless variation: Sanders said “any style of beer can be brewed,” so you can create what you (and your customers) like, just the way you like it! Doing this will create a unique personality for your venue, such as what The Lord Nelson has. “We brew only 100 per cent top fermented natural ales, but amongst that with malt roast differentiations and yeast changes, many different styles are brewed,” said Hayden.

Creativity: You’ve got the freedom to think outside the box and test the waters with seasonal mixes. If something doesn’t work, just change it like The Windsor does. “We change the flavour profiles to reflect the feedback,” said Ogden. You can also get creative with your development process like Prickly Moses. Mangion said: “We conduct field research, particularly at the events we attend.”

Freshness: It’s a pretty rare and unique thing to be able to offer your customers beer fresh from the brewery. Sanders said this is best with a hoppy XPA: “To be able to service directly from a Spark serving tank without any need to keg or any need for a cool room means that the beer has never seen light, never seen heat, never seen oxygen – [it’s] fresh, perfect and delicious.”

New opportunities: It’s up to you where you take your beer: you can sell your own beer on to other venues, set up stalls at events, or even stock it for retail. For The Winston, Miles said: “We sell a handful of kegs to other venues for beer events/collaboration brews.” Sanders said there’s huge profits to be made if you tap into the community.

“People love to get behind their local beer, to take it away to drink at home and to support their brewery by holding parties and events.”

The Prickly Moses range

Great Ocean Road Brewhouse

It’s not only the local population that are attracted. Tourists are also drawn by the idea of visiting a pub and trying the house beer, as it’s an authentic symbol of what the local area has to offer. The Great Ocean Road Brewhouse is experiencing this with their beer, Prickly Moses.

“Prickly Moses gives us a unique selling point in the region, as we brew locally and have our 14 craft beers on tap in the Brewhouse.

Customers are always keen to try products from the region whilst travelling through,” said Dean Mangion, the Brewhouse’s manager.

For proof of the potential that brewing your own beer can offer longterm, just look to historic Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in Sydney. With multiple international awards under their belt, managing director Blair Hayden said they’re excited to see how far brewpubs have come.

“As Sydney’s oldest continuously licenced hotel and Australia’s oldest craft brewery, in 1986 it was brewing our own that was reason for our difference,” said Hayden.

“To see how much the craft brewery industry has grown since our start and the availability of such a wide range of styles is extremely gratifying.”

COMPETITIVE FREEDOM Ogden Brewery’s selection of nine brews take up half of The Windsor Hotel’s 68 taps. Ogden said they wouldn’t have been able to have such control over what goes where if they didn’t have their own products.

“Part of the reason we created Ogden’s Brewery was because we felt unfairly overcharged by the large beer conglomerates, unless we agreed to their 70 per cent tap takeover deals. We didn’t like this,” she said.

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER NOVEMBER 2019 | 21

BAR, BEER AND CELLAR The Spark Breweries team

The Windsor Hotel

“[The] sense of ownership of the beer by the community is hugely powerful.”

Julian Sanders, managing director, Spark Breweries and Distilleries

“The positive of being independent means we can put as many of our beers on tap as we want and go directly up against the big names to take them off pole position!”

This freedom doesn’t necessarily mean stocking only your beer, as the other half of The Windsor Hotel’s taps are taken by other craft brewers and big-brand staples. However, having complete control over what you stock and how you stock it helps to showcase your own beer in the best possible way to keep it competitive.

Mangion said at the Great Ocean Brewhouse, they too have some mainstream beer options, however: “these are not in prominent tap positions, in order to fully maximise customer’s interest in our own product. We then also have more than 100 craft beers in cans and bottles in our fridges, from around the region and Australia.”

Prickly Moses have 14 different styles of beer and cider on tap at the Brewhouse, with the price point very competitive in standard ABV options.

“Compared to mainstream beers, we do make a big effort to price match whilst not detracting the quality of our product,” said Mangion.

Hayden echoes this sentiment at The Lord Nelson, saying their own beers are of paramount importance to the Hotel’s heritage, and so they keep them front and centre.

“We have six mainstay ales on tap alongside seasonals which alternate on consumption. Being the home of our own brews, we are competitive in the marketplace, offering serious quality for reasonable pricing.”

The Winston Bar also maintains balance as a competitive edge on their 12 taps, with four to six being taken by their own beers.

22 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

COMMUNITY ALIGNMENT Locals are the lifeblood of any pub and brewing your own beer gives you a new opportunity to connect with them. Your own beers help develop a unique relationship with your community, and ultimately boost business as more people come to know the venue and what it stands for.

One such way to do this is by supporting different initiatives in the community, like Prickly Moses and the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse do. Mangion said: “We’re very big on contributing to the community in which we operate.”

BAR, BEER AND CELLAR

Half of Windsor Hotel's taps are taken up by their own beers

These contributions include in excess of $10,000 in donations this financial year to the local Apollo Bay community, and profits from the Spotted Ale going to support research and conservation of the endangered Tiger Quoll in Victoria’s Otway Ranges.

Involving the community in the production of the beer is also a good way to connect to them. When brewing your own, you have the ability to make exactly what you want and cater to the specific tastes of the locals.

“Feedback from regulars is a great way to gauge what people like to drink,” said Miles.

Involving them in the feedback and development process will build a unique connection and make your regulars feel valued and recognised.

Who better to know what will work than the people buying and drinking it themselves?

