Restaurant & Café Magazine | March 2021

March 2021 Vol 14 Issue 02

$10.95

A Christchurch Based Point of Sale Company, Servicing New Zealand Hospitality. menumate has rebranded to . ®

Taking 15 years of history and focusing on the future.

editor’snote

Tania Walters Publisher tania@reviewmags.com

THE OUTLOOK FOR FOOD and beverage operators, particularly those in food courts and shopping centres, will see a renaissance moving forward.

Designers are looking at options to suit an aesthetic and also factor in the customers' safety. In a postCOVID-19 world, operators' focus is on the adaptation of spaces to address the paying customer's concerns. Social distancing will not ease; making sure that customers are comfortable and not crammed will mean that table spacing is forever changed.

Food delivery apps exploded through 2020, and the lockdowns precipitated operators joining delivery apps. However, it came at a cost.

2021/22 may see the easing of thirdparty delivery apps. Some operators, particularly smaller chains, will look to control delivery in-house like their big brand cousins. Cost and the conversation between the operator and customers will mean that third-party apps will face challenges. Operators will push to control the customer experience and dialogue.

Delivery has been a lifesaver in the lockdown era as the demand for convenience soared, but unfortunately, as we all know, only some types of food survive the delivery experience.

I know I couldn't eat another bite from my favourites – having eaten my way through almost all of the food options that suit my tastes over the past year. What was a top choice a year ago is now out in the cold. Packaging innovation has seen the reprieve of

contents

latest products and innovation that are showcasing some new ideas will make the addition of year-round outdoor spaces workable.

Collaborations have sprouted up as the hospitality community supports each other through these challenging times. New concepts, partnerships and supplier/operator connections have shown that best practice is not just a pipe dream.

Enjoy this issue of Restaurant & Cafe magazine, and please send in your thoughts, ideas and opinions, they are always welcome.

tania@reviewmags.com

March 2021

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some choices as a packaging changeout saw the items survive in a better condition.

Food prep boxes experienced a big surge through the lockdowns, but they too have limits to their offerings. There are only just so many ways the sauce options and abundance of chicken can take someone. Home delivery of semiprep meals, or retail packs of meals usually only available as dine in have also seen growth.

In-house dining will make a comeback through this year and beyond, but new fit-outs will showcase a new dining layout. Smaller venues, more intimate dining experiences will provide a friendly ambience, giving the feel of a local where the operator knows all his regulars.

Making the most of outdoor spaces to provide all-weather dining continues to be a challenge. Still, the

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3 News

18 Seafood

30 Coffee Cups

6 Pink Ribbon Breakfast

24 Columns

32 Coffe Prices

8 Education

26 Meet the Roaster

34 Meet the Chef

12 POS

28 Kiwi Craft Coffee RESTAURANT & CAFÉ SUPPORTS

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Chairman: Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com Publisher: Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com General Manager: Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com Group Managing Editor: Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com Editor: Caitlan Mitchell, caitlan@reviewmags.com Staff Writers: Sophie Procter, sophie@reviewmags.com Advertising: Caroline Boe, caroline@reviewmags.com Senior Designer: Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com Graphic Designer: Debby Wei, debby@reviewmags.com

ISSN 2422-9601 RESTAURANT & CAFÉ: Retail 6, Heards Building, 2 Ruskin Street, Parnell, Auckland 1050 PO Box 37140, Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 304 0142 or Fax (09) 377 2794 This magazine is published monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to Review Publishing Co Ltd. This magazine is a platform for the industry and may include content that expresses views and opinions by contributing writers. Content is attributed to the author, and these opinions and the view/s are those of the author/s. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organisation, employer or company. The opinions and material published in this edition are not necessarily those of the publishers unless expressly stated. All material appearing in the magazine, website and social media platforms is copyright and may only be reproduced with the written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2021

SPIRITED AWAY

Entries are now open for the 2021 New Zealand Spirits Awards.

Presented by Spirits New Zealand Inc. and Distilled Spirits Aotearoa (NZ) Inc., the awards are a celebration of Kiwi and international spirits available in New Zealand.

The organisers’ aim is to acknowledge and reward the very best in local and international spirits and through this promote the brands and categories to consumers and trade.

Last year’s judging for the NZ Spirits Awards took place under Alert Level 1 in July and winners were announced in a virtual ceremony in August due to Level 3 COVID-19 restrictions. 2020 Champion Trophy winners included The National Distillery Company for their Hemp Gin and Lunatic and

Lover’s Botanical Rum, Silver Batch No 1.

There were 260 entries in total and despite the industry being fairly young in this country, the competition was rife with sophisticated spirits being produced right here. “Distilled Spirits Aotearoa and Spirits New Zealand have been working together to jointly raise the profile of spirits in New Zealand,” noted Robert Brewer, chief executive of Spirits NZ Inc. “Both industry bodies are working together, large and small, to ensure that everyone, including suppliers and support services such as glass and label makers, botanical and raw material suppliers, bars and restaurants benefits from the raised interest in these complex beverages.”

For more information about the awards, visit www.spiritsawardsnz.nz

FEASTING ON THE WAIKATO REGION

Savethe Date Bidfood Tradeshows are back for 2021!

Save the dates in your diaries now.

Registrations open in March.

