By Deborah Jackson, editor National Liquor News
A new artisan bottle shop will open in Sydney this week and according to owners Mal Higgs and Grégoire Bertaud will be the first store in Sydney to offer both beer and wine refillable stations.
L-R: Mal Higgs, Angus Farrell, Grégoire Bertaud
The Drink Hive will be located within the recently launched foodie destination, Saporium in Rosebery, and will have a strong focus on customer engagement, seen through the introduction of its refillable beer and wine stations that will be rotated monthly.
It will launch with Young Henry's pouring at the refillable beer station and a Vermentino and a Rosé from Orange pouring at the wine station.
L-R: Grégoire Bertaud at the refillable wine station
"The Drink Hive has been conceived in a response to the growing trend of more interest and 'engagement' by consumers in all categories of the drinks business," Higgs told TheShout.
"We have identified that there is a growing number of consumers who are yearning for this engagement with the category or product and are displaying a genuine interest in them. Through a combination of careful ranging, in-store activations and theatre and our events program, we believe we can capitalise on this growing trend."
Saporium is a food and drink hub housed in a revived warehouse at The Cannery in Rosebery, Sydney.
The Drink Hive will encourage collaboration across Saporium. There will be a strong focus on events and partnerships, including a full calendar of pop-up guests at the Saturday market and masterclasses via The VIVE Cooking School, all focusing on the importance of organic and sustainable ingredients and the positive impact of using local products.
“Our aim is to have a local and sustainable approach supporting the villagers and the Saporium marketplace community," said Bertaud.