Reiterating its commitment to supporting local food and wine producers, International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) recently hosted the 2023 ICC Sydney NSW Wine Awards Luncheon, which saw the best winemakers from across New South Wales (NSW) awarded trophies for their exceptional wines.
ICC Sydney CEO and ASM Global (APAC) group director – convention centres, Geoff Donaghy, said: “We are delighted to celebrate our wine industry’s finest producers and achievements through this powerful platform.
“The diversity and quality of NSW produce remains some of the best in the world. In line with our Feeding Your Performance food and beverage philosophy, we are committed to contributing to the performance of our state by featuring 100 per cent NSW wine on our wine lists at ICC Sydney.”
ICC Sydney is a prolific supporter of the NSW wine industry. Since opening its doors, ICC Sydney has sold more than two million glasses of wine from the state.
The venue’s commitment to supporting local farmers and food producers started even before its opening.
“Since our pre-opening days, we decided to feed our delegates healthy meals to keep everyone awake after lunch. Feeding Your Performance started out as a nutritionist-designed menu, but we soon realised that it was also benefiting our farmers and small producers. Feeding Your Performance feeds their performance and our local economy,” said Donaghy.
Samantha Glass, director of corporate affairs, communication and sustainability, told TTGmice that qualitative research conducted with the University of Technology Sydney found that ICC Sydney has been able to give farmers “certainty of business”.
“Local farmers know that they would get to sell enough products to keep their farms going and that their invoices will be paid on time because ICC Sydney is a professional outfit. Because things are so streamlined now, farmers have more time to give back to their community instead of constantly worrying about business. Some sustainable farmers are taking time to teach their neighbours how to farm more sustainably,” shared Glass.
Donaghy pointed out that outsourcing locally also has a positive environmental impact.
ICC Sydney carefully selects its local suppliers through a sustainable questionnaire as well as through its chefs who go out to ascertain quality partners – 67 per cent of ICC Sydney’s total spend in 2023 to date has been with sustainable suppliers that are vetted accordingly.
Donaghy said: “We produce economic and social benefits. We take (supporting the community) very seriously. We do not just do it, but we also measure it and report it. We also share (what we do) with the industry and hopefully inspire them (to do the same).”
