September
Gourmet grocer The Essential Ingredient falls into administration
The high-end retailer, which has three stores and a big online operation, failed to recover from a difficult trading period during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Simon Evans
- Exclusive
- Rich List
Rich Lister’s Mexican chain locks in 400th location
Sam Prince’s will open Zambrero’s 300th store on Wednesday. Its next 100 locations are locked in.
- Yolanda Redrup
‘Beautiful chaos’: Iconic Melbourne power diner owner calls time
Simon Hartley has hosted every prime minister since Gough Whitlam at his CBD restaurant Becco. But on Friday, he held the last supper.
- Gus McCubbing
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Get ready for haymakers at the ASX’s last listed pubs owner
A bid at a 10 per cent discount to asset-backing? Welcome to deals in 2024.
- Anthony Macdonald
Can sorbet sell hard seltzer? Fellr is banking on it for the summer
The local alcohol brand faces intense competition from overseas giants, including White Claw. The tie-up with hot gelato outfit Messina appears to be working.
- Carrie LaFrenz
Top Shelf’s cash woes give shareholders one hell of a hangover
With just 1.9 quarters of funding left in the bank, Street Talk understands everything is on the table.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
August
Guzman y Gomez is nearly a $4b company
The Mexican-themed fast-food chain is outstripping rivals in delivering strong same-store sales growth and closed at a record on Tuesday.
- Updated
- Simon Evans
Tax Office owed $9m in Mighty Craft collapse, debts hit $40m
The Australian Taxation Office is a major creditor to the craft beer group, which has a 25.5 per cent stake in zero carb brewer Better Beer.
- Simon Evans
Welcome to the nature positive investing movement
Institutional investors see natural capital as the next force in corporate governance, with big implications for companies growing and selling food.
- James Eyers
Food giant Mars buys Pringles maker for $54b in year’s biggest deal
The massive food conglomerate will purchase Kellanova, maker of snacks such as Pringles and Cheez-Its.
- Max Zimmerman
Starbucks ousts CEO, appoints Chipotle boss amid slowing sales
The swift change in leadership at the coffee giant comes as it grapples with weakening results in some of its biggest markets, particularly the US and China.
- Danielle Kaye and Julie Creswell
NAB is owed $12m in Billson’s Beverages collapse
The lender called McGrathNicol to “review” the ready-to-drink vodka maker four months before it collapsed. About 50 expressions of interest have been lodged.
- Simon Evans
McDonald’s hit with multi-employer bargaining push
The retail union is using Labor’s new multi-employer bargaining laws to force McDonald’s back to the negotiating table for its first collective agreement in more than a decade.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Exclusive
- Pubs
Lenders tried to sell Jon Adgemis’ pubs to Justin Hemmes’ Merivale
Merivale was shown internal financial spreadsheets by one major lender, but ultimately decided against exploring a deal, sources said.
- Primrose Riordan and Sarah Thompson
July
The economics of being your own barista in four charts
Is making your coffee at home an expensive hobby or an economically rational response to higher coffee prices?
- Daniel Arbon
The suburbs where Australians drink the most champagne
Baby boomers are big drinkers of imported bubbles, but younger consumers are driving demand for alternatives such as prosecco.
- Michael Bleby
- Analysis
- Domino's Pizza
How the Domino’s Japanese dream died
The pizza business failed to recognise that Japan’s explosive growth in lockdown was due to its convenient delivery service rather than a shift in consumer taste.
- Jessica Sier
How this retail executive found his calling in the school playground
Chad Burke is one of the 2024 BOSS Young Executives. As a teenager, he had a good business selling chocolates and chips to his fellow students.
- Sally Patten
Supplier survey suggests Coles has outperformed Woolworths all year
Ahead of financial updates from the major supermarkets next month, suppliers say Coles and Aldi are picking up market share over their rivals, small and large.
- Carrie LaFrenz
Mighty Craft collapses after calling off merger with Better Beer
The ASX-listed beverages group owns 33 per cent of the brewery, backed by The Inspired Unemployed. But it has fallen into administration, appointing Ankura.
- Simon Evans