Endeavour Drinks is adding almost 2000 new products to its online and bricks and mortar stores to support suppliers who are struggling due to COVID-19 restrictions. More than 200 new suppliers – mainly small producers – have been on-boarded in the last two weeks alone.
“We have been reaching out and continue to work closely with producers and industry bodies to see how we can provide support to suppliers in these difficult times,” said Steve Donohue, Managing Director of Endeavour Drinks.
“Our success as a business relies on the outstanding products that producers around the country create and supply us with, and it’s important that we do as much as we can to support them during this time of crisis.”
Many of these products from new suppliers are being added to Dan Murphy’s Direct from Supplier, an online marketplace, and hundreds of new product lines are being fast-tracked in the on-boarding process and added to local BWS and Dan Murphy’s bricks and mortar stores.
The Independent Brewers Association (IBA) reports independent brewers around the country have suffered a 69% drop on sales because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“The efforts of Endeavour Drinks is paramount for the survival of our industry, especially for our regional members that rely heavily on tourism for their taprooms. The more opportunities we have to get indie beer to Aussie beer drinkers, the better chance we have to recover from this crisis,” said IBA Chair Pete Philip.
Tony Battaglene, Chief Executive of Australian Grape & Wine, has also welcomed the increased access to retail sales provided by Endeavour Drinks for new suppliers.
“With many small wine producers struggling to find a route to market due to huge reductions in cellar door and on-premise sales, these initiatives have provided a survival lifeline for a number of businesses,” Battaglene said.
To allow faster payment to its small suppliers Endeavour Drinks, which includes retailers BWS, Dan Murphy’s, Cellarmasters, Jimmy Brings and Langton’s, recently changed its payment policy temporarily to 14 day payment terms.
According to Sam Reid, President of Cider Australia and the owner of cider brand Willie Smiths in Tasmania, the payment terms have been a welcome initiative by its members.
“We’ve been excited to see how quickly Endeavour Drinks has responded to the cash flow challenges of our members by reducing trading terms to 14 days which has provided vital liquidity to enable our members to keep trading and focus on the apple harvest for this year,” Reid said.
Australian Distillers Association President and Four Pillars Gin co-founder Stuart Gregor added: “The Australian Distilling industry is doing it pretty tough right now with no distillery doors open, no bars, pubs or clubs to sell to and no export markets to explore. The fact that Endeavour Drinks is committing to buying more locally made spirits and declaring they will pay within 14 days of invoice is frankly, terrific news.”