QUEENSTOWN

WHANGAREI

Thursday 15th April

Tuesday 27th July

DUNEDIN

TIMARU

Tuesday 4th May

Tuesday 7th September

INVERCARGILL

CHRISTCHURCH

Wednesday 5th May

Wednesday 8th September

AUCKLAND SOUTH

GREYMOUTH

Tuesday 25th May

Tuesday 14th September

HAMILTON

NELSON

Monday 31st May

Wednesday 15th September

TAURANGA

WELLINGTON

Tuesday 1st June

Wednesday 22nd September

ROTORUA

HAWKE’S BAY

Wednesday 2nd June

Thursday 23rd September

PALMERSTON NORTH

AUCKLAND NORTH

Tuesday 22nd June

Thursday 30th September

NEW PLYMOUTH Wednesday 23rd June Feast Waikato (31st March – 5th April) will be celebrating the wonderful region with a selection of fabulous foodie events spread over the Easter long weekend.

The line-up includes amazing dinners, lunches, cooking classes, workshops, gourmet tours, a massive cookbook sale, an Italian festival, family fun days, movies and more.

One of the highlights of the festival is one of New Zealand’s leading chefs and proud Te Awamutu lad, Ben Bayly, joining forces with Megan Priscott from Red Kitchen in Te Awamutu for a special culinary night.

Attendees will be treated to a taste of Ahi, Bayly’s restaurant in Auckland Commercial Bay with canapes and bubbles to start followed by a threecourse meal cooked by Bayly and Priscott with wine matches.

The making of Ahi featured in the television series New Zealand Food Stories. Ahi is a truly New Zealand restaurant and a concept straight from the heart. The name, Ahi, translates literally from Te Reo Māori to mean Fire. A nod to the kitchen and also to the passion that drives it.

For a decade Red Kitchen has been at the heart of food in Te Awamutu, from amazing café fare to wholesome take home meals and exciting catering options.

Good George brewing is hosting a Meet the Brewer dinner with a fourcourse degustation dinner matched with Good George beer and cider, along with many other local food and wine pairing dinners showcasing the brilliant talents of Waikato chefs.

For more information visit, www.waikatofoodinc.com

bidshows.co.nz

Trade Shows 2021 Proudly sponsored by

March 2021

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news BREWERS CALL FOR TAX CUT ON KEG BEER Brewers are asking for a temporary cut in excise tax on keg beer to help support struggling bars and restaurants. The Brewers Association has asked that the Government immediately reduce the tax paid by half. It’s the second time the association has asked for excise tax relief.

Last year, while hospitality businesses were closed during the April national lockdown, the association campaigned unsuccessfully to get the government to waive tax on about 50,000 litres of keg beer that were flushed away after it went stale. “We believe there is a need for additional Government support that can be delivered in an extremely targeted way via an immediate 50 percent reduction on excise tax for keg beer,” commented the association’s executive director, Dylan Firth, pointing to action taken in Britain to support hospitality businesses.

“We applaud the UK Government for their wideranging initiatives in the recently announced Budget, where for a second year have announced a freeze on all alcohol excise until 2021 and a significantly reduced VAT rate specifically for hospitality businesses of 5 percent,” noted Firth. “We feel the impact of lockdowns and level changes here

in New Zealand, specifically in the Auckland region, necessitate relief that would benefit a large part of the hospitality sector.” The association calculated that cutting excise on keg beer would only cut annual alcohol excise tax take by about 6 percent.

“The hospitality industry has suffered badly during the past 18 months and needs specific support.

Industry figures believe the sector was down at least 20 to 25 per cent on average last year,” noted Firth.

“The 2020 lockdowns and level changes to date have compounded this, with hospitality one of the industries deeply affected. For most hospitality businesses, they can only sell alcoholic beverages on-site, meaning they are unable to trade at all under alert level 3.”

Firth also noted that the lockdowns had driven beer sales to the supermarkets, with keg beer sales down. Kegs were used only by on-premise bars and restaurants.

An excise tax reduction would also provide support for small breweries who generally sold most of their beer through kegs, as well as their own taprooms. Australia had set its excise tax on beer lower for keg beer, he said.

“Beer producers have worked hard to support the hospitality sector where they can with taking back kegs that cannot be sold after lockdown, investing in marketing campaigns and assets to assist bars and restaurants as well as other support. Now we are asking for the Government to step in with sectorspecific support.”

BREWERS GUILD OF NEW ZEALAND LAUNCHES ‘BEYOND THE BEER’

On International Women’s Day this year, celebrated on March 8th, the Brewers Guild of New Zealand launched its Beyond the Beer project.

Beyond the Beer will highlight women in the beer industry and the work they do. There are females working tirelessly in all areas of the beer sector, often without recognition.

Denise Garland, 2019 Beer Writer of the Year, will take readers on a journey to meet women, learn about their experiences, and celebrate what they bring to the industry.

First up, Lee Ann Scotti, co-owner and brewer at Craftwork Brewery in Oamaru speaks about how a love of cooking and a chance taste of a Wellington-brewed IPA set the course for her to create one of Aotearoa’s most highly respected breweries.

For Scotti, it was an out-of-control home brewing hobby, a broken

SAVOR ACQUIRES HIPGROUP NZX-listed hospitality group Savor, formally Mallbeca, has acquired Hipgroup and its portfolio of eateries for $11 million.

Savor made the announcement to the NZX, saying it would raise new equity capital of $6 million to fund part of the transaction. The equity capital will come by way of a fully underwritten rights issue targeted at raising $6m at 17.67 cents per share.

The acquisition of Hipgroup and its venues Ortolana, The Store and Amano, comes in the form of a cash payment of $7.15m, $1m of ordinary shares, and a deferred cash payment

of $2.85m to be paid 12 months from completion.

