Speakeasy Group

What Speakeasy Group does

The Speakeasy Group Pty Ltd is a privately held Australian boutique hospitality group founded in February 2010 by co-owners Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson, with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company. The group operates eight bars and restaurants across Melbourne, Sydney, and Parramatta following the December 2024 closure of Boilermaker House. The venue portfolio spans five distinct concepts: prohibition-era speakeasy bars (Eau-de-Vie Melbourne opened 2012 and Sydney reopened 2023), Viking-inspired restaurants (Mjølner Sydney 2017 and Melbourne 2018, each featuring 600+ whiskies and themed feasting experiences), Art Deco cocktail and champagne bars (Nick & Nora's Melbourne 2020 and Parramatta at V by Crown/SKYE Suites), an oyster and cocktail bar (Pearl Diver Melbourne 2021), and a modern Australian fine dining restaurant (The Sanderson Sydney 2023, capacity 90). Beyond physical venues, the group owns two complementary businesses: ANANAS, an internationally used online training, recruitment, onboarding, and staff management platform launched in 2018 that has onboarded many of Australia's largest hospitality groups; and Viking Mode, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business selling Norse-inspired apparel, drinking horns, glassware, homewares, jewellery, knives, and beard care. The group also offers third-party hospitality consultancy services and ticketed whisky tour experiences.

The Speakeasy Group's revenue model is diversified across seven streams: in-venue food and beverage sales across eight venues, corporate and private event bookings (10-140 guests) routed through Tripleseat, gift voucher sales via the Giver platform (with promotional offers such as 20% bonus value on A$100+ purchases), ANANAS B2B subscriptions, Viking Mode e-commerce product sales, hospitality consultancy (including the Continental Sorrento engagement with Chef Scott Pickett), and ticketed whisky experiences (A$120 per person self-guided, A$370 per group hosted discovery across Pearl Diver, Nick & Nora's, and Eau-de-Vie). Pricing is predominantly transaction-based pay-as-you-go, with venue-specific happy-hour promotions (A$2 oysters at Pearl Diver, A$5 bubbles at Nick & Nora's Parramatta) and event-driven incentives including A$150 group vouchers for EOFY bookings with minimum 30 guests. The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer reservations via SevenRooms, event-driven activations, premium spirits brand partnerships (Chivas Regal for the Melbourne Walking Whisky Circuit March-August 2026, The Glenlivet for the Melbourne Walking Whisky Tour), and an earned media presence across TimeOut, Broadsheet, Concrete Playground, The Age, and Sydney Morning Herald.

The customer base spans affluent individuals and couples seeking premium experiences, corporate groups booking events and EOFY celebrations, tourists and experience seekers on curated whisky tours, celebration-seekers for milestone occasions, and B2B hospitality businesses using ANANAS for staff training. The group's underlying technology stack integrates SevenRooms (reservation management), Tripleseat (event booking), Giver (digital vouchers), Tanda (HR/payroll), vSure (right-to-work checks), Google Analytics, and Meta/Google Ads pixels. Founders maintain direct operational involvement and operate a separate Behind Bars consultancy, with formal group management including a Head of Events & Reservations, Brand Development Manager, venue managers per location, and a Head Batcher overseeing cocktail preparation. The company is domiciled in Victoria, Australia as a private limited company with its primary headquarters in Melbourne CBD.

Name

Speakeasy Group

Legal name

The Speakeasy Group Pty Ltd

Website

https://speakeasygroup.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Speakeasy Group is an Australian privately held boutique hospitality collective operating eight premium bars and restaurants across Melbourne and Sydney, complemented by the ANANAS training platform, Viking Mode e-commerce business, hospitality consultancy services, and signature multi-venue whisky tour experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Bars and Restaurants

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cocktail Bars & Speakeasies (THAFAEAE)