“Receiving direct feedback and aligning our beers with our guests’ preferences enables us to specifically tailor and give people what they want,” said Ogden.

The Windsor Hotel also looks to the community to contribute to the branding of Ogden beers, which helps create a deeper connection between the products and the local area.

“All beers are branded by our team in-house, which has been a fun process for us,” said Ogden. “We offered incentives to our staff to put forward names and we got our regulars involved too, which we believed encouraged them to try our beers. We focused on our family values and our local community for naming inspiration.”

Sanders said this engagement is one of the core benefits to in-house brewing. “This sense of ownership of the beer by the community is hugely powerful.”

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WHOLESALERS

A HOLISTIC APPROACH MANY OPERATORS USE WHOLESALERS SOLELY AS PLACE TO ORDER THEIR BEVERAGES, BUT THESE DAYS, YOU CAN EXPECT SO MUCH MORE FROM SUPPLIERS – FROM PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL TO MENU CURATION. WE SPOKE TO TWO DYNAMIC WHOLESALERS TO FIND OUT HOW THEY ARE SERVICING THEIR ON-PREMISE CLIENTS.

ALM AND AGORA

Q HOW WILL THIS BENEFIT SMALLER AND REGIONAL VENUES?

Australian Hotelier spoke to Jeremy Goodale, Southern States general manager, about the recent launch of ALM’s new platform, Agora.

Agora enables smaller and regional on-premise venues to connect with more suppliers through the click of a button. They will essentially have a virtual rep available to them when they want and with what they want.

The social media content that comes from the features we do on venues and staff as well as the knowledge from brand ambassadors will ensure that they are even more connected to trends and insights than ever before.

Q WHAT IS AGORA? ALM is supporting its on-premise customers with the industry’s first online marketplace. ALM’s Agora solution connects all suppliers, big and small, to on-premise venues with an ALM account across Australia.

Agora launched to the trade in late October.

It provides venues with limited offers, exclusive deals, need-to-know advertising, sales tools, event invitations, product information, brand ambassador social media feeds and updates, trade presenters and brand tasting notes.

Agora will evolve to provide venues with access to training sessions

by Australian and international leading experts including tools to create new beer, wine and cocktail menus, customise their own point of sale for digital or print, uniforms and venue solutions and other tools to assist on-premise venues grow their businesses.

With over 50 suppliers and 250+ brands for the Phase 1 launch, and more suppliers to be on-boarded every day, we are excited to see the amount of content that has already been loaded which will be of benefit to the on-premise venue.

Access to Agora is free for all ALM on-premise active accounts and is connected using their ALM customer number.

Q HOW WILL IT BENEFIT PUB OPERATORS? The platform is designed to provide the on-premise venue with the ability to plan their days by scheduling when they want to see a supplier representative.

From making contact and booking in a brand ambassador, venues will now have the ability to view and download trade presenters, advertising and limited offers in their own time. They will also have access to supplier events and branded merchandise or simply finding their contact details, all through an easy-to-use platform which is linked to their ALM account. It will enable the venue to manage their supplier contact through one easy site, at a time that suits them.

Q HOW ARE YOU PROMOTING THE LAUNCH OF AGORA? For the launch, our ALM on-premise venues will be offered lucrative deals on products, new-to-market point of sale, trade presenters, branded t-shirts, advertising, tasting notes and tickets to Spring Carnival events while stocks last. There is even the chance to win a share of $2 million!

24 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Q WERE VENUE OPERATORS INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN OF AGORA? So many venues and on-premise operators have been consulted throughout the process of building the site. The chosen developers, Pontoon, are extremely well connected to the industry and have many insights that have been used to contribute to the modules within each marketplace.

Q HOW ELSE HAS ALM ADAPTED TO THE ON-PREMISE MARKET? Agora is just one feature ALM is introducing for our on-premise customers. Over the past six months, each ALM warehouse across the country has increased and improved their range to accommodate the on-premise requirements. We have adapted our credit terms so that they are the most enticing in the market, we have partnered with suppliers to create a greater spread of promotions that support a venue’s bottom line and we have introduced national communication through EDMs, social and digital, all to achieve being recognised as the number one on-premise wholesaler in Australia.

Agora is ALM’s new portal for on-premise customers

WHOLESALERS

NILWA AND SIGNATURE DRINKS With over 4000 on-premise customers nationally, NILWA is a diverse and independent national group of wide-range liquor wholesalers. With a growing national footprint, the group has developed Signature Drinks specifically for on-premise customers. NILWA’s general manager, Jenny Hughes, spoke about the program.

Q WHAT IS SIGNATURE DRINKS? Signature Drinks is an on-premise marketing group developed by NILWA and available exclusively to NILWA wholesalers. It offers qualifying customers a program that gives them a competitive buying solution, promotional activity and access to quality point of sale. Signature Drinks has a national team of 30+ sales account managers, who are experienced and knowledgeable, and who can help with a customer’s needs.

“Every customer channel has its different needs and strengths, and the Signature Drinks portfolio has products and promotions to cater for all channels.”

Jenny Hughes, general manager, NILWA

Q HOW DOES IT DIFFER TO YOUR OFF-PREMISE SOLUTIONS? Signature Drinks offers on-premise customer service, value and choice.

We have a portfolio of 1500+ products, a mix of core and on-premise specific products, offering a competitive price with ongoing ranging and pouring discounts. With no lock-in contracts, venues can select any product within a category from the portfolio to suit their venue.