Savor said the acquired venues would contribute to an additional $3m in operating earnings for the group.

In the market update, Savor said the acquisition of these venues, combined with the recent divestment of Moa Brewing, provides the group with a solid financial base for future growth.

“Looking ahead, Savor’s growth strategy is two-fold and will focus on opportunities to build on existing brands throughout New Zealand, as well as acquiring new sites,” said Savor chairman Geoff Ross.

“The group is poised to leverage the right opportunities with the support of its expert management team and strengthened balance sheet.”

The acquisition of Hipgroup is dependent on debt funding arrangements and is expected to settle on April 8.

Here in New Zealand, the hospitality industry is still calling out for more targeted support.

“We need our government to come to the table and show some kindness towards those industries most hard hit by the pandemic.

The constant last-minute closures and restrictions on trading put untenable financial and emotional strain on owners,” commented Marisa Bidois, CEO Restaurant Association New Zealand.

“Over the last few weeks, I have personally taken calls from owners in tears of frustration, on the verge of losing everything they have worked so hard for.

We are now seeing the fallout from a year of doing it tough, with businesses closing and people losing their livelihoods.

The government needs to step up and ensure that our industry is not overlooked when allocating relief.”

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN INCLUDES $28.6 BILLION IN RESTAURANT RELIEF President Biden has signed the US$1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law which includes US$28.6 billion in relief grants for small restaurants.

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While individual stimulus cheques are expected to begin rolling out, the timeline on when the Small Business Administration will begin accepting grant applications from restaurants is unclear.

“These grants will inject a much-needed stimulus along the supply chain to begin to balance the economic damage done while restaurants have been struggling,” said National Restaurant Association president and CEO, Tom Bené.

“We are still a long way from full recovery and it’s likely more grant money will be needed to get us there, but today the industry has hope for the future.”

oven and no space left to cook in her kitchen that pushed her and her partner, Michael O’Brien, to begin a small, commercial brewery in the stone basement of her house.

Over the past seven years, Craftwork has grown from a nanobrewery with a cult following, to being a highly respected, awardwinning nano-brewery with a tasting room, popular with beer lovers right across Aotearoa and beyond.

With so many strong and interesting women in the sector it will be exciting to see who the Guild highlights next.

DEDICATED SPIRITS AND COCKTAIL FESTIVAL RETURNS

EVERYONE’S INVITED! Introducing Wellington’s newest hospitality festival, uniquely cool and proudly made with love by Wellington using only the finest ingredients.

It’s been a tough year, that’s why Hospitality New Zealand together with Wellington NZ and the Wellington City Council have created Wellington’s newest hospitality festival EAT DRINK PLAY STAY. It’s time to roll out the welcome mat to patrons to engage with Wellington’s greatest loves: food, drinks, music, performing arts and staying in its wonderful accommodation venues. The time is right to support Wellington local businesses and protect

local jobs as Kiwis continue to face the challenges of the global coronavirus pandemic and to drive economic benefits for Wellington.

EAT DRINK PLAY STAY is a vibrant new festival to celebrate all things “Wellington” from its world-class craft beers and wine; to its renowned coffee culture; to its bustling restaurants and bars and amazingly talented local performers and artists. The festival also includes Mother’s Day celebrations and the official launch of “Date Night” with many more events and announcements to follow.

For more info and to register go to eatdrinkplaystay.co.nz or contact event organisers at edps@ hospitatlity.org.nz

Highball, New Zealand’s only dedicated cocktail and spirits festival, is returning for its second year on 7-8 May 2021. Taking place at the historic art deco Dominion Museum Building in Wellington, Highball will feature ​ interactive spirits sessions and handson classes led by expert distillers. ​ The Highball Speaker Series will feature local and international cocktail and spirits experts, and the newly rebooted New Zealand Bartender of the Year competition will see the best in the business compete for the ultimate crown. More than 40 distilleries, showcasing gin, whisky, rum, vodka and other spirits, will be serving tastings and cocktails, including Kiwi craft producers Reid + Reid, Imagination, Lunatic & Lover and Koakoa, as well as international producers such as Monkey Shoulder whisky from Scotland, and Clemengold Gin from South Africa.

Sarah Meikle, Chief Executive of the Wellington Culinary Events Trust, explained that the expansion of Highball was built off the back of the festival’s success in its inaugural year in 2019 (the festival took a hiatus in 2020 due to the national lockdown).

“Highball 2019 took off in a big way, and we received overwhelmingly positive feedback from festival goers on how much they enjoyed the immersive

cocktail and spirits experience in the heart of Wellington,” said Meikle.

“We listened to what people enjoyed and what they wanted out of the festival and built this year’s event around that feedback.”

Highball festivities kick off on 7-8 May, followed by Wellington Cocktail Week from 10-16 May, showcasing the Capital’s eclectic and colourful cocktail scene with a series of events, special menus, masterclasses, and walking tours hosted by local cocktail bars, restaurants, and eateries.

Our famous Gourmet Beef Patties have been a hit around the globe for over 20 years - now it’s time for the next generation - the brand new Homestyle Beef Burger Patty.

• Succulent New Zealand beef • Rounder for better bun fit • Thinner for faster cook time • Rustic handmade look • Part-cooked and individually frozen • 22 patties per sleeve, 3 sleeves per carton.

To order now contact your distributor or Angel Bay rep, or go to: www.angelbay.co.nz.

