NEWS: FEBRUARY 2023

The latest liquor industry news

Coopers breaks ground on new development

Coopers has broken the soil on its brand new $50m home development, with construction expected to be completed around May 2024.

An official sod-turning event marked the start of the construction, which will include a whisky distillery, restaurant and bar, dedicated tasting room and microbrewery.

Coopers Brewery Managing Director, Dr Tim Cooper, said the public response to the development, which was announced in April last year, has been overwhelmingly positive.

“This is an exciting expansion for Coopers, and represents a significant investment for the company, with an emphasis on maximising Australian input throughout the process,” Dr Cooper said.

“As a proud Australian company, we hope to create a welcoming experience for local, national and international visitors, while positioning our brewery for the future.

“Today marks a major milestone and our team is excited to see our vision start to become a reality.”

Following a competitive tender process, Coopers appointed Australian construction company Built to deliver the new development.

Built General Manager, SA, Chris Bate said: “This project will help bolster job creation providing in excess of 500 on-site local South Australian jobs during the construction phase and many more in the manufacturing of material prior to site delivery.

“Our highly experienced local team are looking forward to delivering a high-quality result that both the Coopers team and the people of South Australia can be proud of for many years to come.”

Studio Nine Architects’ unique curved design of the two-storey development has been inspired by the iconic Coopers’ roundel label. The curved structure encompasses a sloping amphitheatre that will showcase the brewery grounds and maltings.

Beer Cartel shifts to 100 per cent online

Premium craft beer retailer, Beer Cartel, has closed its bricks and mortar store and moved its business 100 per cent online.

Co-Founder, Richard Kelsey, said the change has been driven by the move to a new warehouse to bring Beer Cartel and its sister business, Brewquets, back into one location. The requirement of the new site and licensing restrictions meant having a bricks and mortar store was not possible.

He added: “We’d like to say a big thanks to all the customers that have come to support the store from when it first opened in 2011 to now. When we first started, online sales of alcohol in Australia were small. It was the support of those that came to the store that helped keep us moving forward during the early years.”

Beer Cartel was based on Sydney’s North Shore, but Kelsey said it was very humbling that the store would get regular visitors from as far away as the Blue Mountains and Central Coast.

“There’s been lots of familiar faces and relationships that we’re definitely going to miss, but we’re not going away, we’ll be look at bringing more of the offline side of the business online,” he said.

While it is the end of Beer Cartel having a store front connected to the warehouse, Kelsey said it isn’t the end of their bricks and mortar aspirations.

“We’ll be looking at options for this going forward and see if there are any opportunities to open a store, including partnering with others in the industry,” he said.

Spirits Platform launches new website

Spirits Platform has launched a new website, which contains a number of features designed to bring the distributor’s premium brands and liqueurs closer to the trade.

The website has been optimised for mobile devices, reflecting the trade’s viewing habits, and has been designed to showcase each premium brand, with stories, events and cocktail recipes available as well. Each brand page provides history, production, and brand information along with detailed tasting notes.

Spirits Platform CEO, Ian Atherton, said: “This redesign is an important part of our vision to create an environment where premium brands are given the focus and brand-building support required to succeed.

Visit the new Spirits Platform website at: https://spiritsplatform.com.au/

“This is about empowering our industry partners to maximise the advantages of the premium brands we offer.”

A prominent feature of the new site is Spirits Academy, a program that supports and educates bartenders and retailers about the history, production and flavours of spirits and liqueurs, with a wide range of courses on offer.

“Our website was built with our customer in mind, providing a hub of resources, a place where they can get information, education and inspiration easily,” said Kathy Bouzios, Spirit Platform’s Digital Marketing Manager.

Visit the new Spirits Platform website at: https://spiritsplatform.com.au/

Ashmead family purchases Wilton Hill Vineyard

The Ashmead family has added to its remarkable estate vineyard holdings in Nuriootpa and Greenock, by purchasing the Wilton Hill Vineyard in Eden Valley.

Cameron and Allister Ashmead, the second generation owners of Elderton Wines, seized the “once in a generation opportunity” for the purchase, which they have described as one of Eden Valley’s most extraordinary and unique vineyard sites.

One of the highest altitude vineyards in the Barossa, atop Mengler Hill, Wilton Hill Vineyard has 23.75 ha of vines, some of which were planted over 100 years ago. The Ashmead family will utilise the great opportunity of the vineyard’s old vine Shiraz, Cabernet and Riesling, as well as exceptional younger Grenache vines too.

Allister said: “We are fortunate to bring this amazing vineyard into our treasured estate holdings. Along with the talents of our experienced and passionate vineyard, winemaking and cellar door teams, we believe that this vineyard addition will cement our position as a real contributor to the Barossa’s future success story through growing and making some of Australia’s most delicious and sought-after wines.”

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