Q WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF SERVICES/PRODUCTS THAT PUB OPERATORS CAN ACCESS THROUGH SIGNATURE DRINKS? Signature Drinks offers customers a promotional program consisting of: value deals which gives customers an opportunity to buy up on core brands; a rewards program where customers can accrue sales over the promotional period and receive bonus stock when they reach the acquittal level; and distribution drives for new product launches, range extensions, or to have a focus on a category.

Signature Drinks is about building brands and adding value to a customer’s business. Signature Drinks customers have access to ‘Menu-4a-Venue’, a program to create wine lists, drink lists, cocktail lists, a drink of the month, and any promotional material either for print or digital.

Q WITH SO MANY MEMBERS, HOW DO YOU PARTNER UP OPERATORS WITH THE RIGHT WHOLESALERS? NILWA wholesalers are relationship builders who know their customers.

It’s always the customer’s choice where they buy, and we have the options to suit. There are currently 15 NILWA wholesaler members and growing.

Bidfood became a NILWA member in June 2016 and have identified at least 31 warehouses that can range liquor, with the roll-out now commenced. This is a great opportunity for us to get Signature Drinks products into areas that suppliers can’t get to.

26 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Q DO YOU APPROACH A PUB OFFERING DIFFERENTLY TO THAT OF A SMALL BAR OR RESTAURANT? Every customer channel has its different needs and strengths, and the Signature Drinks portfolio has products and promotions to cater for all channels. We are there to advise them and provide the knowledge, insights and tools to help.

Q WHAT ARE THE PURCHASING TRENDS YOU ARE SEEING AT THE MOMENT WITH ON-PREMISE? There has been a change in consumer awareness, with a focus on health and wellbeing that is starting to trend through all categories. For example, better-for-you products with zero or lower alcohol, low carb, gluten free, or low or zero sugar. Support is growing through successful programs like Febfast, Dry July and Ocsober, which is creating and driving a demand, and has seen a change in product innovation.

There’s been a lot of investment by suppliers on consumer insight studies in venues, in particular in pubs. Working with our supplier partners, NILWA wholesalers can help pub owners integrate innovation and changes to maximise their opportunities and ensure margin expectations are managed.

Q WHAT SETS SIGNATURE DRINKS APART FROM OTHER ON-PREMISE SOLUTIONS? Signature Drinks is a program that can change as the customer needs change. We will work with them to help and assist them with our competitive portfolio of products and extensive knowledge and understanding of the on-premise market.

We spent time researching and using acquired knowledge to tailor our services and programs to maximize engagement from the on-premise customer. While allowing flexibility and choice for our customers and a platform for our supplier partners to meet objectives, behaviours and compliances within the program.

WHAT’S ON OFFER BUYERS GUIDE

Bi-annual handbook used as a tool by venues for ranging suggestions, cocktail recipes, product knowledge and much more.

RANGING

An online platform we have developed to showcase supplier products and access Signature Drinks programs & services.

MENU-4-A-VENUE Custom drink lists created through Signature Drinks webapp, including a cocktail library.

VALUE DEALS Monthly, bi-monthly comptetive national pricing with a focus on core brands.

REWARDS Showcasing brands and offering bonus stock & value ads on accrued sales during a promotional period.

DISTRIBUTION DRIVES

A lauchpad for supplier partners to introduce new products or drive sales on specific products, within customer venues.

NETWORKING EVENTS Aimed at bringing supplier partners, wholesaler members & customers together, by showcasing brands, offering training and/or produuct knowledge.

eMARKETING

Offering a wide variety of packages for all digital and social media platforms. Used to promote both supplier partners and customers ojectives or promotions.

Discover the full range of food and beverage products

from Food & Beverage Media.

YAL4330_liquor_news 2019-09-11T17:09:23+10:00

Hotelier AUSTRALIAN

AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL HOTEL INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

NO.754 JUNE 2019

VOL. 36 no. 9 - OCTOBER 2019

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING LIQUOR INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

INTRODUCING

vol. 38 no. 9 - OCTOBER 2019

EMBRACE THE MAGNIFICENT UNKNOWN

DUMPLINGS • MARK BEST ON NETFLIX’S THE FINAL TABLE • WINE TRAINING

IN THIS ISSUE: SUSTAINABILITY | SUMMER DRINKS MENUS | ALIA 2019 FINALISTS

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AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

Foodservice Inspiration For Your Pub

MexiCAN

HOTEL ROYAL SPICES THINGS UP WITH CONDESA

PLATING UP PLANT WHY CATERING FOR PLANT-BASED DIETS IS PAYING OFF

RENAISSANCE MAN

THE REVIVAL OF THE ROBERT BURNS HOTEL

MENU STRATEGY

Dishes from The Green Man's Arms

30 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

MENU STRATEGY

PLATING UP PLANT WITH THE NUMBER OF AUSSIES ADOPTING A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN DIET, NICOLE WEBB DIGS INTO WHY PLANT-BASED MENUS ARE RIPE FOR THE PICKING IN PUBS.

W

e’ve long seen restaurants, cafes and city bars plating up plant-based options for their customers, but are vegetarian or vegan dishes still just an inner-city trend?

It seems not, with the ever-growing momentum behind plant-based diets becoming a game changer on a global scale. And it’s Australians who’re leading the way.

Roy Morgan Research has revealed 2.25 million Aussies currently live as vegans, in what is the fastest growing market behind the UAE and China. Unlike vegetarians, vegans also avoid eating any produce from animals or animal products including milk and eggs.

