Suppliers help pubs reopen

Suppliers Pull Together To Help Pubs Reopen

IT’S A CHALLENGING TIME FOR THE AUSTRALIAN ON-PREMISE DURING COVID-19 SHUTDOWNS, WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOSPITALITY STAFF IN THE COUNTRY STOOD DOWN AND AN $8.5BILLION FALL IN REVENUE FOR THE SECTOR. AS AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION SA HEAD IAN HORNE TOLD THE ADELAIDE ADVERTISER: “WE’VE SURVIVED WORLD WARS AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION, BUT THIS IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE BIGGEST SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGE THE HOTEL INDUSTRY’S EVER FACED.”

As we go to print, restrictions are finally easing around the country, and suppliers are rallying to help their on-premise partners return to business. Here are just a few of the latest initiatives.

CUB has announced that it is doubling its fundraising target for the ‘For the Love of Your Local’ campaign to $2million. The initiative involves Aussies visiting loveofyourlocal.com.au and buying a pint of CUB beer using their credit card or PayPal account, with the cash going directly to their favourite local.

When patrons redeem their beer voucher, CUB matches the purchase with a free beer, meaning people get two-for-one pints after their local re-opens.

CUB CEO Peter Filipovic (above) said: “The ongoing restrictions will continue to significantly limit trade. For some venues, re-opening will have to wait until restrictions are further lifted.

“Those that do re-open will have reduced numbers. Australian pubs and clubs have already been shut for two months, and the fact is many of these beloved venues won’t make it through this crisis without extra help. So, we’re calling on Australians to help save their local and get free beer in the process.

“We’ve had 2000 pubs and clubs join

already and, if you’re a venue that needs help, I’d urge you to sign-up too.”

Lion announced within hours of the shutdown on March 23 that it would credit venues for their unused kegs. Since pubs venues closed down, it has paid nearly $25 million back in the accounts of pubs, clubs, and bars around the country.

Lion MD James Brindley said more announcements would be made as restrictions are progressively lifted around the country.

“We have helped pubs keep their draught beer systems clean and working with our draught quality system team working from home cleaning nearly 15,000 taps and couplers for our customers, ready for reopening,” he added.

“Our draught quality team is extremely dedicated to our customers and ensuring their equipment is clean and fit for purpose. They collected the equipment from venues shortly after they were forced to close and have worked through the cleaning of this vital equipment from home.

“We want to ensure pub, club, restaurant and bar patrons around Australia have the best quality draught beer possible when they’re able to return to venues over the coming days, weeks and months.

“The reality is that the industry is going to take a long time to recover. We will be there every step of the way, and we will continue to work with our customers to understand how Lion can best support them over the weeks and months ahead.”

Accolade Wines has launched a support package called “Your Venue, Our Shout” to help the Australian hospitality industry get back on its feet after shutdown.

The on-premise initiative will see Accolade Wines replace, as complimentary stock, their portfolio of wines sold across venues in the first month from re-opening.

Andrew Clarke, Accolade Wines Regional Managing Director – ANZP said: “We are all aware of how COVID-19 has impacted the hospitality industry across Australia. It has been an extremely

James Brindley

Andrew Clarke

challenging time, and even though venues are beginning to re-open, there is a lot of uncertainty about the future.

“Your Venue, Our Shout is Accolade Wines’ way of showing support to our valued on-premise customers and lending a helping hand to get back on their feet and return to usual trading as quickly as possible.”

Samuel Smith & Son said it is committed to supporting the industry in making a sustainable and robust recovery.

Paul Midolo, Director – Strategy & Trading, revealed: “There are a number of initiatives we are currently undertaking to support our friends and colleagues in the industry. These range from revenue

Paul Midolo

generation support to the provision of promotional mechanics, list printing and design, and access to our category insights program.

“We understand that there are many moving parts to how venues are trying to re-open and want to make sure that our initiatives have the flexibility to support that.”

Diageo has launched a nationwide ‘Welcome Back’ support package for the on-premise, designed to help rebuild the Australian bar industry.

Valued at $1.2 million, the support package will provide 130,000 free serves to venue partners across the country in bonus

Katherine Johnstone painting the Red Lion Hotel

stock, and PR and marketing support to help enable bars to re-open and drive revenue in line with the current trading conditions.

Chris Shaw, Diageo Australia Commercial Director, said: “This has been a challenging time for all of us but our pubs, bars, restaurants and hospitality venues, many of them small businesses that employ thousands across the country, have been particularly hard hit over the last few months. As we start to see some light at the end of the tunnel and our on-premise partners slowly re-open, Diageo Australia is backing them when they need it most.

“This multifaceted support package will include trade deals, bonus stock that will equate to Diageo shouting them 130,000 standard drinks, and PR and marketing amplification for venues. This means a $1.2 million injection into our participating onpremise partners as they start to get back on their feet and welcome the return of patrons to their favourite venues.”

Pernod Ricard is continuing its ‘Meals 4 Mates’ initiative that provides $25 Deliveroo meal vouchers to impacted hospitality staff across the Eastern seaboard (VIC, NSW & QLD). More than 4000 vouchers have been provided to date.

To encourage patrons back to venues, it is also planning a number of ‘welcome back’ support packages for customers across its brands. These include offers amplified through social media, including stock support, social media support (boosting posts, paid advertorials), point of sale, staff training, and incentives.

Treasury Wine Estates is working on bespoke plans with each customer to deliver positive outcomes during the re-opening period.

“We understand that re-entry into the post COVID world is different for each venue. Our focus has been to maintain our sales force in full-time work to ensure the individual needs of our customers are met,” said Tom Gerlach – Head of On-Premise.

“We have bolstered our design studio to deliver revised POS and wine lists in multiple new formats (ie single-use, digital, large format wall displays and mobile-friendly).”

At a ground roots level, some industry execs have even been giving up their weekends to help pubs prepare to open their doors.

ALM NSW General Manager Katherine Johnstone, for example, helped the Red Lion Hotel in Sydney’s Rozelle get a fresh coat of paint.

Johnstone said: “As a business, we need to show our support for our on-premise

partners and see how we can help. Since the Red Lion is a local for my family and me, we offered to pitch in and help with the renovations - while the pub was forced to close. I don’t think I’ll be giving up my day job, but it was good to be able to contribute something practical during such an uncertain time.”