Keywords

• Boutique hospitality venues
• Premium cocktail bars
• Hospitality staff training
• Event management services
• Specialty whisky experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue from nine owned bar and restaurant venues including Eau-De-Vie (Sydney & Melbourne), Nick & Nora's (Melbourne & Parramatta), Mjølner (Sydney & Melbourne), Pearl Diver, and The Sanderson. Venues offer theatrical cocktail experiences, fine dining, and premium beverage service.
2. Event Bookings and Private Functions: Revenue from hosting private events ranging from intimate gatherings of 10 to celebrations of up to 140 guests. The group offers dedicated event coordinators, flexible spaces, and bespoke catering for corporate events, celebrations, and special occasions.
3. Gift Voucher Sales: Digital and physical gift vouchers sold across all venues through the Giver platform. Promotional offers such as 20% bonus value on vouchers $100+ drive sales.
4. ANANAS Training Platform: B2B training, recruitment, onboarding and staff management solution for the hospitality industry. Provides learning resources for cocktail history, beer wine & spirit production and service skills. On-boarded many of Australia's largest hospitality groups since 2018.
5. Viking Mode E-commerce: Online lifestyle shop selling Norse-inspired products including apparel, books, drinking horns, glassware, homewares, jewellery, knives, and beard care. Supplies both Mjølner venues and consumers through e-commerce.
6. Consultancy Services: Hospitality consultancy services from directors Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson covering menu creation, brand strategy, staff training, procedure implementation, costing & financial reporting. Also includes partnership with Scott Pickett for The Continental Sorrento project.
7. Melbourne Walking Whisky Tour: Ticketed whisky experience at $120 per person for self-guided tour or $370 per group for hosted discovery. Includes whisky cocktails, 15ml nips, gourmet snacks, and a bespoke passport across three venues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Speakeasy Group operates nine premium bar and restaurant venues across Australia (Melbourne, Sydney, Parramatta) including Eau-De-Vie, Nick & Nora's, Mjølner, Pearl Diver, and The Sanderson. Beyond its venues, the group operates the ANANAS hospitality training and staff management platform, a Viking Mode Norse-inspired e-commerce retail shop, corporate event services, hospitality consultancy, and signature whisky walking tours.

Product overview

Speakeasy Group is a high-end boutique hospitality collective comprising nine bars and restaurants across Australia, an internationally-used online training and staff management platform (Ananas), and a Norse-inspired e-commerce business (Viking Mode). The portfolio spans cocktail bars (Eau-de-Vie, Nick & Nora's), Viking-themed restaurants (Mjølner), oyster and cocktail venues (Pearl Diver), and fine dining (The Sanderson). Beyond physical venues, the group offers whisky walking tours, corporate event services, and hospitality consultancy. The venues are primarily located in Melbourne and Sydney CBDs, with Nick & Nora's also in Parramatta.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eau-de-Vie Melbourne Intimate 1920s prohibition-style speakeasy bar in Melbourne's Flinders Lane precinct, renowned for cocktail innovation, spirits expertise, and whisky masterclasses.
• Eau-de-Vie Sydney Jazz-infused speakeasy in Sydney CBD featuring classic cocktails, rare whisky collection, and bottle lockers for spirit storage.
• Mjølner Sydney Viking-inspired restaurant with cult following featuring meat-forward menu, extensive whisky collection, private booths, and theatrical Feasting Room experiences.
• Mjølner Melbourne Luxe Viking and Norse-inspired restaurant in Melbourne CBD with contemporary Scandinavian design, modern and traditional cooking techniques, 600+ whiskies, and custom cocktails across two levels.
• Nick & Nora's Melbourne Cocktail and champagne bar bringing golden era of post-prohibition soirees to modern day, featuring 11-meter back bar with 900 spirits and 50+ champagnes.
• Nick & Nora's Parramatta Sky-high cocktail and champagne bar on 26th floor of SKYE Suites Parramatta with art deco flourishes, panoramic city views, The Boardroom, Champagne Parlour, and Terrace.
• Pearl Diver Relaxed cocktail and oyster bar in Melbourne CBD featuring 100 seats, customizable menus, oyster preparations (natural, dressed, cooked), and specialty cocktails including build-your-own martinis.
• The Sanderson Modern Australian restaurant celebrating quality produce with creativity and nostalgia, offering à la carte and special occasion menus with capacity for up to 90 guests.
• ANANAS Training Platform Online training, recruitment, onboarding and staff management platform for hospitality industry, providing world-class learning resources including cocktail history, beverage production, and service skills. On-boarded many of Australia's largest and most prominent hospitality groups since launch in 2018.
• Viking Mode Online lifestyle shop and community for modern-day Vikings selling custom Norse-inspired goods including apparel, books, drinking horns, glassware, homewares, jewellery, knives, and beard care products.
• Melbourne Walking Whisky Circuit Whisky walking tour partnership with Chivas Regal through Melbourne's three iconic venues (Pearl Diver, Nick & Nora's, Eau-De-Vie) featuring whisky cocktails, 15ml nips, and gourmet snacks.
• Hospitality Consultancy (Behind Bars) Consultancy services from directors Sven Almenning and Greg Sanderson covering menu creation, brand strategy, staff training, procedure implementation, costing, and financial reporting, leveraging 40+ years of combined hospitality industry experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple venues consistently recognized in industry awards including Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards, Australian Wine List of the Year, and TimeOut best bars lists
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and major.

