Vanguard Luxury Brands has unveiled its new Drinking Summer program, designed to help venues across Australia maximize their potential during the summer months and festive season. This initiative, launched earlier this week, offers curated cocktail menus, expert guidance, and innovative service solutions.
The program features a collaboration with Vanguard’s expert panel, which includes renowned figures such as Nick Tesar from Four Pillars, Jason Crawley of Crawley’s Syrups, Evan Stroeve from Rhubi Mistelle, and Mitch Townsend of Flor de Caña. Together, they have crafted 22 cocktails that reflect the season’s flavor trends.
In addition to the cocktail menu, Vanguard has introduced cocktails on tap, providing venues with a straightforward solution for successful summer menus. These options emphasize on-point flavors, quality products, and ease of preparation for bar staff of all experience levels.
Michael Cox, Vanguard’s Head of Sales, stated, “We’ve taken a fresh approach this summer by combining the flavor and marketing expertise of Four Pillars with Vanguard’s brand portfolio and extensive trade relationships, creating a cocktail program that simplifies serving and selling drinks for venues.”
Key flavor trends identified by the expert panel include tropical notes, particularly coconut, pineapple, passionfruit, and yuzu. Spicy margaritas are expected to remain a favorite, while themes of nostalgia and escapism will permeate many offerings. The focus is on fresh, local, and high-quality ingredients.
Nick Tesar, Creative Drinks Director at Four Pillars and co-founder of Marionette Liqueurs, commented, “Cocktails are all about great flavor, and the brands we are collaborating with deliver just that. The cocktails we’ve developed are diverse in ingredients and spirits, varying in complexity to suit different venue needs.”
The cocktails on tap allow venues to serve premium drinks quickly without sacrificing quality or creativity. “It takes just 20 seconds to pour and garnish our tapped cocktails, making it accessible for anyone. High-volume venues can serve 180 cocktails per hour while maintaining a premium price point due to the quality of brands and ingredients,” added Cox.
This summer, Vanguard’s on-tap offerings include four cocktails: Yuzu & Peach Gin Spritz, Casa Orendain Spicy Pineapple Margarita, Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Spritz, and Broken Bean Espresso Martini.
The Drinking Summer program addresses several challenges faced by venues, including staff shortages and marketing budget constraints. It includes trend-driven cocktail menus, training and mentorship from experts, as well as glassware, signage, and visually appealing promotional materials to inspire consumers and help venues increase sales of high-margin cocktails.
Moreover, Vanguard is providing participating venues the chance to win $32,000 in cash prizes. The more cocktails they list and promote, the higher their chances of winning.
Vanguard encourages venues to participate in the Drinking Summer program and become part of this season’s hottest cocktail movement by implementing a curated cocktail menu or cocktails on tap from October through February. For further details or to sign up for the program, venues can contact their Vanguard Luxury Brands representative.
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