Tani Khara, from the University of Technology in Sydney, says the Google Trends Analytics tool has also found that Australia has the highest percentage of searches for the word ‘Vegan’. Globally, searches have quadrupled since 2012.

Clearly, it’s much more than just a passing fad, and it’s no longer strictly vegans or vegetarians who are on the hunt for plant-based options. Consumers on the whole are becoming far more concerned about the impact of our meat-based diets, not just on animal welfare but on the environment and our health.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says livestock generates more greenhouse gases than all forms of transport; beef alone uses up to 160 times more land and causes 11 times more emissions than rice, wheat and potatoes. Just reducing your meat intake one day a week pays off for the planet.

So, where do pubs come in, in this new era of sustainable dining?

While chicken parmigiana, burgers, steak and chips are still very much on the menu, pub patrons are also hungry for plant-based foods.

Currently half of the main meals at The Duke can be made plant-based and a large proportion of those can be made vegan, including desserts and most of their wines.

The Green Lion’s Baumann says, “Our kitchen offers any pub classic done vegan. We serve vegan burgers, pizzas, chicken schnitzel, seafood baskets and pavlova, just to name a few.”

CHANGING APPETITES As one of the country’s first pubs to adopt a 100 per cent plant-based menu, owner of The Green Lion in Sydney, Bhavani Baumann, who herself has been vegan for five years, says, “We have a lot of patrons that have considerably lowered their meat consumption, to patrons that live the full vegan lifestyle. Social media plays a big part in this and particularly for younger people, who will watch videos and be greatly affected by them.”

Self-described ‘vego pub’ The Green Man’s Arms in Carlton, Melbourne is trying to reflect where we should be eating as a society without preaching. Owner Fred Whitlock says, “We wanted to reflect the food we ate at home. We do eat a little bit of ethically produced meat, but not much. The majority of our clientele are not strictly vegetarian or vegan, but we want people to come and have a delicious meal and perhaps think more about the food they’re eating, which is healthy, wholesome and sustainable, and also leaves you feeling good at the end of a meal, not heavy.”

Doug O’Neil, owner and director of The Duke Hotel in Hobart states that while plant-based options are not replacing traditional ‘pub grub’, they’re certainly worth considering.

“We realised there was a growing market for plant-based options, so whilst not fully converting, we wanted people who eat vegetarian or vegan to have choices - while their omnivorous friends can still eat steak, chicken etc. Gone are the days where the sole vegetarian at the table’s only choice is a side salad.”

It doesn’t have to be a case of pubs rethinking their entire menu to keep up with the customer’s changing appetite.

The vegan pavlova at The Green Lion

THE BASIC WHOLE FOODS PLANT-BASED PRINCIPLES According to Plant-Based Health Australia, these are the key components of a plant-based diet.

• High carbohydrate whole plant foods such as grains, starchy vegetables and legumes are at the centre of the diet and provide the majority of daily calories.

• The diet includes large serves of a wide variety of vegetables including green leafy vegetables and cruciferous vegetables.

• Fresh fruit is not restricted.

• Animal protein foods, including fish and dairy, are excluded.

• Processed foods where fibre and nutrients are removed should be minimised.

• No oil is used, not even olive oil or coconut oil.

• The diet includes both cooked food and raw food.

• Nuts and seeds form only a small part of the diet.

• Added sugars and salt should be kept to an absolute minimum. * please note there are many variations on the Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet.

Source: www.wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au/going-plant-strong/

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER NOVEMBER 2019 | 31

MENU STRATEGY

PLANTING THE SEED World-first economic modelling has predicted that by 2030, the nation’s plant-based meat industry is projected to contribute up to $3 billion a year to the economy, and the CSIRO goes even further, doubling this to $6 billion.

Thomas King, CEO of Food Frontier, a not-for-profit company that helps food manufacturers and entrepreneurs get into the business of making plant-based meat alternatives, believes Australia needs to act quickly, or risk being left behind.

It seems the call has been heard with Woolworths launching its plantbased Funky Fields mince and Coles recently stocking the Bill Gatesbacked Beyond Meat burger, which has taken seven years to develop, so it looks and tastes like real meat. It even ‘bleeds’ beetroot juice.

And last month saw the launch of the country’s newest plant-based meat start up, V2food. This partnership between the CSIRO, Main Sequence Ventures and Jack Cowin’s Competitive Foods Australia, offers a sustainable plant-based alternative to meat, that looks like, cooks like, and tastes just like meat.

Founder and CEO, Nick Hazell says, “Making meat alternatives from plants is not a new idea, but at v2food, we’ve taken it a step further. We are on a journey to make plant-based food both taste better and be more sustainable.”

Partner Jack Cowin agrees, saying, “We’ve seen a huge opportunity for plant-based protein and the category is set to explode. I’ve eaten beef all my life, but I’ve tasted the v2food and it tastes as good as beef.”

The introduction of plant-based meat hasn’t been without controversy though, with some, including the CEO of Whole Foods, saying fake meat is too highly processed. Nutritionists say, on the whole, meatless burgers are largely fine, not any better for you than a meat burger, but no worse, with specific details depending on what your health priorities are.

DOLLARS AND CENTS So, what’s the cost to pub owners who choose to venture down the plantbased path?

“We knew the market was growing and being the first fully plantbased pub bistro in Australia was a risk, but it’s definitely worked! Our meals are no more expensive than a regular pub,” states Baumann.

