www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
Crown Melbourne has announced that Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant will open in Australia’s newest hotel in February 2010
An agreement has been reached with Gordon Ramsay Holdings International to open Maze, one of London’s most popular and successful restaurant concepts, within Crown’s new, third hotel in early 2010.
Crown’s CEO, David Courtney, who made the announcement, said: "We’re thrilled to announce the exciting news that Gordon Ramsay will open a Maze restaurant at Crown.
Ramsay and Maze fit extremely well within the positioning of our new hotel as Maze has become renowned for being stylish, contemporary and providing an innovative food offer.
Maze will be hugely popular and will be a major drawcard for local, interstate and international visitors. Bringing Gordon Ramsay and Maze to Melbourne further cements our strategy of bringing some of the world’s best dining experiences to Crown and Melbourne.
Ramsay said: “This is our first step in bringing the Gordon Ramsay brand to Australia and after having seen the way Crown operates feel that this is an exciting and challenging opportunity.
While based on French cuisine, Maze's food has Asian influences and offers small tasting plates. Guests are encouraged to order individually or sample many dishes. Maze London, New York and Prague menus, for example, feature dishes such as bouillabaisse of red mullet with fennel puree and halibut ravioli with braised carrots, gremolata and veal vinaigrette.
Maze has been awarded a Michelin star and won an unprecedented number of awards during its first year of operation and most recently was named Best Breakthrough Restaurant at the San Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant Awards.
Crown’s Third Hotel Tower (which is yet to be named) will be located on Clarendon Street, adjacent to the Crown Entertainment Complex.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Downturn will not put us off food
www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
Despite slowing consumer spending the future still looks bright for hospitality and tourism students, as Australians look for new ways to treat themselves to life’s little luxuries, says William Blue College of Hospitality and Tourism.
The comment comes amid a predicted fall in Australian tourism and the recent drop in the Australian dollar. William Blue College says that while job prospects may be on the decline, the demand for hospitality will be sustained as the summer holiday season approaches.
“As consumers, Australians are creatures of comfort with a taste for the finer things in life. Even in an economic downturn, people still need to eat, sleep and be entertained,” says Jenny Jenkins, William Blue head of college.
“It’s about being smarter when it comes to making your dollar go further. Consumers are now looking at how they can continue to be entertained and enjoy top dining experiences that don’t break the budget. William Blue’s own training restaurant, Billy Blue Brassiere, has experienced a significant upturn in patrons over the last few months and recently won the 2008 Training Restaurant of the Year Award,” she says.
Interestingly, Jenkins predicts the wedding and event planning sector will continue to grow, following a record 116,000 weddings in 2007 – its highest level since 1990.
Jenkins also expects domestic tourism to see a significant boost over the holiday period, as the falling dollar encourages Australians to travel domestically.
She suggests that those pursuing a career in the hospitality and tourism industry, which employs over one million Australians, need to ensure that their skills, experience and qualifications are up-to-par in an increasingly competitive market.
According to Jenkins, hospitality is now a real career path that gives individuals the opportunity to contribute to an organisation’s overall business performance and bottom-line.
“Businesses are becoming increasingly choosey about the type of people they take on board.
Rather than employing people with no experience because they are under-staffed, employers are looking to highly-trained candidates who are multi-skilled and understand all the facets of the business.
“The more experience and qualifications a graduate has, the more valuable they are to an employer. In times of downturn people should look to up-skill and further their education to secure their careers and ensure they are less expendable,” says Jenkins.
Despite slowing consumer spending the future still looks bright for hospitality and tourism students, as Australians look for new ways to treat themselves to life’s little luxuries, says William Blue College of Hospitality and Tourism.
The comment comes amid a predicted fall in Australian tourism and the recent drop in the Australian dollar. William Blue College says that while job prospects may be on the decline, the demand for hospitality will be sustained as the summer holiday season approaches.
“As consumers, Australians are creatures of comfort with a taste for the finer things in life. Even in an economic downturn, people still need to eat, sleep and be entertained,” says Jenny Jenkins, William Blue head of college.
“It’s about being smarter when it comes to making your dollar go further. Consumers are now looking at how they can continue to be entertained and enjoy top dining experiences that don’t break the budget. William Blue’s own training restaurant, Billy Blue Brassiere, has experienced a significant upturn in patrons over the last few months and recently won the 2008 Training Restaurant of the Year Award,” she says.
Interestingly, Jenkins predicts the wedding and event planning sector will continue to grow, following a record 116,000 weddings in 2007 – its highest level since 1990.
Jenkins also expects domestic tourism to see a significant boost over the holiday period, as the falling dollar encourages Australians to travel domestically.
She suggests that those pursuing a career in the hospitality and tourism industry, which employs over one million Australians, need to ensure that their skills, experience and qualifications are up-to-par in an increasingly competitive market.
According to Jenkins, hospitality is now a real career path that gives individuals the opportunity to contribute to an organisation’s overall business performance and bottom-line.
“Businesses are becoming increasingly choosey about the type of people they take on board.
Rather than employing people with no experience because they are under-staffed, employers are looking to highly-trained candidates who are multi-skilled and understand all the facets of the business.
“The more experience and qualifications a graduate has, the more valuable they are to an employer. In times of downturn people should look to up-skill and further their education to secure their careers and ensure they are less expendable,” says Jenkins.
World Barista Championship announces new judges certification workshops
LONG BEACH, CA (November 14, 2008)
Two new judges certification workshops will be held in Long Beach, California and Melbourne, Australia for applicants who aspire to judge at the 2009 World Barista Championship (WBC) competition in Atlanta.
On April 16-19, 2009, national barista champions from over 56 countries will converge in Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center to compete for the ranking of world’s top coffee maker in front of a live audience of several hundred spectators and thousands of online viewers from around the world.
Participants that successfully complete the 2-day certification course will be included in a pool of volunteer judges that will evaluate the taste of beverages served in the 2009 competition, as well as, the creativity, technical skill and overall presentation of competitors.
Once certified, judges will be issued a certificate of completion and a license to use the WBC Certified Judge logo in accordance with WBC standards.
In order to attend, all candidates must meet the following prerequisites:
Two new judges certification workshops will be held in Long Beach, California and Melbourne, Australia for applicants who aspire to judge at the 2009 World Barista Championship (WBC) competition in Atlanta.
On April 16-19, 2009, national barista champions from over 56 countries will converge in Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center to compete for the ranking of world’s top coffee maker in front of a live audience of several hundred spectators and thousands of online viewers from around the world.
Participants that successfully complete the 2-day certification course will be included in a pool of volunteer judges that will evaluate the taste of beverages served in the 2009 competition, as well as, the creativity, technical skill and overall presentation of competitors.
Once certified, judges will be issued a certificate of completion and a license to use the WBC Certified Judge logo in accordance with WBC standards.
In order to attend, all candidates must meet the following prerequisites:
- Possess two consecutive years experience officiating at WBC-sanctioned national or regional barista competitions;
- Demonstrate the ability comprehend and complete all score sheets in English;
- Agree to comply with the WBC Code of Conduct;
- Agree to attend the 2009 competition and pre-competition events in Atlanta, GA from April 14-19 at his or her own expense; and
- Demonstrate a commitment to coffee excellence and to promoting the barista craft.
