A new, innovative cocktail company has hit the spot in the midst of a struggling hospitality sector.
Award-winning local cocktail catering company, Black Pineapple, has officially released a new line of ready-to-make trade cocktails to assist with trade and staff shortages crippling the industry.
Freshly pre-batched and available in various sizes, Black Pineapple’s range includes popular beverages such as Espresso Martini, Spiced Maple Whiskey Sour Peach, Papaya Mojito and Italian Rhubarb Spritz.
Black Pineapple founder, Frankie Walker said that he is confident the market is ready for Black Pineapple and that it will make a difference to the resilience of New Zealand’s hospitality sector in its current state.
“Enabling establishments to continue to offer customers an exciting range of perfectly crafted cocktails, despite mixologist and bartender staffing shortages,” said Walker.
“This is an innovation that will help speed up service, improve quality consistency, reduce waste and increase profits for events and hospitality venues and operators.”
The trade cocktails have been designed to compensate for the shortage of bar staff and to ensure that New Zealand’s world-class quality cocktail culture is not damaged by the declining figures.
Walker has been in the drinks and beverages business for more than two decades, and founded Black Pineapple in 2016, specialising in at-home cocktail kits and masterclasses, as well as proving to be a ‘covid pivot’ success story.
Cocktail events and ‘make-at-home’ kits have seen revenue growth of more than 200 percent year on year from New Zealand consumers.
Spark Arena corporate events spokesperson, Sam Kennedy said that Black Pineapple has been a solution to its ever-changing staffing situation.
“To be able to manage a cocktail menu in our smaller Arena spaces, and serve a bunch of cocktails all at the same time, means our clients love the perfectly balanced cocktails, and our team finds them really easy to dispense, shake, pour and garnish.”
