Food & Wine

New products, cheaper bottles and a push to buy local are on the cards for craft distillers, despite the disruption caused by COVID-19.

While COVID-19 affected on-premises sales at craft breweries, it reinforced the emerging ‘buy-local’ trend and fast-tracked efforts to grow sales.

The wine industry is shifting to more sustainable production methods.

Exports, tourist numbers, and cellar door sales have been disrupted in the past few months, putting some WA wineries under pressure.

Sugar-free ice-cream brand Denada has hit supermarket freezers in the United Arab Emirates after its Perth-based founders signed a contract with Middle East supermarket chain Spinneys.

Perth bar and restaurant operators are looking forward to reopening, but hope further easing of restrictions will be on the menu soon.

Fraser's Restaurant Group has announced it won't be reopening The Old Brewery on Mounts Bay Road once COVID-19 social distancing restrictions are relaxed, surrendering its tenancy to head lease owners Minderoo Group.

The growing popularity of low-and-slow American style cooking has created a business opportunity for the founder of Perth BBQ School.

Social distancing measures have changed the way we buy groceries, cook and eat out, leading to growth in home-delivery businesses and innovation by others in the hospitality space.

Margaret River winemaker Cath Oates will be acting chair of Wine Australia for three months, while a review of its board is undertaken.

Great Southern Distilling Company has been awarded the title of Best International Craft Whisky in the World by the American Distilling Institute for the second time, this year for its Limeburners Heavy Peat.

Beaufort Street pub The Flying Scotsman is likely to keep its doors closed permanently in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing on social media today the venue's landlord had opted not to renew the lease.

Hospitality businesses are making difficult decisions about whether to stay open and offer takeaway options or close.

Regulars at Rachael Torre’s cafe and convenience store Wholefood Circus would notice the differences as the hospitality entrepreneur adapts to the new environment, simultaneously seeking to save her business and “feed half of the Western suburbs".

Gage Roads Brewing Company has increased its weekly production of packaged products by 80 per cent to meet a recent surge in demand but has cut production of draught beer and withdrawn its earnings guidance because of the uncertain outlook.

Volume restrictions on alcohol sales will be required to ensure staff safety and avoid public panic buying, according to Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods.

A growing number of hospitality venues are either closing or revising their operations, after the Prime Minister announced the ban of all non-essential gatherings of 100 plus people. The ban is effective immediately and will impact religious services.

The owner of Northbridge bars Ezra Pound and The Bird, Kabir Ramasary, has added another two hospitality venues to his portfolio with the opening of Northbirdge Dining Room and Northbirdge Wine Bar last month.

The Australian Hotels Association WA has made a number of recommendations for the state’s hospitality sector to reduce the spreading of COVID-19, with Crown Resorts in Perth extending its social distancing measures to Perth.

Varsity Group is preparing to open its sixth venue as the food and beverage anchor to Sirona Capital’s $220 million FOMO precinct in Fremantle.

Australian Venue Co has plans to undertake $2 million of renovations for the Victoria Park Hotel, which it bought last year as part of a $200 million purchase of Coles’ portfolio of pubs and restaurants.

For all the advances and disruptive opportunities available via everyday tech such as smartphones, Pubster founder Adam Mastey still sees opportunities in the hospitality sector.

Besk co-owners Elliot Moore and Ben Braham are committed to delivering a dynamically different hospitality experience in West Leederville.

Gage Roads Brewing Company shares have lost a bit of fizz with the WA company's stock plunging to a more than two-year low after it flagged a shortfall in sales was likely contribute to a full-year guidance miss.

Almost 10 months after it opened, Freo.Social has expanded its range to include a dining option with the addition of Beer.Kitchen, the venue’s new 22-item dining offering launched in mid-December.

The Manjimup-bred burgundy apple Bravo is closer to being sold internationally, after businesses in Europe and South Africa signed an MOU to progress plans for its commercialisation.

A series of recent acquisitions has the Yukich family poised to become one of the state’s biggest players in hospitality, fine food and wine.

A new sponsorship deal between Canon Foods and Perth Scorchers women’s cricket team ticked a number of boxes for Canon principal Arthur Abrahams.

There’s a seismic shift happening in hospitality and Perth has an opportunity to become a culinary destination, according to George Kailis.

Coolbellup-based Nakamura Chocolates is aiming to triple Western Australian sales after a successful entry into the Japanese market.

A team of Western Australian entrepreneurs is preparing to launch a new brewery designed to create employment opportunities for Aboriginal people, with proceeds from one of its beers to support returned servicemen and women.

The Perth restaurateur behind The Meatball Bar and MOP Donuts has been found guilty of assault but acquitted over claims he threatened to destroy a man's cafe and put him "in a coffin" over some fruit and vegetables.