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A DELICIOUSLY EASY WAY TO DO SOME GOOD Gina Henry and Richard Cooke have been holding Pink Ribbon Breakfasts at their Auckland restaurant, Grangers Taphouse and Kitchen, for the past eight years. From fashion shows to silent auctions, their events have hosted hundreds of guests and they’ve raised more than $60,000 for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. But Gina says supporting this important cause doesn’t need to be an extravagant affair. She shares what they’re planning this year at their newest establishment, Wren Café.

“W

ith such high rates of breast cancer in New Zealand, we all know someone who’s been affected by this disease. That’s why we feel so connected to this cause and why it keeps drawing us in to give back.

Wren had only been open a few months when Pink Ribbon Breakfasts were on last year. So, we decided to keep things simple by creating a special pink strawberry donut and giving the proceeds to BCFNZ. This year we’re aiming a bit higher with a brunch-inspired high tea at Wren.

We love connecting with businesses in the area and Pink Ribbon Breakfast is the perfect way to engage. We’ll sell tickets for $40, which will get guests a high tea and glass of pink bubbles on arrival. Even though it’s a small café with only 30 seats, we know we can still make a difference – every little bit counts.

We’ve found one of the easiest ways to fundraise is to hold a silent auction.

We ask suppliers to donate prizes and

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we always find them to be incredibly generous. The guests are also very kindhearted, we’ve been blown away by how much people give.

Since COVID-19 has slammed our industry so hard, it would be easy to say, ‘not this year’. But for us, it’s about remembering why we are in this game in the first place – for the love of being hospitable.

Hosting Pink Ribbon Breakfasts is a no-brainer. We get to build connections with our customers, it makes them feel like they’re doing good, it gets our brand out there, and we raise much-needed funds for a charity doing inspiring work.”

Getting involved with Pink Ribbon Breakfast can be as big or small as you like and it’s an easy way to raise funds for life-saving research and patient support.

Everyone who registers will receive a free host kit with information and goodies to get you started.

Find out more at pinkribbonbreakfast. co.nz

education

The Importance of Food Costing Setting menu prices is a pivotal decision for any hospitality business owner. In the current COVID climate, and with the minimum wage increase coming into effect on the 1st of April, it has become more important than ever for owners to stretch their dollars.

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etting prices involves considering many factors, including the cost of food, cost of labour, what the competition is doing and what your target customers are willing to pay. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, consumers are willing to pay more for better quality products and great service.

Food costs are one of the first considerations that go into hospitality pricing. Break down the cost of the ingredients that go into each dish and use this as a base for setting your menu prices. Try to streamline your menu, take note of which ingredients can be used in multiple dishes.

Other expenses that need to be calculated into a restaurant’s pricing strategy include labour, rent, supplies, equipment, and marketing costs.

Dishes that require highly trained cooking staff will factor into increasing your menu pricing, while quick, simple dishes that don’t require substantial

labour investment will be less. Think about the big picture, who are your customers and what do they want.

Food prices can fluctuate substantially, poor growing seasons, a natural disaster, or a global pandemic can affect the cost of produce and ingredients. Consider building flexibility into your menu to accommodate changes when they arise. You can also add a note of explanation for your customers when menu items need to increase in price, most customers are happy with clear communication.

Stretch Your Dollar with EIT’s New Micro Credential in Food Costings EIT offers a range of Hospitality and Catering Training, from New Zealand Certificates through to advanced Diplomas and over the last few years the EIT team have developed a world class offering as one of New Zealand’s Category One providers (this is the top category the

New Zealand Qualifications Authority, NZQA, give out to only the best NZ Training Providers).

Innovation is what sets EIT apart from other training facilities, the school works with both local stakeholders from the industry along with learners to grow and adapt its programmes to ensure key skills are met, and more importantly, that learners engage.

Now you can learn to accurately cost food recipes and further develop your skills and knowledge related to food cost control measures in a commercial kitchen.

Throughout this course you will learn to calculate accurate food costs, apply portion and waste control measures, and evaluate menu engineering data in order to improve financial efficiency.

For more information about the all the hospitality and foodservice courses that EIT provides, visit www.eit.ac.nz

L IA T N E D E R -C O R IC M N EW

IN FOOD COSTINGS

Stretch your dollar with our new micro credential in food costings.

Learn to accurately cost food recipes and further develop your skills and knowledge related to food cost control measures in a commercial kitchen.

Throughout this course you will learn to calculate accurate food costs, apply portion and waste control measures and evaluate menu engineering data in order to improve financial efficiency.

The structure of this course means you’ll be working through sections which contain interactive activities or videos.

Some activities have practice quizzes which you can use to test your knowledge.

Duration: 50 hours to complete. (30 hours of online learning and content). Self-paced which means you can work through it at your own pace.

Register your interest today!!

Contact: Trish McLoughlin pmcloughlin@eit.ac.nz | 06 830 1133

Highlights of this course include: ▶ Theoretical Vs Actual food costs - Understanding the cost of your dish verses what your accountant tells you ▶ Maximise the profit potential of your menus ▶ Menu Engineering - manipulate menus to maximise gross profit ▶ Analyse and reduce waste

eit.ac.nz | 0800 22 55 348 | March 2021

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Partners in the road to recovery

TARGET YOUR MARKETING, DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE, HONE YOUR STRATEGY WITH US. Want to talk to CUSTOMERS? ! t s r i f s u o Talk t

(09) 304 0142 ext 703 caroline@reviewmags.com

pos

REBRAND REFOCUSES ON CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP Customers have always been at the centre of a hospitality business and the COVID-19 pandemic has only reinforced the importance of businesses having the loyalty and support of its customers, it has also highlighted how vital it is to be able to successfully communicate with them.