“The faux meats have been very expensive to use as they are mostly imported but as the demand grows and more products come on to the market, the price should come down.”

32 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

For the Green Man’s Arms, its vegetarian dishes are a great business model.

“The goods are relatively low cost, people get a good feed for a good price, it’s a win-win, especially compared with ethically sourced beef that’s grass raised, with good farm practices — you’re paying through the nose!” says Whitlock.

O’Neil at The Duke agrees, saying their plant-based options are much cheaper than their meat-based counterparts. When it comes to profit margins, he says, “All our meal pricing is based on the same formula, although the most expensive part is often the vegan cheese.” And for now, he insists, their recipe is top secret.

According to the experts, the key to plant-based food success lies in the labels. In other words, don’t mention the V word. While seeing the word ‘vegan’ or ‘vegetarian’ can be music to the ears of many, to others it can still be a source of discomfort and confusion, with the potential to isolate customers. Change the language by avoiding the words ‘Meat-free’, ‘Vegan’ or ‘Vegetarian,’ experts say.

Baumann says now that vegan food is becoming more mainstream, it’s not such a problem. The Duke Hotel, meanwhile, prefers to use discreet symbols, saying there’s no need to single dishes out that can be enjoyed by all walks of life.

“Whenever we have a new chef, they tell me we only need one vegan option. Within a couple of weeks of me pointing out yet another table that has come because they appreciate our vegan/vegetarian options, I don’t hear any more complaints.”

Whitlock says that consumers have the same high expectations of plant-based foods as they do for traditional pub fare.

“Pubs need to understand the movement around it. People are fed up with a mushroom risotto being the only option. People want creativity and publicans need to look at their chefs to do something creative and interesting.”

With such a massive opportunity on our doorstep, should pubs be opening the door to plant-based options?

So far, the evidence planted has been compelling.

Roy Morgan Research has revealed 2.25 million Aussies currently live as vegans, in what is the fastest growing market behind the UAE and China.

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CUISINE

HURLEY HOTEL GROUP HAS REINVENTED THE FOOD OFFERING AT HOTEL ROYAL WITH MEXICAN RESTAURANT CONDESA, AND BOOSTED THE SALES TO BOOT.

¡VIVA CONDESA!

T

he Hurley Hotel Group launched Mexican restaurant Condesa within Hotel Royal in June this year, with the aim to boost the pub’s flagging food sales. The west Adelaide hotel had previously housed a restaurant that focused on modern gastropub cuisine with a slight Asian twist, but it had not gained traction with the locals on a stretch of road that is saturated with food options.

“It had been going ok, but sales were pretty soft and we just hadn't been able to really improve them for a few years there, even though the chef was really good and the food was outstanding,” explains commercial manager Samantha Hurley.

“So we went back to the drawing board and tried to think how we could really change the perception of the hotel and just get word out there a little bit.”

Hurley and her team decided to go with Mexican cuisine, as there are few modern Mexican options in Adelaide, let alone in the nearby area.

They got to work on the concept, but six weeks out from the launch their chef unexpectedly moved on to another restaurant. But where one door closes, another opens.

In a stroke of luck, Ashley Nguyen, head chef at the award-winning Mexican Society in the CBD, answered the call to take over Condesa.

Nguyen was after a new challenge, and while having spent an illustrious

34 | NOVEMBER 2019 AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER

career cooking mainly Mexican food (but also Vietnamese, French and Italian), he had never worked in a pub before.

In six weeks, he overhauled the menu to reflect his own sensibilities and philosophy with the help of the Hurley Hotel Group team.

“I've never had so much support in a workplace before, and I've worked everywhere in Adelaide. [There] is just so much support in this group. They're amazing,” states Nguyen.

SPICING IT UP Nguyen’s love for Mexican cuisine is all about the vibrancy and variety of the flavours within the cuisine, and he’s not shy about interpreting the cuisine how he see fits.

“Every single dish and every flavour is so distinctive. And when it comes to my Mexican food, I would say enter with an open mind. The way I do my food is I start with a dish that is as traditional as it can possibly be, and twist it to suit me."

With all the passion for the cuisine, Nguyen is conscious of the fact that most exposure to ‘Mexican’ food in Australia is, in fact, Tex Mex. So he’s made sure that his menu is approachable and will not alienate patrons.

“I think if the Australian audience were introduced to real Mexican food right now I don't think they'd like it. I think Tex Mex has left

Condesa has already proven to be a good move for Hotel Royal, with food sales up 40% and liquor sales up 50% on 2018. a really big stain on people's palates. You know, every time we meet someone, they're like, ‘Oh, you do burritos, tacos and stuff’. Well, it's actually a lot more than that.

“It's like if you go to a pub and you think its just schnitzels, steaks and burgers. But they do everything. When it comes to Mexican, I think the menu I tried to create has something for everyone.”

The menu includes old faithfuls like tacos and fajitas, but it also has more traditional dishes like mole and chargrilled ancho chile octopus, the latter proving to be the most popular dish on the menu. In a bid to truly cater to everyone, there is a vegan option for every stage of the meal, including a vegan panna cotta for dessert.

Nguyen approaches each of his ingredients with a high level of care, with every protein making its way through a sous-vide machine, or being slow-cooked for 16-18 hours. All of the menu’s meat also undergoes a brining session to bring out the complexity of the flavours.

“You get lots of sweet and salty, and it’s just totally different.”