In Long Beach, December 4-5, 2008:Specialty Coffee Association of America Headquarters330 Golden Shore, Ste. 50, Long Beach, CA, USAFee: US$200 per person Register Here
In Melbourne, Australia January 14-15, 2009:Box Hill Institute465 Elgar Road, Box Hill, Melbourne, Victoria, AustraliaFee: US$200 per person Register Here
Attendance is limited and advance registration is required. Dates for workshops in the United Kingdom and Africa will be announced shortly. For more information or to register, visit the World Barista Championship website at www.worldbaristachampionship.com.
About World Barista Championship UK Ltd.World Barista Championship UK Ltd is jointly owned by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and Speciality Coffee Association of Europe.
The first WBC competition took place in Monte Carlo in October 2000 and has since held annual competitions Miami, Oslo, Boston, Trieste, Seattle, Berne, Tokyo and Copenhagen.
The organization’s next event will be held in Atlanta, Georgia U.S.A., April 16-19, 2009.
For more information, please visit www.worldbaristachampionship.com.
Doombusters unite to fight the gloom
Kathleen Donaghey
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/
ANALYSTS agree that low confidence is hurting our economy so The Gold Coast Bulletin is calling on readers to 'join the Doombusters' and help revive consumer spirit.
With interest rates at a three-year low and petrol prices tumbling, consumers have more money and no better time to spend it than the lead-up to Christmas.
New stores are still opening, including a wing of boutique shops at Robina Town Centre, there are bargains to be had across the city and accommodation providers are offering holiday deals.
All combined, few cities are better placed to weather the economic storm than one whose name is made of 'gold' and where the sun shines all year round.
With all the fundamentals in place in this city, The Gold Coast Bulletin believes all that's needed to help get the economy flying is a little dose of confidence.
Caravan parks have so far been the first to enjoy the support of locals as bookings flood in for Christmas but other sectors are in need of help.
New Gold Coast business owners like Sean McCormick, who recently opened his jewellery and gift shop Fiera in the Robina Town Centre, agreed shoppers needed a boost in confidence.
Mr McCormick owns six jewellery and gift shops across the south-east and said turnover had fallen 10 per cent since the second week in October.
Sales have also remained slow in what should be the busiest time of the year.
Mr McCormick applauded The Gold Coast Bulletin's campaign to encourage people to get behind small businesses, saying it was exactly what was needed.
"It's coming up to Christmas which is a time of giving and it's time to get out and see what's new in stores," said Mr McCormick.
"Small businesses are at the coalface so people need to get out and support local businesses to get things moving."
Retailers Association chief executive Scott Driscoll said the current slow-down mostly stemmed from psychology which was why he has been eagerly talking things up.
Mr Driscoll said people needed to realise the economic outlook could be turned around from the current doom and gloom just by 'opening your wallets'.
"What we're going through is not an economic problem, it's a confidence problem," said Mr Driscoll, whose organisation represents independent shops, including food, clothing and furniture.
"Household budgets are actually in good shape: we've had interest rate cuts and the Government's $10 billion stimulus package means people will have money in the lead-up to Christmas.
"We're actually expecting a fairly good Christmas."
Restaurant and Catering Queensland chief executive James Visser agreed that the bad times need not remain so.
"While it's true discretionary spending is somewhat down, it's not all doom and gloom," said Mr Visser. "I have a lot of optimism because of the interest rate cuts -- with more expected -- and the Reserve Bank saying we're in a slump and not a recession. People are not going to say Christmas is cancelled.
"There'll be a lot of Christmas parties. It's hard to celebrate Christmas without celebratory cheer."
The latest CommSec retail spending figures show retail trade fell by 1.1 per cent in September and the worst hit sectors were food, clothing and other discretionary retail items. Business closures increased 7.59 per cent in Queensland in the September quarter, according to Insolvency and Trustee Service Australia data.
Insolvency firms on the Gold Coast have been kept busy, with businesses dropping out in building, transport, hospitality and food, although Worrells insolvency practitioner Brian Carey said other states were much worse off.
As a result of the situation, businesses, restaurants and cafes across the Gold Coast have been complaining of fewer customers and sales, including Retravision Bundall and Pacific Fair owner Sep Abedian, who said the customers just weren't coming.
Manchester stores, gift shops and clothing shops such as Karma House and Home have also watched as customers walk in and out without making a purchase.
"We've been expecting it to ramp up but it hasn't ramped up yet," said Karma owner Kerry Goodwin.
Doing his part to turn things around amid the standstill is Hot to Trot shoe shop owner Alan Rasho who is making light of the end-of-the-world mantra to snare a few more customers.
Mr Rasho said he was known for his budget leather shoes at Ashmore Plaza and the way to attract even more shoppers was through his 'doom and gloom sale' with nothing over $40.
"Since the economy has gone bust we've doubled our business," said Mr Rasho. "We haven't been quiet yet. People want their money to go further and this is where they come, especially if you've got a family of four kids who all need shoes."
Retailers across the board are being encouraged to similarly do whatever they can to prop up sales, including discounting heavily and promising interest free periods for 15 months.
Clearance offers, discount shopping vouchers, up to 50 per cent off sales and special offers were now available right across the Gold Coast.
However, if in the end all eventually goes bust and Australia follows the lead of the US and Europe which appear to be slipping into recession, many would agree there is no better place to tough it out than the Gold Coast.
Sunning herself at Broadbeach yesterday, Tess Goot, 23, said there was nowhere she would rather spend her time than on a Gold Coast beach.
"I can't think of a better place to be," she said.
CommSec equities economist Savanth Sebastian said shoppers had not only been spending less, they were also limiting themselves to crucial items, eating at home and saving 'for a rainy day'.
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/
ANALYSTS agree that low confidence is hurting our economy so The Gold Coast Bulletin is calling on readers to 'join the Doombusters' and help revive consumer spirit.
With interest rates at a three-year low and petrol prices tumbling, consumers have more money and no better time to spend it than the lead-up to Christmas.
New stores are still opening, including a wing of boutique shops at Robina Town Centre, there are bargains to be had across the city and accommodation providers are offering holiday deals.
All combined, few cities are better placed to weather the economic storm than one whose name is made of 'gold' and where the sun shines all year round.
With all the fundamentals in place in this city, The Gold Coast Bulletin believes all that's needed to help get the economy flying is a little dose of confidence.
Caravan parks have so far been the first to enjoy the support of locals as bookings flood in for Christmas but other sectors are in need of help.
New Gold Coast business owners like Sean McCormick, who recently opened his jewellery and gift shop Fiera in the Robina Town Centre, agreed shoppers needed a boost in confidence.
Mr McCormick owns six jewellery and gift shops across the south-east and said turnover had fallen 10 per cent since the second week in October.
Sales have also remained slow in what should be the busiest time of the year.
Mr McCormick applauded The Gold Coast Bulletin's campaign to encourage people to get behind small businesses, saying it was exactly what was needed.
