This article originally appeared on Bars&Clubs.
We are into week five of the Government’s coronavirus shutdown and its subsequent impact on the hospitality industry and wider economy.
But this is the hospitality industry, this is an industry that attracts creative, friendly, hospitable people and enables them to flourish. We are used to seeing those talents maximised in positive times with amazing venues, concepts and in the drinks that are served.
These are different times, in just a few weeks the world has changed dramatically, but the industry’s strength — its people — are still looking at ways of being creative, of being hospitable and in particular of helping out those who need it most.
This is happening with venues changing business models to try and keep people employed and keep an industry alive, and through suppliers doing what they can to help venues, so they can help people.
The team at Paramount Liquor is the latest to step up with an initiative which aims to do something to offer help to venues.
Director, Leigh Rowe explains the company’s thinking behind the plan.
“The great thing about Australia and our community is that people do want to help others at these times,” Rowe said.
“This prompted Paramount Liquor, a family-owned and operated wholesale alcohol supplier, and Splashbox, a marketing and web digital transformation agency, to get together in search for a solution.
“Both companies were devastated to see the losses in an industry so important to our way of life and wanted to help.”
Splashbox is developing an online store to help the hospitality community, including some of their own long-standing clients. One of them, Paramount Liquor, deals directly with over 5500 hospitality and accommodation clients across the country, providing 150,000 jobs.
The concept they have come up with is called Hairydog.
Hairydog is an online store that will help the hospitality industry regain some of the financial losses of unused alcohol stock by providing the opportunity to buy it back. It will then sell and deliver it directly to the public at affordable, competitive prices.
Paramount’s Commercial Director, Nathan Miller, added: “In the spirit of mateship and community, Paramount Liquor is supporting Hairydog in this initiative. The solution will help the hospitality industry by allowing impacted venues to return millions of dollars’ worth of alcohol.
“Hospitality owners will be able to receive a credit or refund for alcohol purchased from Paramount liquor that they can no longer sell. Options will also be available for businesses sitting on alcohol purchased elsewhere.
“These hospitality businesses – restaurants, cafes, nightclubs and bars – will be able to benefit with cash flow relief and less stock. Paramount Liquor will hold the stock until it is sold to the public via this new online alcohol store.”
As a further way to help the industry Hairydog will also offer special discounts to any hospitality staff with an RSA.
In addition Hairydog, is also looking to create jobs for unemployed hospitality workers while supplying Australians with an affordable alcohol delivery service, adhering to all stringent health and safety measures during this time.
Venue owners can now head to the Hairydog website to register their interest in selling back their unused stock, and anyone interested in buying alcohol for home delivery, can also enter their details.
The website will be fully operational next month, so stay tuned for more information.
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