The new partnerships bring more local producers and suppliers into the venue.
Padre Coffee is a Melbourne-founded coffee roaster, known for their specialty grade coffee. As well as selling beans, the business has local coffee shops in South Melbourne and Brunswick East, as well as outposts in Sydney and Noosa in Queensland.
“We’re proud to be working with MCEC and help them realise their vision to bring the best of Melbourne to their audience,” said said Andrew Harris, national sales manager at Padre Coffee.
“We’re excited to be working closely with them to deliver a unique coffee experience to the broad demographic that MCEC hosts.”
Vanguard Luxury Brands distributes spirits including Four Pillars Gin, which was founded in the Yarra Valley just outside Melbourne and The Gospel Whiskey, which is distilled in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick from South Australian rye.
“By partnering with suppliers like Padre Coffee and Vanguard, that share our commitments to community and sustainability we can ensure fantastic quality, sustainable produce and we know our customers and visitors will love it,” said MCEC’s head of food and beverage, Paul Kanaan.
“We have a strong philosophy of working with local Victorian and Melbourne suppliers here at MCEC and we’re proud to partner with two big names in beverages to further this commitment.”
Using local suppliers helps the venue achieve its sustainability goals and reduce its carbon footprint. In the 2022-2023 financial year, 97 per cent of the convention centre’s suppliers were based in Victoria.
With these two new suppliers on the books, MCEC can also facilitate pop-ups from Four Pillars and Padre Coffee – both icons of Melbourne and Victoria – at events being held at the centre. There was a Padre coffee installation set up in the venue during the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME) last month.