"It's coming up to Christmas which is a time of giving and it's time to get out and see what's new in stores," said Mr McCormick.
"Small businesses are at the coalface so people need to get out and support local businesses to get things moving."
Retailers Association chief executive Scott Driscoll said the current slow-down mostly stemmed from psychology which was why he has been eagerly talking things up.
Mr Driscoll said people needed to realise the economic outlook could be turned around from the current doom and gloom just by 'opening your wallets'.
"What we're going through is not an economic problem, it's a confidence problem," said Mr Driscoll, whose organisation represents independent shops, including food, clothing and furniture.
"Household budgets are actually in good shape: we've had interest rate cuts and the Government's $10 billion stimulus package means people will have money in the lead-up to Christmas.
"We're actually expecting a fairly good Christmas."
Restaurant and Catering Queensland chief executive James Visser agreed that the bad times need not remain so.
"While it's true discretionary spending is somewhat down, it's not all doom and gloom," said Mr Visser. "I have a lot of optimism because of the interest rate cuts -- with more expected -- and the Reserve Bank saying we're in a slump and not a recession. People are not going to say Christmas is cancelled.
"There'll be a lot of Christmas parties. It's hard to celebrate Christmas without celebratory cheer."
The latest CommSec retail spending figures show retail trade fell by 1.1 per cent in September and the worst hit sectors were food, clothing and other discretionary retail items. Business closures increased 7.59 per cent in Queensland in the September quarter, according to Insolvency and Trustee Service Australia data.
Insolvency firms on the Gold Coast have been kept busy, with businesses dropping out in building, transport, hospitality and food, although Worrells insolvency practitioner Brian Carey said other states were much worse off.
As a result of the situation, businesses, restaurants and cafes across the Gold Coast have been complaining of fewer customers and sales, including Retravision Bundall and Pacific Fair owner Sep Abedian, who said the customers just weren't coming.
Manchester stores, gift shops and clothing shops such as Karma House and Home have also watched as customers walk in and out without making a purchase.
"We've been expecting it to ramp up but it hasn't ramped up yet," said Karma owner Kerry Goodwin.
Doing his part to turn things around amid the standstill is Hot to Trot shoe shop owner Alan Rasho who is making light of the end-of-the-world mantra to snare a few more customers.
Mr Rasho said he was known for his budget leather shoes at Ashmore Plaza and the way to attract even more shoppers was through his 'doom and gloom sale' with nothing over $40.
"Since the economy has gone bust we've doubled our business," said Mr Rasho. "We haven't been quiet yet. People want their money to go further and this is where they come, especially if you've got a family of four kids who all need shoes."
Retailers across the board are being encouraged to similarly do whatever they can to prop up sales, including discounting heavily and promising interest free periods for 15 months.
Clearance offers, discount shopping vouchers, up to 50 per cent off sales and special offers were now available right across the Gold Coast.
However, if in the end all eventually goes bust and Australia follows the lead of the US and Europe which appear to be slipping into recession, many would agree there is no better place to tough it out than the Gold Coast.
Sunning herself at Broadbeach yesterday, Tess Goot, 23, said there was nowhere she would rather spend her time than on a Gold Coast beach.
"I can't think of a better place to be," she said.
CommSec equities economist Savanth Sebastian said shoppers had not only been spending less, they were also limiting themselves to crucial items, eating at home and saving 'for a rainy day'.
Federal Ombudsman now after butchers, bakers and coffee makers
Queensland Business Review
www.qbr.com.au
Butchers and bakers throughout Queensland and the rest of Australia are about to come under the watchful eye of the Federal Workplace Ombudsman over whether their workers are being properly paid.
Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson said a national food campaign running over the Christmas – New Year period would specifically target butchers, bakers, cafes, grocers, delis and suppliers of bulk food items such as seafood and poultry.
Mr Wilson said employers found to be underpaying workers or in breach of any other workplace laws would be advised to "rectify the situation immediately" however deliberate cases of abuse will have employers paying a $33,000 fine.
The Ombudsman’s move comes on top of a human services campaign that targeted 500 aged and child-care facilities around the country which ended with 600 workers receiving more than $155,000 in back pay.
www.qbr.com.au
Butchers and bakers throughout Queensland and the rest of Australia are about to come under the watchful eye of the Federal Workplace Ombudsman over whether their workers are being properly paid.
Ombudsman Nicholas Wilson said a national food campaign running over the Christmas – New Year period would specifically target butchers, bakers, cafes, grocers, delis and suppliers of bulk food items such as seafood and poultry.
Mr Wilson said employers found to be underpaying workers or in breach of any other workplace laws would be advised to "rectify the situation immediately" however deliberate cases of abuse will have employers paying a $33,000 fine.
The Ombudsman’s move comes on top of a human services campaign that targeted 500 aged and child-care facilities around the country which ended with 600 workers receiving more than $155,000 in back pay.
Business vulnerability to employee or customer sabotage
Peter Switzer November 17, 2008
Article from: The Australian
THE Coogee Bay Hotel is facing one of the greatest threats to its profitability and its all-important brand with the discovery that a customer was served human faeces in a chocolate ice cream desert.
This raises an issue for all small businesses: how vulnerable are they to employee or even customer sabotage, and what protection they should have.
The lesson from this case is that business owners and managers have a massive business risk and while insurance offers some protection, highly enlightened leadership and top-notch employee relations are critically important.
In case you missed this controversial event, a family reported that they had been served human poo in a bowl of chocolate ice cream. The hotel has settled the case with a $50,000 compensation payment. The matter is still subject to police investigation and the culprits are still to be identified.
It's reported that staff have been DNA-tested.
In the meantime the hotel has lost incalculable goodwill, jokesters christening it with economically damaging nicknames such as "Poogee Bay Hotel".
As risk management is critical for all successful business strategies, the question is: does conventional business insurance cover proprietors against the direct economic losses that can come from incidents of this kind?
All food businesses and most operations that serve coffee could potentially poison a customer. Cafes, restaurants and shops could easily and accidentally threaten customers' health through the likes of salmonella.
"Public and products liability insurance would generally compensate customers for personal injury or damage to their property caused by the non-deliberate failure of an employee to exercise the degree of care required," says Gerard McDermott, the executive general manager, customer and sales service, at GIO.
"For example, an employee may accidentally spill a serving tray of hot food and beverage on a customer during the course of serving."
But the big issue for the Coogee Bay Hotel specifically and other businesses generally is that public liability policies do not, as a rule, cover the deliberate and criminal acts of employees.
John Hart, the chief executive of Restaurant and Catering Australia stresses the difficulties for business owners when a disgruntled staff member goes feral.
"I would think the insurance coverage depends on whether the act was malicious," he says. "In such a case, I doubt anything would cover such an action."
The food industry is responsible for self-regulation of the safety of the food and beverages they supply whether as a cafe, restaurant or producer.
"The public and products liability product provides cover to compensate customers for unintended omissions that result in contamination of food, leading to claims," McDermot says.
"For food and beverage manufacturers, specialist insurance known as 'malicious product tamper' can be purchased to cover the deliberate contamination of food.
