Latest news
Pints with Purpose
Hospitality company New Zealand Venue Co. has announced it will donate $1 from selected pints and mocktails sold across its venues to the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal…
Vaccine passes, mandates to end, hospo capacity doubles
Hospitality businesses can welcome 200 people indoors from this weekend as part of government changes that will also see an end to vaccine passes and mandates from early April…
NZIER report highlights innovation in alcohol industry
The NZ Alcohol Beverages Council says a new report shows that innovation around local skills, social change and sustainability has been key to the alcohol industry’s significant economic contribution…
Hospitality NZ welcomes early border change
Hospitality New Zealand says the earlier border opening to Australian and visa-waiver countries before winter will save many businesses from collapse…
Record entries for New World Beer & Cider Awards
Judges in this year’s New World Beer & Cider Awards have assessed nearly 700 entries in a day of judging across three regions…
Entries open for NZ Spirits Awards 2022
Entries for the NZ Spirits Awards 2022 are now open with this year’s competition featuring an expanded range of categories…
Broken Heart named World’s Best Pure Neutral Vodka
New Zealand vodka Broken Heart has been named the World’s Best Pure Neutral Vodka at the World Vodka Awards…
Russian vodka in spotlight after invasion of Ukraine
Calls for boycotts of Russian vodka following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen product removed from many shelves around the world and prompted Stoli Group to clarify that it has no operations in Russia…
NZ gin named ‘World’s Best Classic Gin’
New Zealand’s Awildian Coromandel Dry Gin has been named ‘World’s Best Classic Gin’ at the World Gin Awards 2022…
Trophies announced in NZ International Wine Show 2021
The trophies in the 2021 New Zealand International Wine Show have been announced, with Hawke’s Bay’s Clearview Estate taking the top prize for Champion Wine of the Show…
Scapegrace scoops Gold at BTI Awards
Scapegrace has scooped Gold for two of its vodka RTDs at the internationally acclaimed Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) Awards…
New Weekender Gin from Blush
There’s a new gin in town: Weekender is a brand new venture from New Zealand craft distillers Blush…
Entries open for AIBA 2022
Entries are now open for the Melbourne Royal Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) with several new classes added, including New Zealand-specific styles…
All eyes on harvest 2022
With the first grapes of the 2022 vintage harvested, New Zealand Winegrowers says that ongoing international demand and low stock levels mean that winemakers are hoping for a significantly larger harvest this year…
New date for whisky event DramFest
New Zealand’s leading whisky festival DramFest has been rescheduled to March 2023, following the postponement of the 2022 event…
Wanaka’s Ripe cancels 2022 festival
Organisers of major food and wine festival Ripe in Wanaka have cancelled the scheduled March event amid current COVID-19 restrictions…
New CEO for Lion Group
Lion has announced the appointment of Sam Fischer as CEO of the Lion Group…
Strong growth for distilled spirits in US over 2021
The distilled spirits sector in the US achieved strong growth in 2021, thanks to consumers trading up to super-premium spirits for at-home, and the gradual reopening of restaurants…
Barcats offers free hospo training courses in Feb
Hospitality platform, Barcats, is partnering with the Ministry of Social Development to offer free training for workers for the hospitality industry…
Sam Bain wins 2021 Corteva NZ Young Vit of the Year
Sam Bain from Villa Maria in Hawke’s Bay has been named the 2021 Corteva NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year following the national finals in Marlborough…

