Food & Beverages

When Kerang resident, and former Bridge production manager, Michael Douthat, listed a Coke can on eBay he never thought it would be heading back to corporate HQ. “I sold an empty Coca-Cola can, which I had with me since I was a kid.” said Michael ... “I’m interested if my note in the parcel will be responded to: It would be great to hear more about the Coca-Cola Museum...

Forget Kentucky and the Scottish highlands and the names whisky and whiskey, right here on the Darling Downs, Cambooya's Rusty Mill Distillery is bringing Whiskee to the world ... Careful not to reveal any trade secrets, business manager Nevill Fox said Whiskee is a uniquely Australian crafted spirit.

Coolamon Hotel has now reopened with a cocktail bar, glasshouse dining area and terrace after being out of action for five years. New owner Craig Patterson said the end result was worth the challenge.

A crispy meat pie or hot sausage roll smothered in Rosella tomato sauce, or a cheese platter with fruit chutney on the side are as Aussie as kangaroos and Holden cars. For 130 years, Rosella has been a beloved staple in Australian kitchens, adding a rich burst of flavour to meals and snacks.

An iconic Riverland cellar door is set to close its doors to local patrons at the end of the month. Though wetland management and operations are set to continue as normal, access to the wetlands and cellar door will be stopped after a recent decision to close the Kingston-on-Murray site.

The state’s food, wine and beverages have been showcased to international retail, food and hospitality business leaders at a special event hosted by South Australian Trade and Investment Minister Joe Szakacs in Japan earlier this week.

Luke Terramadre. How does Italy’s elegant aperitivo culture compares to Australia’s casual pub drinks. When the clock strikes five, both Italians and Australians know it’s time to unwind, but how they do it couldn’t be more different.

One of the Riverland's most recognisable distillers has marked its 100th season by releasing a new piece of Australian spirit "history". Renmark's St Agnes Distillery – operated by Angove Family winemakers – last week unveiled the St Agnes XXO 50 Year Old Exceptional Reserve brandy, the oldest bottled spirit ever produced in Australia.

Grain Producers Australia (GPA) has welcomed news about malting barley market diversification and growth opportunities in Australian export trade into Latin America. An article ... highlighted recent market diversification and growth activity, with benefits for Australian grain producers and broader industry, while boosting national economic prosperity.

Rachel Hagan. With high-cost-of-living pressures and increasingly demanding lifestyles, eating healthy on a budget can be hard to prioritise, but chef Jo Minks says that, once you know how to use ingredients effectively, anyone can do it ... the SYP Community Hub delivered three workshops on creating low-cost and healthy food ideas.

Inflation ticked higher across the majority of food categories the latest quarterly Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, has shown. On a year-on-year basis, food and beverage inflation rose 3.2 per cent in the March 2025 quarter data...

Peter Christen. While it might sound like a technical process (and sometimes it is), blending wine is also deeply creative, it’s where intuition, experience and a touch of gut instinct meet to craft something that’s more than the sum of its parts. At Panacea Estate, blending is one of my favourite parts of winemaking.

The oldest town in the Riverina’s only pub has new owners as former Koondrook residents Joel and Sandra Turvey take the reins on the iconic Tattersall Hotel ... “I think we were both looking for a new challenge, and what better way than to tackle a great Aussie pub like the Tatts.”

Growing demand for high-quality red meat products in the Middle East is opening up this dynamic growth market to Australian exporters. At Gulfood 2025 – the Middle East’s biggest food industry event – 35 Australian red meat producers built new connections with buyers and distributers in the region.

The small profits achieved by the Upper Murray Community Bakery in January and February have been offset by a decrease in custom caused by the streetscape project. "The bakery is currently operating at deficit of approximately $4000 per week, which is completely unsustainable,"...

You’d be nuts not to get excited about the Highland cows at Peta Maloney’s property Nuts End at Hogarth Range ... Peta has the cattle as an addition to her main farm business of macadamias.

Jason Perrin. I refer to Andrew Weeks’ article in last week’s Murray Pioneer ... The article is negative, does a disservice to growers, and has glaring inaccuracies, and unless corrected, adds confusion to things we are lobbying for on behalf of growers.

Andrew Weeks. I write in response to the commentary about the recent Senate Committee hearing, and the impact that a mandatory code for winegrape purchases will have on the Riverland wine sector. It is not surprising there is a strong voice among growers calling for a mandatory code ... However, it is misleading to suggest that installing a mandatory code of conduct will be the answer to all problems, nor is it guaranteed to only have positive impacts.

The Donald Bakery left the 2025 Victorian Baking Show, hosted in Bendigo, with a tray full of awards. The awards were handed out earlier this month and Donald was once again firmly placed on the map thanks to the incredible efforts of the team at the Donald Bakery.

Rachel Hagan. Businesses across Yorke Peninsula went dark and many closed their doors on Friday, March 14, after the peninsula was hit with a complete power and phone outage. However, some managed to stay open with the use of back-up generators and some out-of-the-box thinking.

Australia’s food market appears to be "normalising" after a "chaotic" five-year period – impacted by factors including Covid, supply chain disruptions and inflation – Rabobank says in a newly-released report.