"However, it is very expensive and only available to those companies with a proven good history, excellent quality assurance programs and recall and crisis management procedures and policies."
These facts underline how exposed small businesses such as cafes and sandwich shops are. It illustrates the risk management, staff training and deep understanding of staff that a boss in this industry has to have.
John Hart believes employers have to manage these situations professionally.
"I am not sure we know what caused this event," he says.
"However, if it was staff out to get back at a customer, we would hope (that) effective management would not allow a situation like this to arise in the first place."
A big risk is that copycat actions could follow this well-publicised event.
"There are some instances where disgruntled staff do things to harm their employers but we do not really hear of these sort on instances," Hart says. "In small businesses like restaurants, if the owners have close working relationships with their staff, this sort of thing would be virtually unheard of."
Public and products liability insurance is a necessity for businesses. It not only compensates third parties such as customers for personal injury and property damage where the business is legally liable, but can also cover the cost of defending claims made against them, even where it is established that there is no fault.
The cost is not prohibitive, with minimum premiums starting at around $600 for $10 million worth of coverage. For a business with a turnover of $250,000 this is a rate of less than 0.25 per cent.
McDermot says liability claims do not happen as frequently as vehicle claims but when they do, the cost can be much higher. From GIO's experience, liability claims of $30,000 to $90,000 are not uncommon.
Any business afraid of being left in the "you know what" has to do risk calculations on what it could step into in the future and take out the smart level of protection.
Peter Switzer is the founder of Switzer Business Coaching
www.switzer.com.au
Article from: The Australian
THE Coogee Bay Hotel is facing one of the greatest threats to its profitability and its all-important brand with the discovery that a customer was served human faeces in a chocolate ice cream desert.
This raises an issue for all small businesses: how vulnerable are they to employee or even customer sabotage, and what protection they should have.
The lesson from this case is that business owners and managers have a massive business risk and while insurance offers some protection, highly enlightened leadership and top-notch employee relations are critically important.
In case you missed this controversial event, a family reported that they had been served human poo in a bowl of chocolate ice cream. The hotel has settled the case with a $50,000 compensation payment. The matter is still subject to police investigation and the culprits are still to be identified.
It's reported that staff have been DNA-tested.
In the meantime the hotel has lost incalculable goodwill, jokesters christening it with economically damaging nicknames such as "Poogee Bay Hotel".
As risk management is critical for all successful business strategies, the question is: does conventional business insurance cover proprietors against the direct economic losses that can come from incidents of this kind?
All food businesses and most operations that serve coffee could potentially poison a customer. Cafes, restaurants and shops could easily and accidentally threaten customers' health through the likes of salmonella.
"Public and products liability insurance would generally compensate customers for personal injury or damage to their property caused by the non-deliberate failure of an employee to exercise the degree of care required," says Gerard McDermott, the executive general manager, customer and sales service, at GIO.
"For example, an employee may accidentally spill a serving tray of hot food and beverage on a customer during the course of serving."
But the big issue for the Coogee Bay Hotel specifically and other businesses generally is that public liability policies do not, as a rule, cover the deliberate and criminal acts of employees.
John Hart, the chief executive of Restaurant and Catering Australia stresses the difficulties for business owners when a disgruntled staff member goes feral.
"I would think the insurance coverage depends on whether the act was malicious," he says. "In such a case, I doubt anything would cover such an action."
The food industry is responsible for self-regulation of the safety of the food and beverages they supply whether as a cafe, restaurant or producer.
"The public and products liability product provides cover to compensate customers for unintended omissions that result in contamination of food, leading to claims," McDermot says.
"For food and beverage manufacturers, specialist insurance known as 'malicious product tamper' can be purchased to cover the deliberate contamination of food.
"However, it is very expensive and only available to those companies with a proven good history, excellent quality assurance programs and recall and crisis management procedures and policies."
These facts underline how exposed small businesses such as cafes and sandwich shops are. It illustrates the risk management, staff training and deep understanding of staff that a boss in this industry has to have.
John Hart believes employers have to manage these situations professionally.
"I am not sure we know what caused this event," he says.
"However, if it was staff out to get back at a customer, we would hope (that) effective management would not allow a situation like this to arise in the first place."
A big risk is that copycat actions could follow this well-publicised event.
"There are some instances where disgruntled staff do things to harm their employers but we do not really hear of these sort on instances," Hart says. "In small businesses like restaurants, if the owners have close working relationships with their staff, this sort of thing would be virtually unheard of."
Public and products liability insurance is a necessity for businesses. It not only compensates third parties such as customers for personal injury and property damage where the business is legally liable, but can also cover the cost of defending claims made against them, even where it is established that there is no fault.
The cost is not prohibitive, with minimum premiums starting at around $600 for $10 million worth of coverage. For a business with a turnover of $250,000 this is a rate of less than 0.25 per cent.
McDermot says liability claims do not happen as frequently as vehicle claims but when they do, the cost can be much higher. From GIO's experience, liability claims of $30,000 to $90,000 are not uncommon.
Any business afraid of being left in the "you know what" has to do risk calculations on what it could step into in the future and take out the smart level of protection.
Peter Switzer is the founder of Switzer Business Coaching
www.switzer.com.au
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Australia named top country brand for third year
CANBERRA (Reuters Life!) - Tourism campaigns featuring bikini-clad models and images of the outback as in the new epic movie "Australia" have helped Australia win the title of world's top country brand for the third consecutive year.
An annual country branding index designed to track travel trends and pinpoint opportunities for tourism had Canada rising to second place in the list of countries with the best brand reputations after coming sixth last year.
The United States slipped one place to be ranked third in the index compiled from a survey of 2,700 travelers from nine countries by brand consultancy FutureBrand and public relations firm Weber Shandwick.
Other countries to make the top 10 in the fourth annual Country Brand Index (CBI) were Italy, Switzerland, France, New Zealand, Britain, Japan and Sweden.
The index identified China, the United Arab Emirates and Croatia as the top three "rising stars" - those likely to become major tourist destinations in the next five years.
FutureBrand's senior executive director Rina Plapler said some countries were now taking on board the idea of brand but this was still a largely underdeveloped category with most countries not using marketing to differentiate themselves.
"Particularly in the coming years, country brands must improve both their strategic orientation as well as their delivery," she said in a statement, referring to tougher times ahead for the travel industry.
Australia has just launched a global tourism campaign pitching itself as a place to "find yourself" aligned with the outback movie "Australia" released this month starring Nicole Kidman, focusing on the beauty of the country's vast landscape.
Tourism numbers to Australia dropped 4.7 percent last year as the country relied on a failed campaign starring a bikini-clad model asking "where the bloody hell are you?"
An annual country branding index designed to track travel trends and pinpoint opportunities for tourism had Canada rising to second place in the list of countries with the best brand reputations after coming sixth last year.
The United States slipped one place to be ranked third in the index compiled from a survey of 2,700 travelers from nine countries by brand consultancy FutureBrand and public relations firm Weber Shandwick.
Other countries to make the top 10 in the fourth annual Country Brand Index (CBI) were Italy, Switzerland, France, New Zealand, Britain, Japan and Sweden.