W

hen communication is key, having the right technology to facilitate this is vital and each sector of the hospitality industry requires a range of products to do this successfully.

With a complete package of POS tools, customer loyalty, kitchen productivity, business analytics, comprehensive reporting systems, powerful integrations and 24/7 support, recently rebranded POSbiz tailors the technology and tools to support your specific hospitality business needs.

POSbiz is the new face of Christchurch-based POS company, formally known as Menumate.

After new owners took over Menumate in early 2019 the team started on a journey to improve this staple of the New Zealand hospitality scene.

One of the first tasks was to bring all the development home to New Zealand where the company could control the quality of software.

“This has turned out to be the best decision we have ever made,” expressed general manager, Cameron Arney.

“Along with everyone, we were

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rocked by 2020, but rather than hibernating and waiting out the storm, we were able to take this time and really focus on the core of our POS. For the Menumate product this was the first time in years that it was looked at for functions and features that affect the everyday users, and not just something needed for the next sale.

As this new focus and direction of putting the customer first was driving our roadmap, we wanted to release the product under a new, refreshed brand. We have taken the wealth of features and ease of use, from 15 years of servicing the hospitality industry and now focusing on those needs of the 21st century.”

With this POSbiz was born.

The rebrand was officially released

in March, but there have already been some early adopters using POSbiz since mid-2019, who formed part of a feedback and improvement team.

Separating further from Menumate of the past, Arney and his team didn’t want to only rely on the company’s own testing or thoughts to define what works and what doesn’t.

“Venues were using POSbiz on site and providing valuable feedback on improvements we were making, as well as helping prioritise some of the new features we have now added.”

The impacts of the pandemic have meant a growth of innovation in the hospitality industry, businesses have had to pivot their offerings to things they may have never offered before, such as the popular Click & Collect option or online ordering.

Kiwi customers are ahead of the curve for online engagement and transactions. 74 percent of Kiwis search online for products and services and it’s their mobile phones that they are using, not just for a search on the go, but for purchases and ongoing brand loyalty.

POSbiz has partnered with Mobi2Go, who provide a full customer facing platform for ordering via web and app. POS integration takes those orders and processes them

through the POS, which has multiple benefits; 1. Orders from the online source print in the kitchen the same as they would if ordered instore 2.

This minimises data entry errors and double handling by staff if they must manually enter these orders into the POS, and 3.

All the reporting data on sales is in one place. You can see your sales totals on items separated between instore and online, or across all platforms combined.

“We are proud with where we are at already, and we have more we want to complete. The POS is the centre of a sphere of platforms that are needed to run a successful hospitality business, especially in tough times,” noted Arney.

“Our next project is to bring reporting to the hand of owners/ managers who need it. We know that you cannot be in the business everyday so you should be able to quickly and easily see how sales are tracking whenever or wherever you are.”

For more information, visit www. posbiz.co.nz, email info@posbiz.co.nz, or call (03) 365 7301.

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pos

Goodbye Coffee Cards, Hello CardLess Loyalty Loyalty programmes have been a part of cafe culture pretty much since the flat white was invented. Most cafes have traditionally offered coffee cards to customers in a buy nine, receive the 10th free scheme, however, the global pandemic has not only put a financial strain on hospitality businesses who may no longer be able to afford to give products away, it has also put a renewed focus on hygiene and ways in which customers can interact in a contactless way.

TAMAS JANKY, CEO CardLess

A

loyalty programme means more than simply offering a discount or a free coffee.

A key component of a successful loyalty programme is that it can provide your business with incredibly useful Customer Relationship Management (CRM) information. It allows you to build a database of customers you can then easily communicate and engage with, whether it be for promotion, to gather feedback, or communicate new features such as online ordering.

There has been a recent influx of mobile apps from the big restaurant chains. McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy’s Hamburgers all have good apps with some leading for marketing purposes and others driving instore

conversion. The old, cardboard coffee card is out, customers want contactless ways that they can engage with your products and services. The great news is that digitalisation is no longer relegated to the big QSRs, there is an enormous range of apps and technology that is available to be integrated seamlessly into what you already offer.

Enter CardLess Loyalty, an exciting new loyalty solution, developed for the New Zealand retail market and supported locally. It’s designed to make loyalty, reward and recognition programs easy, transparent and cardless for retailers and customers.

The original idea of CardLess Loyalty came in 2010 and the first prototype development happened in the following couple of years.

“Unfortunately, the technology was not quite there yet at that time and a key piece was missing from our effortless journey,” explained CardLess CEO, Tamas Janky.

“However, as time passed and the popularity of smartphones surged with more and more technology packed in, the time came to reboot and refresh our approach and work out CardLess Loyalty as you see it now.”

The main goals for Janky and his team when working on the new product included: • Effortless customer journey, single

• • • • • • •

touch authentication, no searching for cards Environmentally friendly, saving trees and avoiding the creation of plastic waste.

Support for Customers without a smartphone.

Single touch customer handling on the store side.

Secure and contactless technology.

No barcodes or camera-based scanning.

Provide a branded experience to stores and chains/franchises and flexible loyalty program definition.

A foundational customer management target of “The store rep sees what the customer sees” related to point balance and transaction history for all branded stores on the App.