MAKING IT WORK In addition to the main menu at Condesa, Hurley and Nguyen have ensured that there is a small traditional pub menu, for those who are still expecting a steak or the like.

“We're still doing pub classics in the pub bar and that menu is also available in Condesa. We're encouraging people to order the Mexican, but you can still get the chicken parmy if you're so inclined,” says Hurley.

A seniors menu has also been retained, as it’s a significant part of the pub’s lunch trade.

While there are a few people surprised by the offering of Condesa at Hotel Royal, Hurley says that most people have been really receptive to the offering, and its had a big impact on food sales.

“It has boomed a lot quicker than I expected. I thought it'd be a bit more of a slow burn to get word out but a couple of social media influencers posted about us and we got good traction really early.”

Food sales have increased, and Nguyen has also put together a fullyMexican functions menu for the hotel’s upstairs space. As Condesa’s menu is meant for sharing, the restaurant also offers a $45pp banquet — consisting of an entrée, taco, main and dessert — that has proven popular as a way for people to sample the menu. Recently, the hotel had made a booking for 180 people to have the banquet in December.

The popularity of the food has also had an impact on drink sales, with a newly tailored beverage menu to complement the food. It was another aim of the group’s team to get beverage sales increasing in the venue, and they are already seeing results.

“Mostly it's the diners who are drinking more, or drinking more expensive drinks — we're selling a lot more cocktails. Really, I don't think we would have ever really sold cocktails before, whereas now we're frequently selling them. And we're also getting more of a Friday knockoff crowd, which has been great.”

The rising popularity of Condesa, and the results its already produced for Hotel Royal are worthy of celebration, but Hurley and Nguyen expect that with summer approaching the best is yet to come.

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER NOVEMBER 2019 | 35

VENUE PROFILE

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VENUE PROFILE

Renaissance man THE ROBERT BURNS HOTEL IN COLLINGWOOD HAS UNDERGONE A TRANSFORMATION, INCLUDING ITS FOOD MENU, UNDER NEW OWNER GERRY NASS.

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he Robert Burns Hotel, named after a Scottish poet, has had many reinventions in its 160year history. Under Colonial Leisure Group – its previous owner before being sold to publican Gerry Nass a year ago – the inner-city pub had traded with a Spanish tapas focus. Nass, who had worked for Colonial Leisure Group for almost a decade at its other pubs, bought the hotel in November last year and immediately began working on transforming its offering according to his own vision.

Not only did the revamp include a coat of paint, new furniture and new equipment, but the food and drinks offerings were overhauled also. To bring to life a new menu, he enlisted the help of Danny Russo of foodservice consultancy Russolini Group. The two had collaborated on the offering of The Beresford in Sydney’s Surry Hills, which Nass had owned in the mid-2000s, before selling it to Merivale.

As part of the hotel’s reinvention, the menu brings back the pub classics, but with an elevated Mediterranean lean.

Think a chicken parma with prosciutto and mozzarella instead of the standard ham and cheddar; plus pappardelle with lamb ragú, or a fresh plate of burrata.

“We wanted to be a little bit different to all the other pubs in the area. We're still following the classic pub offer, you know all the classic pub meals, but just giving it a little bit of an edge. That's the style of the pub too, so I think it's a happy little marriage,” explains Nass.

When putting together a concept, Russo said that the pair decided to go with what they were passionate about, and as long as there was a level of excellence, the locals would respond.

“Italian food is my passion, Gerry also shares a love of it, so this makes sense for us. Robert Burns wasn’t Spanish, he was a Scottish poet so we aren’t disrespecting anyone. We felt they [the locals] would be receptive to any improvement be it Italian or otherwise.

Melbourne people are food savvy — if it’s good they will appreciate it. They just won’t tolerate anything average and neither will we.”

The new offering at Robert Burns

Hotel has been very well received, and both Nass and Russo thinks it has spurred a lot of other F&B offerings in the area to up their game – something that Nass appreciates and encourages.

“I believe in more hospitality in the area, not less hospitality. I want as many clubs and bars to open around us. That will bring more people over.

It's really important I think. Make it a bit of a destination — and that's what's happening at the end of the street.

“There's a lot of development going on and it’s going to be Collingwood's Crown Street in a sense. Crown Street in Surry Hills in the 90s was pretty ghetto, and look at what a great food and beverage suburb it has become. I know you're going through lockouts at the moment but in its heyday in the late 90s and early 2000s it was fantastic.”

Locals and visitors are definitely a fan of the new menu, with dishes like the octopus with squid ink dressing, butler’s steak with wood fired peppers, the parma with buffalo mozzarella, and the crumbed veal cottoletta among the most popular.

While the food is a significant drawcard of the venue, Nass insists that it’s thanks to all components of the new offering that the hotel is thriving.

“I believe a pub should wear many hats, it shouldn't just be one dimensional.

So a pub should have great food. A pub should have a great tap range, but not only craft, it should have mainstream Australian as well. It should have a good packaged or tinnie range, it should have a large wine-by-the glass list. It should have a bespoke spirit list, should have an interesting cocktail list. There should be entertainment. There should be music and sport. It should have a bit of everything.”

Having gone out on his own for the first time in nearly ten years, Nass is enjoying the experience, and encourages others to give owning their own pub a go as well.

“If you find a pub that's available for purchase and the big groups don’t get their hands on it, then have a go at it, and go with your gut. Make that offer great, make the service great, make the food great. And then people will come.”