The index identified China, the United Arab Emirates and Croatia as the top three "rising stars" - those likely to become major tourist destinations in the next five years.
FutureBrand's senior executive director Rina Plapler said some countries were now taking on board the idea of brand but this was still a largely underdeveloped category with most countries not using marketing to differentiate themselves.
"Particularly in the coming years, country brands must improve both their strategic orientation as well as their delivery," she said in a statement, referring to tougher times ahead for the travel industry.
Australia has just launched a global tourism campaign pitching itself as a place to "find yourself" aligned with the outback movie "Australia" released this month starring Nicole Kidman, focusing on the beauty of the country's vast landscape.
Tourism numbers to Australia dropped 4.7 percent last year as the country relied on a failed campaign starring a bikini-clad model asking "where the bloody hell are you?"
2008 International Culinary Olympics
FOOD DETECTIVE: Graeme Blundell November 08, 2008
Article from: The Australian
AUSTRALIAN chefs have won gold in the recent 2008 International Culinary Olympics in Germany. It's held every four years, with more than 2000 contestants competing, and it's bigger than even the Eurovision Song Contest (and almost as surreal, to judge from the YouTube clips).
Displaying formidable training, focus and determination, the Australian Culinary Olympic team won gold in the hot-food category, the headline event of the three-day competition.
Teams from eight countries competed to cook for more than 900 people in a restaurant setting. Australia also picked up gold, bronze and silver in the pastry section, silver in the cold buffet category and bronze for hot food (plated cold).
The Australian team was made up of Shane Keighley, Neil Abrahams, John Lanzafame, Shannon Kellam, Jenni Key, Matt McBain, Andre Kropp and Daniel Hiltbrunner.
Acting Detective can't wait for the reality television series. Anything to bump Great British Menu from the world's cable food networks.
It's a show increasingly seasoned with culinary paranoia and, besides, who cares what the French think? www.culinary-olympics.com.
Article from: The Australian
AUSTRALIAN chefs have won gold in the recent 2008 International Culinary Olympics in Germany. It's held every four years, with more than 2000 contestants competing, and it's bigger than even the Eurovision Song Contest (and almost as surreal, to judge from the YouTube clips).
Displaying formidable training, focus and determination, the Australian Culinary Olympic team won gold in the hot-food category, the headline event of the three-day competition.
Teams from eight countries competed to cook for more than 900 people in a restaurant setting. Australia also picked up gold, bronze and silver in the pastry section, silver in the cold buffet category and bronze for hot food (plated cold).
The Australian team was made up of Shane Keighley, Neil Abrahams, John Lanzafame, Shannon Kellam, Jenni Key, Matt McBain, Andre Kropp and Daniel Hiltbrunner.
Acting Detective can't wait for the reality television series. Anything to bump Great British Menu from the world's cable food networks.
It's a show increasingly seasoned with culinary paranoia and, besides, who cares what the French think? www.culinary-olympics.com.
Belgian Beer cafe to open in Balmain
The world renowned beer culture of Europe is set to be shared with the residents of the inner west when the Belgian Beer Café opens in Balmain, Sydney later this month.
Overseeing the Balmain Belgian Beer Café is Belgian, Olivier Massart, who established the Epoque and Heritage Belgian Beer Cafes.
The opening of the Balmain Café will signal a diversification of the pub culture existing in Balmain which currently has the most pubs per capita of anywhere in Australia.
Specially-trained bartenders will pull the famous Belgian beers following the 9 step pouring process which is an art in itself, with customised glasses for each brew and the customary two fingers of foam at the top.
As the best selling Belgian beer in the world, Stella Artois is one of the premium beers which will feature on the menu and is brewed using only natural ingredients.
Hoegaarden, known as white beer and brewed using mineral water, malted barley, hops and spiced with coriander and orange peel and Leffe which is the authentic monastic beer with rich taste, full body and is still brewed according to the Leffe Abbey Fathers’ ancient recipe will also feature on the extensive beer menu.
The menu at the Balmain Belgian Beer Café features traditional cuisine including steamed mussels served in traditional pots, cheese croquette, Flemish beef stew and steak et frites.
The dessert menu uses the finest Belgian Callebaut chocolate with offerings including Dame Blanche, chocolate mousse and Belgian waffles.
With its opening only weeks away, the Balmain Belgian Beer Café will immerse guests in Belgian food prepared with French finesse, served with German generosity and accompanied with Belgian beer.
Overseeing the Balmain Belgian Beer Café is Belgian, Olivier Massart, who established the Epoque and Heritage Belgian Beer Cafes.
The opening of the Balmain Café will signal a diversification of the pub culture existing in Balmain which currently has the most pubs per capita of anywhere in Australia.
Specially-trained bartenders will pull the famous Belgian beers following the 9 step pouring process which is an art in itself, with customised glasses for each brew and the customary two fingers of foam at the top.
As the best selling Belgian beer in the world, Stella Artois is one of the premium beers which will feature on the menu and is brewed using only natural ingredients.
Hoegaarden, known as white beer and brewed using mineral water, malted barley, hops and spiced with coriander and orange peel and Leffe which is the authentic monastic beer with rich taste, full body and is still brewed according to the Leffe Abbey Fathers’ ancient recipe will also feature on the extensive beer menu.
The menu at the Balmain Belgian Beer Café features traditional cuisine including steamed mussels served in traditional pots, cheese croquette, Flemish beef stew and steak et frites.
The dessert menu uses the finest Belgian Callebaut chocolate with offerings including Dame Blanche, chocolate mousse and Belgian waffles.
With its opening only weeks away, the Balmain Belgian Beer Café will immerse guests in Belgian food prepared with French finesse, served with German generosity and accompanied with Belgian beer.
Annual International Barista Competition
On the 13th and 14th November, Vanuatu, a tropical island in the South Pacific, is holding its annual International Barista Competition. Barista Coffee is the professional excellence in the artistry of making a great coffee.
Coffee experts and amateur coffee makers from all over the world will confer on how to make the best expresso coffee. International Barista judge, Rob Forsyth from Sydney Australia, will oversee the event and judge the entries.
The competition will be held in the grounds of the newly refurbished Le Lagon Resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with many special accommodation deals being offered to visitors to Vanuatu. Vanuatu grows its own world famous organic coffee, Tanna Coffee, on the tropical island of Tanna.
“We held our first competition last year, which was such a success that the Barista Vanuatu is now an annual event on the Vanuatu calendar,” said hotel owner and Barista organizer, Joanne Wade of Poppys on the Lagoon. “The atmosphere around Port Vila during the competition time and the prizes alone, including air fares, are enough to draw numerous entrants. It is an unbeatable location for this international event.”
Coffee growing and appreciation of good coffee makers has grown dramatically worldwide, in the past few years. Organically grown coffee beans now feature on supermarket shelves and making café latte has become café art.
