BETTER THAN BACON?

has not translated into common New Zealand practice. Speck can be served ‘as is’ and can also be cooked just like bacon, but with the advantage of less water and no additional nitrates.

Q: What is the current product range and variants and what makes these products stand out in the market?

A: A dry-cured manuka hot-smoked pork belly Speck (pronounced “Schpeck”) and manuka hot-smoked pork loin “Kassler” which is a perfect paleo snack food as well as fine food for meals and food platters. The product is gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, and nitrate free – treated only with salt and spices and then hot-smoked.

mouth driven consumer enquiry, and growing Farmers’ Market outlet demand for Edelweiss Speck shows that there is an awakening customer market in New Zealand for this product. Edelweiss Express Speck is also attracting a high-repeat customer base amongst European and Asian immigrants to the region – customers more familiar with meat product cured in this fashion, who rate Edelweiss Express Speck as excellent also.

Q: What consumer trend does the product support?

Q: What is your brand story?

A: Taking over the Stony River B & B in Okato, Taranaki in 2013, Staudinger realised that there was a lack of good quality cured pork product for meals at Stony River. He noted that most New Zealand bacon and other pork products are usually preserved using less healthy meat preservation methods, resulting in product which is often watery, chewy and filled with nitrates, which research is telling us are carcinogenic, especially when overcooked. The difference between bacon and Speck is that Speck can be eaten straight away, as it is hot-smoked (over 100 degrees Celsius).

This European way of eating delicious ‘pure pork’

Q: What is innovative or unique about the product?

A: The lack of similar product sold in New Zealand was quickly apparent, based on what Staudinger was seeing in the market place. Further internet research and enquiry confirmed that this was certainly unique in Taranaki, but also very rare in New Zealand. This despite long traditions of similar products in Europe and increasing awareness in USA and other markets overseas of the taste and health values of similar products.

Q: Who is the consumer and what benefit does the product bring them?

A: Customer response, followed by word-of-

A: The product is ideal for marketing to customers who seek gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free snack foods as well as high fat foods and low nitrate preserved meats. n

Q: What is the brand story?

A: The name ‘Top Notch’ expresses the company’s belief in quality and value. All products are made from the finest quality New Zealand beef, chicken and lamb which is sourced from New Zealand farms where stock is raised in the traditional New Zealand way – grass fed and paddock reared. Top Notch New Zealand meat products are provided to both the tables of New Zealanders and the world.

Q: What is the current product range and variants and what makes these products stand out in the market?