Gerry Nass

“I believe in more hospitality in the area, not less hospitality.

I want as many clubs and bars to open around us. That will bring more people over.”

- Gerry Nass, owner

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER NOVEMBER 2019 | 37

DESIGN AND BUILD

THE MAKINGS OF AN EMPIRE BEN WALSH HAS TAKEN HIS MISS MONEYPENNYS BRAND FROM NOOSA TO THE GOLD COAST, AND THAT’S JUST THE BEGINNING OF ITS EXPANSION.

Images courtesy of Paul Kelly Design

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Terracotta is used to warm up the space

DESIGN AND BUILD

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iss Moneypennys in Noosa is a strong brand. After seven years of trading, it’s well known —at least throughout the east coast of Australia — and is viewed as one of the nation’s best coastal food and beverage offerings.

With a large following of the venue from the Gold Coast, owner Ben Walsh decided to open a second venue there. Three years ago, he was alerted to a perfect location by another hotelier — a 2000 sqm freehold site that was previously home to the Beach Hotel, sat at the bottom of the Avani Broadbeach Residences. Forty gaming entitlements were included as part of the hotel licence – something that did not gel with the Miss Moneypennys brand, but still needed to be taken advantage of.

“The biggest challenges for this site were 1) the size of it was too big to do just a restaurant, and 2) the Miss Moneypennys brand can’t really coexist with gaming. So I realised I needed to do a really unique spin-off of a hotel and basically do two separate venues, one of which would complement the gaming,” states Walsh.

With the help of Paul Kelly Design (responsible for the design of the original Miss Moneypennys in Noosa), the Gold Coast offering was created to both continue the Miss Moneypennys brand, and offer something completely new.

“Gaming machines and Miss Moneypennys doesn’t work so we looked at bringing in another complementary gaming business, which is called Fat Freddies. So the whole thing developed into being a bit of a precinct,” explains Kelly.

“So one side of the venue is more sports, beer, and gaming focused; the other side of the venue is Miss Moneypennys which is a restaurant/bar concept. So from the street you’ve got Fat Freddies on the left and Miss Moneypennys on the right, and it’s all operated by the same organisation.”

The curved wooden centrepiece is 24m long, and acts as a light diffuser The back bar is 20m long

BRAND EXPANSION Walsh has known for a few years that the Miss Moneypennys brand was strong enough to open another venue, and not just because of the memorable name.

“Just the way we’ve gone about it, we’re unmistakeably high end, but its casual high end without any pretentiousness. That’s what I’ve always been extremely careful about with developing the brand — that we offer a premium level of product and service, but we take the pretentiousness right out of it,” he says.

“What we’ve got here on the Gold Coast is a menu prepared by Braden White, who is an extremely highly regarded young chef and he’s cooking food of, without a doubt, a two-hat standard. But once again we take the fuss out it. So that appeals to a wide demographic because people know they can come out for a high-quality experience but also really enjoy themselves.”

Much of the design of the Gold Coast venue is recognisable from the Noosa location, but this space has been made lighter, with an even more relaxed beach vibe. The brand remains recognisable, while being adaptable to the location.

This is part of a larger strategy from Walsh, who has big plans for the business.

“I think Miss Moneypennys is a brand that I can take into different locations. It’s just got that appeal to it that I think people want. The take-up on it has been massive on the Gold Coast. The ultimate plan for this is to go into other locations.

“The immediate focus is to get this one working at 100 percent operationally, and getting it to a point where I can step away from it.

But without doubt the long-term goal is for the brand to have multiple locations. I’ve got my eyes on Brisbane and Sydney.”

SEPARATE AND TOGETHER To keep the Miss Moneypennys brand strong in its first venue outside of Noosa, it was important that it looked to the public like a separate venue from Fat Freddies. Their designs are also polar opposites. Where

AUSTRALIAN HOTELIER NOVEMBER 2019 | 39

DESIGN AND BUILD Miss Moneypennys is warm and relaxed, using high-end materials, Fat Freddies is dark, durable and made for a quintessential American sports bar experience where you sit at the bar and watch the screens above it, while eating a burger and enjoying a beer. The Miss Moneypennys space was designed to recreate the warm and inviting features of a home – somewhere that you can relax and spend a long time enjoying company.

“It’s very personal, a lot of the materials used in there, like leather and upholstery you probably wouldn’t use in a normal fit-out. It brings that level of comfort into it. The lighting is also very subtle.

We used raw terracotta products that you would normally use in a house, really nice soft aniline leathers, full wall carpets, and everywhere you go everything is considered. It’s not built like a venue that’s supposed to last 25 years. It’s built for a certain lifestyle experience,” states Kelly.

Attached to Miss Moneypennys is the Rimini Room, the site’s private dining/function space. It alone can seat 80 people for a sit-down function, or 140 for cocktails. It has its own outdoor area, kitchen and bar, and can be used either as a private space or as an annex to Miss Moneypennys.

Making all of these moving parts work cohesively required meticulous planning and design, something that Kelly admires in Walsh, and which drove one of the most efficient F&B designs he has ever created.

“He brings quality to everything he does, he’s just a meticulous guy. So that affected the design because everything is balanced, symmetrical and geometric. And operationally it’s probably one of the most efficient venues I’ve ever done. Everything has been considered and is in exactly the right spot.

When you go to the space it just feels so easy, it’s all very logical.”