Major sponsors of the 2008 Barista Vanuatu include the ANZ bank, Air Vanuatu, Poppys on the Lagoon, Le Lagon Resort, Friendly Bungalows on Tanna, Tanna Coffee
Entries can be made on the Barista Vanuatu official web site www.baristavanuatu.com
Coffee experts and amateur coffee makers from all over the world will confer on how to make the best expresso coffee. International Barista judge, Rob Forsyth from Sydney Australia, will oversee the event and judge the entries.
The competition will be held in the grounds of the newly refurbished Le Lagon Resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with many special accommodation deals being offered to visitors to Vanuatu. Vanuatu grows its own world famous organic coffee, Tanna Coffee, on the tropical island of Tanna.
“We held our first competition last year, which was such a success that the Barista Vanuatu is now an annual event on the Vanuatu calendar,” said hotel owner and Barista organizer, Joanne Wade of Poppys on the Lagoon. “The atmosphere around Port Vila during the competition time and the prizes alone, including air fares, are enough to draw numerous entrants. It is an unbeatable location for this international event.”
Coffee growing and appreciation of good coffee makers has grown dramatically worldwide, in the past few years. Organically grown coffee beans now feature on supermarket shelves and making café latte has become café art.
Major sponsors of the 2008 Barista Vanuatu include the ANZ bank, Air Vanuatu, Poppys on the Lagoon, Le Lagon Resort, Friendly Bungalows on Tanna, Tanna Coffee
Entries can be made on the Barista Vanuatu official web site www.baristavanuatu.com
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
A $100,000 mistake - Can your restaurant afford it?
http://www.informations2u.info
by Malcolm J. Richmond
When people walk into your restaurant to eat, they are putting their trust in you. They blindly have faith that you will serve them food that is fresh and safe to eat.
There are several restaurants in Australia right now that are paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties and settlements because they served contaminated food to patrons who became seriously ill and, in one particular case, died.
How can you be sure that the food which comes out of your kitchen is safe to eat?
Even one mistake which leads to customer illness can seriously and permanently damage the reputation of your business.
In most cases, these are mistakes which could be easily avoided.
Salmonella is one of the most common food borne illnesses; it causes diarrhoea, cramping, dehydration and vomiting in those affected. Salmonella is most commonly a result of poor food sanitation and cooking food at insufficient temperatures.
In 2004, food from the Sofia Pizza restaurant sickened at least 33 patrons.
In 2003, 135 people who had become ill as a result of the food served at Thanh Phu in Footscray filed a class action suit.
You can’t assume that this could never happen to your business; be sure to protect your restaurant.
Food safety should be a primary concern for anyone who owns a restaurant or catering business.
There are strict regulations in place in Victoria, Australia regarding the requirements food served to the public must meet.
There are different authorities with whom you must register, depending on what sort of food your business serves. Standards for the import and export of foodstuffs also exist.
The Food Safety Program (or FSP) lists the requirements which are necessary to keep your kitchen clean and the food you serve safe for your customers to eat.
All measuring devices have to be calibrated at least once a year and tested halfway through each year.
Kitchens must keep a log detailing when foods have been thawed so it is known by what time these foods must be used.
Delivery trucks and package temperatures must also be logged, as must the time when foods are to be discarded if not used.
The FSP stipulates that fines be levied if the regulations are not adhered to. The regulations apply not just to restaurants, but also to food stores and even stands which serve food.
by Malcolm J. Richmond
When people walk into your restaurant to eat, they are putting their trust in you. They blindly have faith that you will serve them food that is fresh and safe to eat.
There are several restaurants in Australia right now that are paying out hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties and settlements because they served contaminated food to patrons who became seriously ill and, in one particular case, died.
How can you be sure that the food which comes out of your kitchen is safe to eat?
Even one mistake which leads to customer illness can seriously and permanently damage the reputation of your business.
In most cases, these are mistakes which could be easily avoided.
Salmonella is one of the most common food borne illnesses; it causes diarrhoea, cramping, dehydration and vomiting in those affected. Salmonella is most commonly a result of poor food sanitation and cooking food at insufficient temperatures.
In 2004, food from the Sofia Pizza restaurant sickened at least 33 patrons.
In 2003, 135 people who had become ill as a result of the food served at Thanh Phu in Footscray filed a class action suit.
You can’t assume that this could never happen to your business; be sure to protect your restaurant.
Food safety should be a primary concern for anyone who owns a restaurant or catering business.
There are strict regulations in place in Victoria, Australia regarding the requirements food served to the public must meet.
There are different authorities with whom you must register, depending on what sort of food your business serves. Standards for the import and export of foodstuffs also exist.
The Food Safety Program (or FSP) lists the requirements which are necessary to keep your kitchen clean and the food you serve safe for your customers to eat.
All measuring devices have to be calibrated at least once a year and tested halfway through each year.
Kitchens must keep a log detailing when foods have been thawed so it is known by what time these foods must be used.
Delivery trucks and package temperatures must also be logged, as must the time when foods are to be discarded if not used.
The FSP stipulates that fines be levied if the regulations are not adhered to. The regulations apply not just to restaurants, but also to food stores and even stands which serve food.
Retail is on the brink - so let's act
http://smallbusiness.smh.com.au
Michael Baker
Year-over-year sales of food service establishments - that is, cafes, restaurants and fast food outlets have imploded, from a growth rate of almost 10% last year to -1.0% in the past couple of months.
Food service in Australia is dominated by small businesses.
According to Restaurant and Catering Australia, a trade association representing the food service industry, 91% of the industry is comprised of companies with less than 20 employees and 94% have an annual turnover of less than $1 million.
The result of a protracted downturn will be a shakeout of small players and the rationalisation of real estate portfolios among larger ones.
The impact will not be restricted to the food retailers themselves but will flow on to their landlords as well.
For example, food service establishments in regional shopping centres pay out a hefty 17% of their sales in occupancy costs (rent plus a share of operating expenses).
They are extremely valuable contributors to shopping centre operating income.Other retail sectors are headed for trouble as well. Home goods of all kinds are under pressure and a recession would raise the distinct possibility of the bankruptcy of a major department store chain.
What's to be done?
First, retailers need to do the right thing by their customers.
Of course they need to contain inventories and cut costs where it makes sense but they must not cave in to the temptation to decapitate every little expense in the hope that extreme parsimony will somehow keep them alive. This is the way to lose not just your customers but your best employees as well.
Second, there's the government.
Retailers don't need a handout but they do need a strong counter-cyclical fiscal policy.
Canberra should be prepared to do even more in the months ahead on top of the $10.4 billion program already committed.
Practicing fiscal restraint when the global economy is in dire straits and the government has a budget surplus is a throwback to Herbert Hoover in 1928. Look where that got us.
Third, the RBA needs to stay its current course.
With the CPI at 5% and the Australian dollar under siege there is a case for increasing interest rates and not lowering them. But it can't go back now.
It has started down the road of supporting growth and it needs to stick to that policy unequivocally.
Fourth, small independent retailers might need a hand from their landlords on rent.
Except in the very strongest shopping centres and retail strips, this will come to be in the landlords' best interests.
The alternative is to churn tenants and in this economic environment churning is a poor property management policy.
These four things will help small retailers.