“Kiwis’ current experience with Loyalty at stores can be quite different,” noted Janky.

“Some stores use paper cards stored in a box or handed out to customers, other stores ask identification verbally from the customers like phone number, name or email address. The bigger players have their own plastic cards or apps and use barcode scanners or card readers to identify customers.

But we wanted something different, something new and effortless.

We developed a patent pending Bluetooth bearer-based, secure, one touch authentication process, which

is unique on the market. It makes it possible for the customer to beam the ID to the store terminal with one touch in a certain proximity and bring up the customer details on the store app/system, stamping points with one touch.”

CardLess Loyalty wants to help small/medium New Zealand retail businesses with an affordable loyalty solution option where they can keep their brand features and set up any loyalty programs in a flexible way.

“Kiwis would love to break free from the cards clogging up their wallet or the multiple apps that may be used for managing loyalty. There are a wide range of good Loyalty apps available on the market, however CardLess Loyalty’s effortless authentication and tracking points for all branded stores is not a feature you often come across.”

The pandemic has accelerated the need for technology solutions and New Zealand based companies have responded to this demand. It is vital that this technology is used by large and small businesses to widen understanding and knowledge of customers, to communicate and engage, to reward them for their loyalty and drive new habits around visiting venues.

For more information, visit www.cardlessloyalty.com

HOW DOES CARDLESS LOYALTY WORK?

• When instore, the customer’s identity is shared from the mobile app to the store.

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• The store app detects the customer and lets the store know they’re inside.

• The store can stamp and acknowledge when customers are purchasing loyalty products (eg. a flat white)

• Points are automatically updated on the customers app.

• CardLess Loyalty can help migrate your existing customers to CardLess Loyalty for free.

Delivering Industry Leading EPOS, Integrations and Enterprise Solutions Tevalis are an industry leading technology solutions provider to the hospitality, leisure and gaming industries, with over 1600 sites and 7500+ Epos technology systems installed and growing throughout the UK and Europe, with a presence in the UAE, America, China, Australia and New Zealand Tevalis Asia Pacific opened in New Zealand in late 2019 and quickly found receptive clients with over 200+ EPOS technology systems installed.

Intuitive, powerful and reliable Epos solution.

The Tevalis Point of Sale is a fast and powerful system, developed through consultation with our clients and industry professionals to ensure the features and functionalities available to meet the demands and evolving requirements of the hospitality, leisure and gaming industries.

Tevalis APAC 0800 838 254 +64 29 4369 588 a.mcclurg@tevalis.com March 2021

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pos

Creating a Competitive Edge with Online Ordering The global pandemic has seen a record rise in signups to online ordering platforms as more foodservice businesses focus on takeaway, delivery, and pre-order channels. This upsurge in online order functionality has also been driven by a demand for contactless payment methods and the need for customers and operators alike to access dining reservations, meal orders and payment options via mobile apps even when dining in.

T

here are many options for online ordering platforms, the downside to signing on with one of the major online services is that it is they, and not you, who gathers and controls the data relating to customer orders. In the current climate this information can make the difference between a business that survives and even thrives, and one that must close its doors.

It is important to consider the benefits of using new generation online order platforms and apps which, instead of capturing orders under their

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own brand, are designed to seamlessly integrate with your point-of-sale system/website and thereby enable you to capture the customer data it gathers on your behalf. With this information you can then market your business via email or SMS. Set up the condition that by using the order platform, customers agree to their captured data being used by you to send them information and offers.

Once you have their mobile numbers and/or email addresses, you can set about creating your

own marketing campaigns to give your business a competitive edge, including: • Publicise specials, meal deals and new offers.

• Send text messages with discount codes to encourage orders during quiet periods.

• Utilise Push notifications (pop-up messages).

• Take advantage of set-and-forget automation. For example, you could send a welcome message to customers when they place their first order or a thank you message once they have ordered a certain number of times.

As previously mentioned, new generation online order apps make it easy to create and run customer loyalty programmes, which can be used both when ordering remotely via the app as well as in-person at your venue.

Another way captured customer data can help your competitive edge is by making it easier for you to identify

the biggest sellers on the menu, the most in-demand times for orders, and which items aren’t moving. Reports generated by the online order app provide all these statistics, enabling you to adjust your menu and staffing levels accordingly to operate at maximum efficiency.

March 2021

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seafood

SOUTHERN CLAMS:

A Culinary Star that Cares for the Environment

Since 1982, Southern Clams has harvested Littleneck clams from the cold waters of the Otago Coast, and researched the impact of its harvesting on habitats, refining its operations accordingly.

S

outhern Clams is recognised as a pioneer in environmental responsibility and sustainability in this clam fishery industry and has carved out niche markets in Europe, North America and Asia and supplies the New Zealand market with clams as well as Queen Scallops, fresh fish, and seaweed.

Many Kiwis have memories of time spent at the beach, digging for clams, and cooking them over the fire when they were younger. With the global pandemic spurring the trend for nostalgic flavours that take consumers back to their childhoods, clams fit seamlessly into the culinary story of New Zealand.

They also create an opportunity for consumers to travel through taste while stuck in Aotearoa. Southern

Clams are analogues of clams found in the Mediterranean Sea, so they are particularly popular with those wanting to make Spanish or Italian cuisine.

In a restaurant setting clams can be the star of a dish, or act as a highlight in other dishes. The beauty of this shellfish is that it can be used to create very simple, yet popular dishes on the menu, such as Spaghetti alle Vongole and Clam Chowder, which are yearround favourites – with clams, seafood is no longer relegated to the summer months.