“To the public eye, Miss Moneypennys and Fat Freddies look like completely independent outlets. But I have tried to set up the back end of it like a hotel operation. Which is one venue with different outlets within that venue. They’re all interlinked back-ofhouse,” says Walsh.

With a couple of months trading under the venue’s belt, Walsh says it is hitting all of its goals.

The bar and restaurant are packed every weekend, as well as at least a busy one-and-a-half seatings every weeknight. Breakfast trade – something that the original Noosa venue does not offer – is also healthy, thanks to the partnership with the adjacent Avani Residences. Fat Freddies, which Kelly believes is “just about the best gaming room on the Gold Coast”, is also hitting its targets, and is expected to grow even more.

“Gaming as well is right where we want it to be for how long we’ve been open and the trading hours we’re currently operating on. We expect that to be a really successful operation. We’re trading until 12:30am in gaming at the moment, but we’ve got an application underway for extended hours,” states Walsh.

With trade hitting all of these targets, there’s no doubt that soon Walsh can start looking for his next site. The only question now is just how many Miss Moneypennys we’ll see in the future, and where?

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The Rimini Room

“The immediate focus is to get this one working at 100 percent operationally, and getting it to a point where I can step away from it. But without doubt the long-term goal is for the brand to have multiple locations.

I’ve got my eyes on Brisbane and Sydney.”

The venue's semi-outdoor space

High-end materials have been used throughout the space

BELOW THE SURFACE With so much attention to detail, and so much activity going on behind-the-scenes, Paul Kelly likens the Gold Coast venue to a duck gliding through water.

“The venue is built for a massive capacity, and there’s so much thought put into the location of every single component. It’s like a duck swimming in the water. Above the water the duck is nice and calm, but below the water it’s going crazy. It’s exactly the same with Ben and the venue. There’s 120 staff there, keeping a lot of customers very happy. The design follows through with every aspect of the business. In order to have a venue that’s incredibly organised, then your staff have to be incredibly organised.

Your kitchen has to be on point, the food has to come out on time. So the whole business ethos of that venue is all about the end delivery. And that’s every single component of what he’s done, from the sound systems to the menus to the uniforms.”

61 2 9660 8299 paulkellydesign.com

Union Place Hotel

TALES FROM THE TOP

A TRUE BLUE AUSSIE EXPERIENCE AIRBNB HAS LAUNCHED THE COUNTRY PUB PROJECT, A CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT THE ACCOMMODATION OF RURAL PUBS ACROSS AUSTRALIA. DANIEL GERVAIS, AIRBNB’ HEAD OF MARKETING, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, SPOKE ABOUT PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON COUNTRY PUBS AS A DESTINATION.

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irbnb conducted research which found more than two in three (70%) Australians would like to take a regional or rural road trip to see more of the real Australia, yet only 14 per cent of Aussies have spent the night in a regional pub during the past 12 months.

To encourage more people to visit regional areas, Airbnb decided to shine a light on these beloved local institutions.

Daniel Gervais “We wanted people to not only visit them, but spend the night in them and, in turn, inject their much needed tourism dollars into the local communities they’re located in,” explained Gervais.

Thus the Country Pub Project was launched where people could nominate regional pubs for a $50,000 grant to revitalise their accommodation. The campaign received a whopping 9000 entries, and chose six deserving rural pubs from across the country to help revitalise.

Airbnb now hosts a collection of more than 50 small-town pubs on its site, and hopes to grow its rural pub partners as part of a multi-million dollar push to encourage more Aussies to visit regional areas.

Gervais said that country pubs act as the hub of a community, making them a great way for travellers to visit their towns.

Sofala Royal Hotel, NSW

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Bischoff Hotel, Tasmania “What’s become so apparent throughout this project is that pubs are important places of reconnection for locals and travellers alike. They offer so much more than just a meal and a bed. As is the case in many rural towns, these pubs are a central meeting place, corner store, town hall and much, much more.

“Publicans are the ultimate hosts but like many people in country communities they’ve been doing it tough lately due to drought and economic hardship. Despite this, we’ve been so touched by the genuine hospitality offered by country publicans, who’ve so openly shared their stories with us - publicans like Carolyn Used and Laurie McKay who own the Woolshed, in Nungarin, WA. Despite both battling cancer, the couple have been dedicated to keeping the pub going and say the strength they gained from the local community got them through the darkest of times.”

Having worked on the campaign, Gervais suggested that publicans shouldn’t overthink their accommodation too much.

“Publicans underestimate just what an iconic Australian experience they can offer. Tourists (whether they be domestic or international) want an experience that’s genuine and unique to the town they’re visiting.

Often publicans feel that they need to have fancy accommodation or a five-star menu to attract more visitors, but that’s just not the case.

Highlighting any unique selling points, like the history of their venue or any interesting characters who have passed through can be a really effective way for attracting more guests — and all this can be done through listing on Airbnb.”

For those without a big budget, an economical way of sprucing up your pub rooms is to hit up op shops, antique stores and local art fairs for some unique finds. And promoting the local community is another way to get the word out about your own venue.

“The local community can be such a drawcard to guests, and among the reasons why they would choose to stay in a pub in the first place.

From old gold mining towns, to pristine outback waterfalls, country areas have so much to offer and guests who stay are eager to explore the surroundings and get amongst nature.”

The Country Pub Project was supported by a multi-million dollar marketing campaign that has encompassed TV ads and an outdoor advertising campaign, and is part of a larger initiative to increase visitation to regional communities.