As the pragmatic Monsieur Delcour says, we can't escape being in the economy. But we can certainly make it more comfortable for ourselves.
Michael Baker is a global retail and property analyst and consultant. He can be contacted at: Michael_Baker@earthlink.net
Michael Baker
Year-over-year sales of food service establishments - that is, cafes, restaurants and fast food outlets have imploded, from a growth rate of almost 10% last year to -1.0% in the past couple of months.
Food service in Australia is dominated by small businesses.
According to Restaurant and Catering Australia, a trade association representing the food service industry, 91% of the industry is comprised of companies with less than 20 employees and 94% have an annual turnover of less than $1 million.
The result of a protracted downturn will be a shakeout of small players and the rationalisation of real estate portfolios among larger ones.
The impact will not be restricted to the food retailers themselves but will flow on to their landlords as well.
For example, food service establishments in regional shopping centres pay out a hefty 17% of their sales in occupancy costs (rent plus a share of operating expenses).
They are extremely valuable contributors to shopping centre operating income.Other retail sectors are headed for trouble as well. Home goods of all kinds are under pressure and a recession would raise the distinct possibility of the bankruptcy of a major department store chain.
What's to be done?
First, retailers need to do the right thing by their customers.
Of course they need to contain inventories and cut costs where it makes sense but they must not cave in to the temptation to decapitate every little expense in the hope that extreme parsimony will somehow keep them alive. This is the way to lose not just your customers but your best employees as well.
Second, there's the government.
Retailers don't need a handout but they do need a strong counter-cyclical fiscal policy.
Canberra should be prepared to do even more in the months ahead on top of the $10.4 billion program already committed.
Practicing fiscal restraint when the global economy is in dire straits and the government has a budget surplus is a throwback to Herbert Hoover in 1928. Look where that got us.
Third, the RBA needs to stay its current course.
With the CPI at 5% and the Australian dollar under siege there is a case for increasing interest rates and not lowering them. But it can't go back now.
It has started down the road of supporting growth and it needs to stick to that policy unequivocally.
Fourth, small independent retailers might need a hand from their landlords on rent.
Except in the very strongest shopping centres and retail strips, this will come to be in the landlords' best interests.
The alternative is to churn tenants and in this economic environment churning is a poor property management policy.
These four things will help small retailers.
As the pragmatic Monsieur Delcour says, we can't escape being in the economy. But we can certainly make it more comfortable for ourselves.
Michael Baker is a global retail and property analyst and consultant. He can be contacted at: Michael_Baker@earthlink.net
Brewing up a storm
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
Cameron Cooper October 31, 2008
THE popularity of craft beers promises to consign to history the last vestiges of Australia's tribal drinking history.In days past, it was a brave Queenslander or West Australian who drank anything but Fourex or Swan, for example, while drinkers in other states largely stuck with home brands such as Victoria Bitter and Tooheys.
With micro-brewery numbers trebling to more than 150 in the past five years, beer drinkers' palates are becoming far more sophisticated.
One label of craft, or boutique, beers that has a strong following is Little Creatures, a Fremantle brewery in Western Australia whose pale ale received gongs such as Beer of the Year in the BBC's Good Food magazine a few years ago.
Howard Cearns, a co-founder and director of Little Creatures Brewing Co, says beer drinkers are following the lead of other beverage lovers in "trading up''.
"People have looked for better tasting coffee and better tasting wine, and beer is not unlike that,'' he says.
A significant shareholder in Little Creatures is international brewing giant Lion Nathan.
The investment demonstrates the growing clout of smaller brewers. Foster's bought another boutique beer leader, Matilda Bay Brewing Co, in the early 1990s, while Coca-Cola Amatil last year bought the Hunter region's Bluetongue, a popular NSW label.
Cearns admits micro-breweries will never be able to compete with the marketing budgets of the brewing giants, so ``the product is your advantage''. He urges patience, too, noting that the Little Creatures business model is gaining momentum after 10 years' experience in the industry.
"It's not something that happens overnight.''
Nevertheless, business research group IBISWorld is forecasting 10 per cent annual growth in the micro-brewery sector to 2013. In a national beer sector that generates about $8 billion a year in sales, the boutique brands still account for less than 10 per cent of total industry revenue.
Audrey Riddell, an IBISWorld analyst, says the most popular new brews are coming from imported beers and micro-breweries.
"This indicates that there's a strong desire for variety and a willingness to pay for it,'' she says.
While some industry mergers have occurred, Riddell says many micro-brewers are "fiercely independent'' and want to operate separately from the big brewing companies.
She notes that regional areas are popular for micro-breweries because of lower rental rates and an ability to combine brew pubs with local tourism attractions.
The unknown factor is how the present economic turmoil will affect demand for craft beers, which are often more expensive than mainstream counterparts. Riddell suggests immediate demand could slow, although she expects sector growth over the next five years.
"With decreased consumer confidence, we are expecting to see it possibly go back towards larger brewers and those micro-breweries that have gained sufficient scale to compete on a cost basis.''
One pub that has become a hangout for craft beer devotees is the Grand Central Hotel in Brisbane, which serves novel beers such as Yippy IPA, Juniper Pale Ale and Brutal Bitter.
So serious about boutique beer is the hotel that it has launched its own "brand'', the Rubber Stamp, which acts as a tick of approval for a brew. If it has the Rubber Stamp, drinkers know it has passed the test of a panel of staff and independent brewers.
Boutique brews with the Rubber Stamp certification will be distributed through a network of hotels and bottle shops, giving craft brewers greater exposure.
"Straight away there's a channel for them to push their product,'' says Matt Coorey, the hotel's general manager and one of the brains behind Rubber Stamp."
Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and Australians are very much looking for different things and I think beer is just following on from that.''
Fiona Reddaway, a partner of Bright Brewery in Victoria, is confident the fast growth of micro-breweries will continue.
"I feel like the beer industry is where the wine industry was in the early 1980s,'' she says. "Can you remember when the wine choice was just white or red?''
She adds that it is becoming less acceptable for people to drink to excess.
"So it's turned from a quantity to a quality topic.''
Bright Brewery produces a range of brews, including its raspberry lambic (rose-coloured with a creamy pink head), a hellfire amber ale (aromatic and moderately bitter) and a blowhard pale ale (an American-style beer with a citrus aroma).
Reddaway says the key to craft beers is the quality of ingredients.
"You've got to use terrific ingredients with no compromise,'' she says. "You're never going to get fabulous flavour out of ordinary ingredients.''
To facilitate ongoing growth, the sector is lobbying to bring federal excise rules on small breweries into line with small wineries, which effectively get a tax break to help them combat the industry giants.
Cearns believes Australia will follow the US craft beer market, which has been strong for at least three decades."So that gives us confidence.''
Underlining its self-assurance, Little Creatures has just commissioned another brewery for Western Australia and has plans to set up another in the Yarra Valley in Victoria. At all times, the focus will be on maintaining a consistent quality of beer and protecting the brand.
"You don't want to disappoint your drinkers,'' Cearns says. "Brand for us is everything.''
