Small wine innovation proving a big success

Recent wine innovation Poco Vino is proving a success for wine producer Australian Vintage. 

The 175ml bottles have been in market for eight months and are now available in more than 8,000 stores in nine countries, selling the equivalent of 12,000 bottles a day, the company said in a statement. 

The current Poco Vino range of six still wines will more than double in financial year 2027 with the launch of a full sparkling portfolio. Mmoscato, prosecco and a range of flavoured spritzes will add another eight SKU’s to the core portfolio. 

There are also plans for the launch of a premium Poco Vino range to be called ‘Atlas Series’ in travel retail stores around the world. This aims to take the brand into premium wine segment at $25 recommended retail price. 

The company says: "These additions and new market launches will ensure the continued momentum and success of Poco Vino as the sales will exceed $20 million in annualised run rate into FY27."

Poco Vino "offers premium quality, varietally correct wine in a sleek, single-serve bottle made for modern life".

See https://avlwines.com.au/

Meet New Zealand's new gourmet alpine adventure

Flush with cash? How about "an extraordinary new luxury culinary experience set deep within New Zealand's Southern Alps"?

ROKI Collection Queenstown has just launched Rees Valley by ROKI, which it says offers guests an immersive alpine dining journey accessible only by private helicopter.

Located in the remote Rees Valley near Mount Aspiring National Park, Rees Valley by ROKI is a secluded forest sanctuary where "wilderness, refined design and world-class cuisine converge", the media release says.

The experience invites guests to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with nature through exceptional food, warm hospitality and dramatic landscapes.

“Rees Valley by ROKI is about creating a sense of stillness and awe in one of New Zealand's most extraordinary natural environments,” said Stephen McAteer, general manager of ROKI Collection Queenstown.

“This is not simply lunch in the mountains. It is a deeply immersive experience where guests arrive by helicopter into an undisclosed alpine location and are completely transported by the landscape, cuisine and atmosphere.”

The experience begins with transfers from Queenstown, followed by a scenic helicopter flight into the Rees Valley.

Guests are welcomed with Champagne (pity, as New Zealand has some outstanding sparkling wines) on arrival before settling into a forest sanctuary with crackling fireplaces, sophisticated interiors by acclaimed New Zealand designer Virginia Fisher, and panoramic alpine surroundings.

At the heart of the experience is a gourmet New Zealand forest lunch created by culinary director Paul Froggatt and his team.

Froggatt, known for his produce-driven approach to refined modern cuisine, crafts menus inspired by New Zealand's seasons, landscapes and local ingredients.

It is billed as an all-weather experience - but I wouldn't get in a helicopter during a snow storm. 

Check out https://roki-collection.com/dine/rees-valley-by-roki/

Franchising pays dividends for global hotel giant Accor

Hotel giant Accor has surpassed 150 franchise hotels across Australia and New Zealand, underlining its position as the largest and fastest-growing hotel franchise network in the Pacific region.

The milestone coincided with the annual Accor Pacific Franchise Conference taking place in Sydney, bringing together more than 270 franchise partners, hotel owners, industry leaders and Accor executives.

Over the past decade, Accor's Pacific franchise network has experienced significant expansion, particularly across regional and suburban markets, supported by growing owner appetite for globally recognised brands, strong distribution capability, loyalty-driven demand and operational efficiencies delivered through scale, the hotel group said in a media release.

Chief Franchise Officer for Premium, Midscale, and Economy, Leire Leoz, said the Pacific region has emerged as a strong growth market for franchising.

“Franchising is playing an increasingly important role in Accor's global growth strategy, and the Pacific region is a strong example of that momentum in action," she said.

"We continue to see strong interest from hotel owners seeking flexible operating models that allow them to retain the individuality of their assets while benefiting from the strength, scale and support of a global hospitality leader.”

Accor's franchise-forward strategy is a key driver of the group's long-term asset-light growth model, supporting expansion and strengthening owner partnerships across the Pacific.

Accor Chief Operating Officer in the Pacific region, Adrian Williams, said strong owner partnerships continue to underpin the growth of the franchise network.

“Our franchise network today represents a highly collaborative, performance-driven ecosystem built around owner success," he said.

"We continue to see strong demand from hotel owners who want access to Accor's powerful loyalty, sales and distribution platforms, while retaining the flexibility to run their hotels in a way that reflects their local character and identity. Importantly, many of our existing franchise partners continue to grow with us, with around half now owning multiple hotels within the network.

“At the same time, managed hotels remain strategically important to our long-term growth strategy across the Pacific. Our focus is on providing owners with the solutions that best suit their asset, market and long-term objectives.”

The Group will soon introduce its greet brand to the Pacific for the first time - another hotel brand in an already busy portfolio.

Accor currently operates more than 420 hotels across the Pacific region under brands including Sofitel, MGallery, Pullman, Mövenpick, Grand Mercure, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Novotel, Mercure, TRIBE, and ibis.

