Sustainability and business success have driven Queenstown hospitality hotspot Margo's to celebrate its fourth birthday milestone.
Queenstown hospo superstar, Margo’s has celebrated its birthday in style – raising a salt-rimmed margarita to four years of business success and sustainability milestones.
Margo’s was ‘born’ in 2020, opening against all the odds in the midst of a pandemic, bringing a vibrant, fun, Mexican-inspired vibe to the Queenstown hospitality scene.
Now, the pandemic baby has grown up to become a fully-fledged hospo superstar. Over the past four years, Margos has served up over 42,000 tacos, shaken more than 110,000 margaritas and delighted customers with 1750 birthday tequila songs.
Margo’s fourth birthday comes as Future Hospitality Group celebrates 13 years of innovation and growth and a steady flow of accolades. This year, Margo’s Executive Head Chef Matt Tobin was a finalist in the New Zealand Hospitality Awards ‘Chef of the Year’ category.
Tobin started with FHG as Head Chef developing Margo’s menu but soon became a shareholder alongside co-owners Bert Haines and James Ace. He’s now co-owner of Margo’s and Odd Saint and Executive Head Chef for the seven-strong FHG portfolio of businesses.
Sustainability has also been a key focus over the past four years. In collaboration with Waste to Wilderness, 140kg of food waste is collected each week from Margo’s for composting instead of heading to landfill.
The restaurant has also also kept a lid on glass waste. Its partnership with Eco Spirits has saved 4470 glass bottles from going to landfill by replacing normal bottles with the reusable ecoTOTE system which holds up to six bottles of spirits. One tree is also planted for each cycle of an ecoTOTE through the ecoSPIRITS closed-loop network, and Margo’s now has 745 trees planted in its name.
Sustainable systems flow throughout the wider business, such as an innovative chickpea process involving three of its venues. One can of chickpeas provides aquafaba to cocktail bar Little Mez for a perfectly fluffy cocktail, the chickpeas are then used by the Margo’s kitchen team to make hummus which makes its final appearance on Little Blackwood’s signature cheeseboard.
The restaurant's mindful practice also extends to the community. Over NZD $7000 has been donated to local charities and sponsorships since it opened. Four years in, Bert and James couldn’t be more proud of their team and grateful for continued community support.
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