Cameron Cooper October 31, 2008
THE popularity of craft beers promises to consign to history the last vestiges of Australia's tribal drinking history.In days past, it was a brave Queenslander or West Australian who drank anything but Fourex or Swan, for example, while drinkers in other states largely stuck with home brands such as Victoria Bitter and Tooheys.
With micro-brewery numbers trebling to more than 150 in the past five years, beer drinkers' palates are becoming far more sophisticated.
One label of craft, or boutique, beers that has a strong following is Little Creatures, a Fremantle brewery in Western Australia whose pale ale received gongs such as Beer of the Year in the BBC's Good Food magazine a few years ago.
Howard Cearns, a co-founder and director of Little Creatures Brewing Co, says beer drinkers are following the lead of other beverage lovers in "trading up''.
"People have looked for better tasting coffee and better tasting wine, and beer is not unlike that,'' he says.
A significant shareholder in Little Creatures is international brewing giant Lion Nathan.
The investment demonstrates the growing clout of smaller brewers. Foster's bought another boutique beer leader, Matilda Bay Brewing Co, in the early 1990s, while Coca-Cola Amatil last year bought the Hunter region's Bluetongue, a popular NSW label.
Cearns admits micro-breweries will never be able to compete with the marketing budgets of the brewing giants, so ``the product is your advantage''. He urges patience, too, noting that the Little Creatures business model is gaining momentum after 10 years' experience in the industry.
"It's not something that happens overnight.''
Nevertheless, business research group IBISWorld is forecasting 10 per cent annual growth in the micro-brewery sector to 2013. In a national beer sector that generates about $8 billion a year in sales, the boutique brands still account for less than 10 per cent of total industry revenue.
Audrey Riddell, an IBISWorld analyst, says the most popular new brews are coming from imported beers and micro-breweries.
"This indicates that there's a strong desire for variety and a willingness to pay for it,'' she says.
While some industry mergers have occurred, Riddell says many micro-brewers are "fiercely independent'' and want to operate separately from the big brewing companies.
She notes that regional areas are popular for micro-breweries because of lower rental rates and an ability to combine brew pubs with local tourism attractions.
The unknown factor is how the present economic turmoil will affect demand for craft beers, which are often more expensive than mainstream counterparts. Riddell suggests immediate demand could slow, although she expects sector growth over the next five years.
"With decreased consumer confidence, we are expecting to see it possibly go back towards larger brewers and those micro-breweries that have gained sufficient scale to compete on a cost basis.''
One pub that has become a hangout for craft beer devotees is the Grand Central Hotel in Brisbane, which serves novel beers such as Yippy IPA, Juniper Pale Ale and Brutal Bitter.
So serious about boutique beer is the hotel that it has launched its own "brand'', the Rubber Stamp, which acts as a tick of approval for a brew. If it has the Rubber Stamp, drinkers know it has passed the test of a panel of staff and independent brewers.
Boutique brews with the Rubber Stamp certification will be distributed through a network of hotels and bottle shops, giving craft brewers greater exposure.
"Straight away there's a channel for them to push their product,'' says Matt Coorey, the hotel's general manager and one of the brains behind Rubber Stamp."
Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and Australians are very much looking for different things and I think beer is just following on from that.''
Fiona Reddaway, a partner of Bright Brewery in Victoria, is confident the fast growth of micro-breweries will continue.
"I feel like the beer industry is where the wine industry was in the early 1980s,'' she says. "Can you remember when the wine choice was just white or red?''
She adds that it is becoming less acceptable for people to drink to excess.
"So it's turned from a quantity to a quality topic.''
Bright Brewery produces a range of brews, including its raspberry lambic (rose-coloured with a creamy pink head), a hellfire amber ale (aromatic and moderately bitter) and a blowhard pale ale (an American-style beer with a citrus aroma).
Reddaway says the key to craft beers is the quality of ingredients.
"You've got to use terrific ingredients with no compromise,'' she says. "You're never going to get fabulous flavour out of ordinary ingredients.''
To facilitate ongoing growth, the sector is lobbying to bring federal excise rules on small breweries into line with small wineries, which effectively get a tax break to help them combat the industry giants.
Cearns believes Australia will follow the US craft beer market, which has been strong for at least three decades."So that gives us confidence.''
Underlining its self-assurance, Little Creatures has just commissioned another brewery for Western Australia and has plans to set up another in the Yarra Valley in Victoria. At all times, the focus will be on maintaining a consistent quality of beer and protecting the brand.
"You don't want to disappoint your drinkers,'' Cearns says. "Brand for us is everything.''
Restaurant & Catering Australia Awards for Excellence
NSW restaurants, cafes and caterers took the lion's share of awards at Monday night's Savour Australia Restaurant&Catering Australia Awards for Excellence.
And again it was Sydney's Quay restaurant that received top honours. The Circular Quay-based restaurant was named fine dining restaurant of the year, following similar awards from The Sydney Morning Herald and Gourmet Traveller earlier in the year. Says executive chef Peter Gilmore: "The Restaurant & Catering industry award tops off what has been a phenomenal year for us. We are thrilled and very humbled to have been recognised."
Meanwhile, Oscillate Wildly, in Sydney's Newtown, took the gong for best informal dining. The judging panel voted Pilu at Freshwater, near Sydney's Manly Beach, as the country's best Italian restaurant, while the award for best new restaurant also went to a Sydney establishment: Pendolino in the city centre's Strand Arcade.
Other states did get a look-in: Victoria's Lake House in Daylesford took out the best tourism restaurant award; best Indian went to Adelaide's Jasmin Indian Restaurant and best Chinese was awarded to Me Wah Restaurant in Hobart's Sandy Bay. Perth got a gong for best coffee shop-tea room for milkd, in North Perth.
The awards night also featured the launch of the industry's Green Table Australia initiative, aimed at encouraging the nation's more than 37,000 restaurants and caterers to cut their carbon emissions. www.savouraustralia.com.au; www.greentable.com.au.
And again it was Sydney's Quay restaurant that received top honours. The Circular Quay-based restaurant was named fine dining restaurant of the year, following similar awards from The Sydney Morning Herald and Gourmet Traveller earlier in the year. Says executive chef Peter Gilmore: "The Restaurant & Catering industry award tops off what has been a phenomenal year for us. We are thrilled and very humbled to have been recognised."
Meanwhile, Oscillate Wildly, in Sydney's Newtown, took the gong for best informal dining. The judging panel voted Pilu at Freshwater, near Sydney's Manly Beach, as the country's best Italian restaurant, while the award for best new restaurant also went to a Sydney establishment: Pendolino in the city centre's Strand Arcade.
Other states did get a look-in: Victoria's Lake House in Daylesford took out the best tourism restaurant award; best Indian went to Adelaide's Jasmin Indian Restaurant and best Chinese was awarded to Me Wah Restaurant in Hobart's Sandy Bay. Perth got a gong for best coffee shop-tea room for milkd, in North Perth.
The awards night also featured the launch of the industry's Green Table Australia initiative, aimed at encouraging the nation's more than 37,000 restaurants and caterers to cut their carbon emissions. www.savouraustralia.com.au; www.greentable.com.au.
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