Southern Clams’ Littleneck clams are harvested fresh, and to order and have a unique salty-sweet flavour. The cold Otago waters ensure they are available year-round, and the clams are very hardy, meaning they store well for

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FRESH FROM UNITED we’ve got great products for every occasion, from fresh seafood to crumbed fish and tasty tapas for more information contact your local distributor or United Accounts Manager orders@unitedfisheries.co.nz

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ten-days after harvest when chilled.

Southern Clams uses its own unique wild-stock rotational harvesting system to meet international and domestic markets’ demand and to manage and care for the local shellfish resource in a way that ensures its livelihood and sustainability for future generations.

This harvest method has been in place for over 15 years to ensure the long-term sustainability of the clam stock. To achieve this, Southern Clams makes use of GPS location data of each day’s harvest area, combined with

the proportion of each size-grade of clams and the overall harvest weight.

The system is constantly being refined as more data is added.

The health of its clam stock is the most important part of Southern Clams’ business, so it is in their best interest to make sure it is looked after.

To further minimise disturbance to the marine environment, Southern Clams uses a manual, body dredge system rather than a machine dredging system. The body dredge system has each harvester pull what looks like

the metal lattice of a supermarket trolley through the upper levels of the substrate, harvesting clams that are big enough to take while letting most juveniles pass through the bars of the dredge. Other clam harvesting systems in New Zealand involve using a machine dredge to suck up the substrate, separating the clams and ejecting the substrate out the side.

Southern Clams aligns itself with those who care about the environment.

Its approach to harvesting conserves resources for the future and the

company directly lobbies government and other appropriate bodies to ensure the habitat remains protected and that there are plenty of delicious clams for generations to come.

What’s their favourite way to serve their Littleneck clams? It’s hard to go past a classic – Spaghetti alle Vongole – sweetness from the garlic, acidity from the white wine and heat from the chilli flakes combined with the sweet and salty flavour from the clams, mixed through a nest of spaghetti.

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Can be baked, grilled, fried, poached, steamed and makes a great fish pie.

Available from all major distributors in New Zealand.

Please call Daniel on 021 937 118 for more information.

March 2021

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seafood

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restaurantandcafé.co.nz

Spaghetti alle Vongole A beautifully light dish that still warms on a cooler autumn or winter day, this dish is sure to have customers coming back.

Ingredients:

• Littleneck Clams • Spaghetti or Linguini pasta • Ripe Tomatoes • Olive Oil • Garlic • Fresh Red Chili, finely chopped • White Wine • Chopped Parsley

Cleaning Clams:

Clams are sold live and need to be prepared with care. To prepare clams before cooking they need to be cleaned for there’s nothing worse than a customer

biting into sand while eating your dish.

Give the clams a thorough scrub under running water, to remove any external sand. Discard any shellfish which gape and do not respond when tapped.

to the boil. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 mins, until the clams are open. Drain the pasta, then tip into the pan with the parsley and toss together. Serve in bowls with bread for mopping up the juices.

Method:

Tips for Cooking Clams:

Cover the tomatoes with boiling water, leave for 1 min, then drain and slip off the skins, Remove the seeds and chop the flesh.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic and chilli, then fry gently for a few seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, then add the clams and a splash of wine, salt and pepper and bring

Shake the pot once or twice during cooking or move the clams around with a wooden spoon. Cooking clams should only take a few minutes, as clams need very little cooking if they are to remain tender.

Keep the juices and strain or decant before using. Clams being naturally salty, there is no need to add salt.

March 2021

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seafood

our story is about true connection __ true provenance, true to nature, true for generations

Bringing you New Zealand’s most sought after species o f blue abalone, wild abalone, fin fish, lobster and oyster. Seafood as good as it can be, brought to market with a lightness of touch that preserves and protects its pure taste and rare magic. Like you were there and caught it yourself.

View our story about true connection at www.moana.co.nz

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BEHIND EACH BITE THERE’S A STORY

From Fiordland and the Southern Alps, through Kaikoura to the Chatham Islands and New Caledonia, Oceans North Seafood cast their net far and wide to bring Kiwis the freshest tasting and most sought-after varieties of seafood.

E

stablished in 1997, Oceans North Seafood has built a reputation as a steadfast and quality purveyor of highend seafood to the hospitality industry.

Under the direction of Bruce and Lisa Keenan, the business has expanded their operation which now boasts: a dock to door delivery service for kiwi homes and businesses; an easy-to-use online marketplace and traceability service; and an enlarged selection of regional and international speciality products.

Beyond quality and selection, Oceans North Seafood is distinguished by the value its team places on working relationships, a commitment that’s made the company a trusted and highly dependable partner of the restaurant sector.

As an independent and 100% family owned and operated business, Oceans North Seafood aim to deliver a level of care, service and quality assurance that reflects their own passion for good food, ties to the ocean, and the communities this precious resource supports.

Quality assurance for Oceans North Seafood is not just about freshness and taste, it’s also about quality of life and environment.

That’s why they source its diverse range of seafood from companies that safeguard marine habitats through sustainable fishing practices, adherence to strict national quota rules and conservation efforts.

For more information about how Ocean North Seafood can help you tell a story with every bite kaimoana on your menu, visit www. oceansnorth.co.nz

Serving Suggestion

Try our new Alaskan Pollock range with crumbed and battered options today! Taste the quality in that crunch!

