The Humble Toastie

Let’s take a look at some of the finalists from last year’s competition, which featured some truly mouth-watering creations from all corners of New Zealand. In Auckland, Archie Café’s Pepper Pig toastie featured hot pork, a double cheese blend, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, mustard, and sriracha on toasted sourdough.

The humble toastie has undergone a renaissance in recent years, with cafes and restaurants across New Zealand putting their own spin on this classic comfort food. Last year, the Great NZ Toastie Takeover celebrated the country’s top toasties, with more than 180 entries and a whopping 140,000 toasties served up over the duration of the search. The hotly contested title of the country’s top toastie was won by chef Rich Johns from Rotorua’s Okere Falls Store and Craft Beer Garden.

Meanwhile, Wynyard Pavilion’s Low ‘n Slow included low and slow smoked wagyu brisket, Massimo’s mozzarella, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, truffle aioli, and Old Yella habanero mustard.

In the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Coromandel, and Rotorua region, The Public Office’s Smoky Pork & Pickle toastie included ciderbraised pork, smoky wood sauce, melted gouda, and McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, topped with crispy fried pickles. The winning toastie from Okere Falls Store was called Get Smoked, Pickled + Toasted and featured house-smoked, beer-brined brisket, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, hop-salted mozzarella, smoked cheddar, watercress, and horseradish on Bread Asylum X Lumberjack Brewing spent grain sourdough, with pickle brine sour

McClure’s Bread & Butter Pickles, and Best Burgers Special Sauce on house potato bread.

Moving on to the Wellington region, Brew Union in Palmerston North created the Pork & Rye toastie, which included pickled pork, jalapeno, date and smoked gouda cheese sauce, American mustard mayo, and McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles on rye bread. The Offering in Greytown’s Beef

Café in Nelson put together a Toasted Reuben featuring pastrami, Swiss cheese, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, sauerkraut, and a secret sauce. Meanwhile, BEERS in Christchurch created the Lamb Margera with smoked lamb shoulder, Swiss cheese, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, kimchi, and onion rings on sourdough.

The Lower South Island had three finalists, cream and a beer gravy dipping bowl.

In the central North Island, Toastie Ohakune’s Owen’s Missus, Who Takes No SCHMACK featured corned beef, pickled carrots, Pepper & Me ‘Schmack Sauce,’ McClure’s Bread & Butter Pickles, and four cheeses. Best Burgers in Havelock North put together a Cluckin Patty Melt with a chickenfried patty, Swiss cheese, bacon & onion jam,

Greytown (Our take on a classic) included a four-cheese blend with Parkvale mushrooms, onion, and baby spinach, thyme and parsley to form a spread, French mustard, pulled hot smoked rump beef with a chipotle BBQ sauce, McClure’s Bread & Butter Pickles, white cheese sauce, all nestled between toasted marble rye bread.

In the Upper South Island, Little Nessie with a tie in second place. Morning Magpie in Dunedin’s Tickle My Pickle featured organic sourdough, McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles with house pickles.

The Great NZ Toastie Takeover will return for 2023 so get ready to create the next winning sandwich!

Top Tips When Rising Menu Prices

Increasing prices in a cafe can indeed be a daunting task. Still, it's important to remember that running a business is necessary. However, it's also essential to approach it in a way that is customerfriendly and doesn't negatively impact your customer base.

Here are a few additional tips for cafe owners to consider when increasing prices:

Consider the timing: If possible, try to time your price increases by introducing new menu items, seasonal changes, or other events that might make the cost increase more palatable for customers.

Offer discounts for off-peak hours: If you're concerned about customers hesitating at higher prices, consider offering discounts during certain hours to encourage them to come in during slower times.

Get feedback: Before implementing price increases, consider getting customer feedback. Usually, customers are happy to give you feedback. You could conduct a survey to test customers' reactions to menu changes. Also, put a new item on the menu each week and test the response to it and the price.

Best to be transparent: In addition to ensuring that you aren't hiding the price increase, be transparent with customers about why the increases are necessary. For example, explain that the increase is needed to cover rising ingredient costs or to provide better wages for your team.

Loyalty Programmes: Always a winner in a cost of living crisis. Consumers use loyalty cards more when they feel the broader effects of rising prices.

Reward your most loyal customers, not just a coffee card; perhaps if they dine with you ten times, they receive a $20 voucher to spend on their next visit.

Remember that increasing prices doesn't have to mean losing customers. Being thoughtful and strategic in your approach can maintain a loyal customer base while keeping your business financially stable.