Image: The Sebel Yarrawonga Silverwoods. Supplied.

New beginnings for Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays

After sitting neglected and unloved for 15 years, Lindeman Island in the Whitsundays is to reopen under a new resort brand operated by Marriott International.

Marriott has signed an agreement with Singaporean-based real estate company Well Smart Group to bring Le Méridien to Lindeman Island - marking Marriott International’s entry into the Whitsundays market.

The resort closed in 2012 after Cyclone Yasi and in 2023 was acquired by Well Smart, which is currently undertaking a $60 million renovation.

Expected to open in late 2027, Le Méridien Lindeman Island Resort & Spa will occupy a 70-hectare parcel of land with wide private beach frontage on Lindeman Island - one of 74 islands in Queensland’s Whitsunday Passage on the Great Barrier Reef.

Lindeman Island - once home to Australia's first Club Med resort - is located only a 20-minute boat journey from Hamilton Island Airport.

The renovated resort is expected to feature 200 premium guest rooms and nine suites, two restaurants, lobby lounge and bar, function space, resort pool, fitness centre, Explore Spa by Le Méridien, tennis courts, kids club, and a recreational activities centre offering water sports, along with an archery range and indoor golf facilities.

Le Méridien Lindeman Island Resort & Spa will join Le Méridien Melbourne as the second Le Méridien-branded property in Australia and will be part of the brand’s global portfolio of more than 120 hotels and resorts.

The resort will be operated by La Vie Hotels & Resorts, marking Marriott’s first project with the independent hotel management company.



“Le Méridien Lindeman Island Resort & Spa is expected to be Marriott International’s first in Queensland’s iconic Whitsunday Islands," said Richard Crawford, Marriott International’s vice president for hotel development, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific.

"The resort will join our existing high-performing Queensland assets, located in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Port Douglas.

"Whilst the Whitsunday Islands has been a much-loved destination for Australian travellers since the 1980s, visitation from international markets has been inhibited by a limited offering of international branded resorts.

"We are excited about the potential for Marriott’s leading distribution platforms and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, which now has nearly 283 million members, to elevate the global profile and appeal of this remarkable destination."

See www.lemeridien.com.

Endeavour to slash and burn in dash for cash

What happens when you put people who know nothing about wine in charge of wine businesses?

Nothing good for wine lovers.

Star Australian wine producers Oakridge, Chapel Hill and Josef Chromy are all set to be sold after new Endeavour Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka - who knows a lot about aviation - announced plans to sell most of the company's vineyard and winery assets.

Endeavour will target $300 million in savings as Hrdlicka, formerly in charge of Virgin Australia, launches a turnaround plan to lift the struggling giant’s business profitability.

The changes were the first major announcement from Hrdlicka, who started in the role in January.

Endeavour is the largest liquor retailer in Australia, with brands that include Dan Murphy’s and BWS chains.

The plan appears to be to cut back on premium products and concentrate on bulk.

Yarra Valley winery Oakridge, under winemaker David Bicknell, has been one of Australia's best premium producers for two decades. Chapel Hill in McLaren Vale is a historic producer of top-notch wines led by talented Michael Fragos.

The company’s winery operations will be cut from seven sites to three. Endeavour will retain Cape Mentelle in Margaret River, Isabel Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand, and bulk production factory Dorrien Estate in the Barossa.

Hrdlicka said she remained committed to the Pinnacle Drinks business, which offers distribution channels and private-label wine brands, saying it was generating strong returns.

Hopefully the star brands find sympathetic owners focused on quality so Endeavour can concentrate on bulk labels and the bottom line. The decision reflects an apparent 'quantity over quality' mentality.   

Tribute to Springsteen: New edifice is born to run

Fans of Bruce Springsteen will want to note that the new Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music at Monmouth University opens next month.

The Springsteen Center will be officially inaugurated on June 13 on the college campus in New Jersey. 

The 30,000-square-foot structure is largely inspired by Springsteen's music and includes a 240-seat theatre for intimate performances.

The Center promises to "preserve the legacy of Bruce Springsteen and celebrates the history of American music and its diversity of artists and genres". 

As the home of the Bruce Springsteen Archives, the Center serves as the official repository for materials related to Springsteen and the E Street Band, including photographs, historic memorabilia, and oral histories. 

The Center also explores American music more broadly by producing exhibitions, concerts, and educational programming that interprets and honours the cultural impact of American music past, present, and future.

The collection consists of thousands of rare photographs, documents, recordings, artefacts, and more related primarily to Springsteen and The E Street Band.

It stands just a short walk from the New Jersey shore where Springsteen wrote Born to Run.

Robert Santelli, the centre’s founding executive director, said the building places Springsteen within the wider story of American music rather than treating him in isolation. 

Recalling the moment he first put the proposal to the musician, Santelli said Springsteen told him he would prefer to be seen as a chapter in that ongoing story.

See https://springsteencenter.org/