• Chivas RegalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Partnership with Chivas Regal (official Ferrari Team partner) for the Melbourne Walking Whisky Circuit from March to August 2026. The circuit visits three iconic venues (Pearl Diver, Nick & Nora's, Eau-De-Vie) where guests enjoy Chivas Regal whisky cocktails, 15ml nips, and paired snacks.
• The GlenlivetcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with The Glenlivet for the Melbourne Walking Whisky Tour. Guests enjoy Glenlivet whisky cocktails, 15ml nips of premium Glenlivet whisky, and gourmet snacks across three venues.
• SevenRoomscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Reservation management platform integrated across all Speakeasy Group venues for booking management, customer relationship management, and operational coordination.
• TandasupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Time and attendance/payroll software system adopted across Speakeasy Group venues for staff shift tracking, timekeeping, and weekly payroll processing.
• The Continental SorrentomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Speakeasy Group appointed to consult on the design and delivery of drinks offering across the hotel, in partnership with Chef Scott Pickett and Publican Craig Shearer. The venue underwent multimillion-dollar renovation opening in 2022.
• Scott PickettmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Chef partnering with Speakeasy Group on The Continental Sorrento project, with Speakeasy Group providing beverage consultancy services for the venue.
• GivercoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital gift voucher platform (apps.giverapp.net) used for selling and redeeming gift vouchers across all Speakeasy Group venues, with promotional bonus value campaigns.
• TripleseatcoreTechnology or IntegrationEvent booking and management platform for corporate events and private function enquiries across Speakeasy Group venues, with dedicated event coordinator integration.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Solotel: Sydney-based hospitality group operating a portfolio of premium pubs, bars and restaurants. Comparable as an Australian multi-venue operator with overlapping premium positioning and corporate-event capabilities.
• Black Pearl (Melbourne): Long-standing Melbourne cocktail bar and event venue. Comparable as a Melbourne-based premium cocktail bar competing for the same affluent nightlife and corporate-event customers as Eau-de-Vie and Nick & Nora's.
• Applejack Hospitality: Australian hospitality group operating multiple bars and restaurants (including Soho House Sydney venues and rooftop bars). Comparable as an Australian multi-venue operator with a premium, design-led positioning and a similar Sydney-focused footprint.
• The Point Group (NSW): Australian hospitality group operating a portfolio of premium bars, restaurants, and function venues. Comparable as an Australian multi-venue premium hospitality operator with similar brand-led venue concepts.
• House of Pocket: Australian hospitality collective running themed cocktail bars and restaurants. Comparable as a multi-concept Australian bar and restaurant operator with a strong focus on distinctive venue identities and cocktail-led programming.
• Merivale: Justin Hemmes' Sydney-headquartered hospitality group operating a portfolio of premium bars, restaurants, hotels and event venues across Australia. Comparable as a large multi-concept Australian boutique hospitality operator competing for the same premium consumer and corporate-event dollars.

Broad incumbents

• Rockpool Dining Group: Neil Perry-founded Australian hospitality group encompassing high-end fine dining (Rockpool), casual dining and event venues. Comparable as a broader, more established Australian premium hospitality operator with significant scale and brand recognition.
• American Bar at The Savoy: Historic London cocktail bar consistently ranked among the World's 50 Best Bars. Comparable as an iconic, award-tier cocktail bar destination with a similar premium positioning to Eau-de-Vie and Nick & Nora's.

Emerging players

• Typsy: Online hospitality training and professional development platform serving bars, restaurants and hotels globally. Comparable to Speakeasy Group's ANANAS subsidiary as a B2B SaaS-style training platform targeting the hospitality workforce.
• The Dead Rabbit: Award-winning prohibition-era speakeasy and taproom in New York City. Comparable as a globally recognised cocktail speakeasy operating in the same premium, theatrically-themed cocktail space as Eau-de-Vie.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/speakeasy-group

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Speakeasy Group