A new initiative from a trio of wine industry professionals will see curated local wines delivered to Australian consumers with a purpose: the profits raise will provide support hospitality workers.
Wine Aid co-founders Connor Sainsbury-Canham, Dan Simmons and Andrew Jamieson want to foster a sense of community while offering a helping hand to those in need.
The business will distribute mystery packs of six or twelve wines, with $10 from each six pack and $20 from each twelve pack being donated to hospitality workers. Hitting two birds with one stone, the packs will champion Australian producers.
The list will change monthly, with the current iteration including drops such as 2019 MacForbes Chardonnay, 2019 Jilly Wine Co. White Wolf of Cumbria Rose and 2019 Balmy Nights Sangiovese.
A six pack retails for $150, a twelve pack for $295.
“The hospitality industry has been very kind to us throughout our careers, from working in restaurants, to now giving us the opportunity to share our passion in wine,” says Simmons.“Our shared goal is ‘to support those that serve us’ in a time of crisis.”
Keen wine buyers can order a pack through partnering restaurants and retailers via email or with a phone call. So far, those venues include Annata (Crows Nest), Arthur (Surry Hills), Native Drop (Bondi), Prince of York and Oak Barrel (Sydney CBD) and Winona Wine (Manly). It’s hoped more local businesses and restaurants will jump on board.
Funds raised will go towards meals for hospitality workers. The Wine Aid team will announce which restaurants will be providing meals each week via an Instagram announcement. Meals can then be booked directly through the restaurants Instagram page.
“Hospitality is in a time of need, so anything people can do to help they should be,” says Sainsbury-Canham.“Whenever there is a crisis in Australia, the hospitality industry is the first to jump in and lend a helping hand, so now it’s our turn to return the favour.
“While we have created Wine Aid to support the struggling hospitality industry, we hope that in the future Wine Aid can be used as a charitable foundation to support any unfolding future crises.”