Tempura Cocktails 5kg | Ctn | 79954

Tempura Battered Fillet 30 x 115g | Ctn | 79951

Tempura Cocktails 1kg | Pkt | 79955

Crumbed Fillet 30 x 115g | Ctn | 79953

Contact us today 0800 bidfood or visit us online at bidfood.co.nz March 2021

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column

s a h Y R T S U The I N D s i t u b D E been BA T T E R D E T A E F E D T NO The Restaurant Association continues to fight for the resources needed to rebuild in 2021 and beyond.

By Marisa Bidois, CEO, NZ Restaurant Association marisa@restaurantnz.co.nz or 0800 737 827

W

e are now more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and despite our current challenges, the industry continues to show its strength in weathering our ongoing alert level changes and other COVID demands. The Association is still fighting for better outcomes for our industry, continuing our advocacy that, over the past year, has helped support the industry and is building a foundation for recovery in 2021.

Over the last year, we have been focused on the industry’s needs, providing access to numerous resources which businesses have relied on to help them navigate through the crisis and in the future will help them to trade into recovery. Our ongoing commitment as the voice of the industry has also helped to secure several recent wins, including:

Creating the Springboard Training Programme

Conceptualised by the Restaurant Association and codesigned with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), the Springboard programme is a pilot training programme with a core objective to help bridge the hospitality industry’s skills shortage

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gap and create a robust, capable, domestic workforce. We aim to ensure a sustainable hospitality industry future, with employees who are growing their skills and adapting to an everchanging environment.

This training programme is designed and delivered by the Association and is built on a flexible training model that engages all employees in online, webinar-based training. The programme maximises learning through short, sharp, practical sessions, with an array of guest speakers who are experts in their fields. Springboard is an opportunity for employees to build on their existing foundations by learning essential, relevant industry skills.

Tautoko Hāpai Ō – Hospitality Workers Support

There would be no hospitality sector without our teams. Our workers (kaimahi) make services run smoothly, keep kitchens stocked, problem solve at a moment’s notice and create lifelong memories for patrons: workers are an integral part of all hospitality operations.

Following support from the government’s COVID-19 Workers and Workplaces Assistance Fund, the Restaurant Association launched a worker support service at the end of 2020 named Tautoko Hāpai Ō – Hospitality Workers Support initiative.

The service ensures hospitality workers can access support through an online resource portal, as well

as employment opportunities and specialised advice if they are at risk of being displaced. The service aims to support and help reconnect employers and displaced workers to employment within hospitality.

Challenging the Wage Subsidy Criteria

In March 2021, the Association challenged the eligibility criteria for the latest wage subsidy, which originally required an unfavourable date comparison test for eligibility.

After bringing the inequity of the proposed criteria to the government’s attention, this resulted in the requirements being changed to allow a turnover comparison against a similar 2020 or 2019 period. The end result was that many more affected businesses became eligible for this much-needed support.

December 2020 Immigration Changes

Following extensive meetings and appeals to the Minister for Immigration, the Government made a welcome announcement in December 2020 that migrant workers in New Zealand would be able to stay and work here for longer, following adjustments to visa settings.

Current border closure restrictions continue to significantly impact our industry and have kept the door closed to the return of the international workers who play a big part in our industry. The Restaurant Association continues to call for the

government to further revise and amend immigration policy and look for swift, pragmatic changes that can better support the industry in the short term.

Designing Free COVID-19 Industry Operating Guidance

The Association stepped up to provide hospitality businesses with pandemic operating best practices, including government-approved guidelines for operating at level 3 and level 2. This guidance continues to be updated and re-released as necessary when new public health orders come into force at ongoing level changes.

They have provided critical support for businesses required to interpret the complex additional requirements needed to operate through these levels.

Unfortunately, we don’t expect the industry to fully recover this year, but there is optimism with international travel set to reopen between New Zealand and Australia and some of our pacific neighbours. The businesses we represent will continue to be an essential part of people’s daily lives and the Association will continue to aggressively promote the resources we see as necessary to rebuild the industry in our near future, celebrating our wins for the industry and striving for more.

The latest information on our advocacy efforts can be found at www.restaurantnz.co.nz/advocacy

TURN YOUR ART INTO

5000

$

To enter Vitasoy Espress Yourself, simply take a photo of your latte art and upload to Instagram using the hashtag #espressyourselfnz and tag @restaurantandcafenz.

Alternatively, you can email your submission to hello@reviewmags.com.

March 2021

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meet the roaster

Rene Macauley

Head Roaster, People’s Coffee A self-described ‘Mr Fix it’, Rene Macaulay from People’s Coffee, grew up in Miramar, Wellington skateboarding and playing as many different instruments as possible in local bands.

The head roaster spent a year in India in 2004 working in a drug rehabilitation ashram, he makes jewellery, tattoos his own legs, and has never had a professional haircut.

But today we’re here to talk about coffee.

“In the mid-2000s, on occasion, I would visit the owner of Peoples coffee, Matt Lamason, in my lunch break. While I did drink coffee, the drink on its own wasn’t all that interesting to me, I was more interested in the whole process and big picture of coffee,” Macaulay explained.

“I love the roasting machine and started roasting coffee at home, not because I thought I’d do a better job, but because I just enjoy the process.

On one of my visits with Matt he said he was planning a trip to Colombia and was explaining that he needed to train someone to roast while he was away - we realised I could be that person.”

Macaulay was drawn to the new job prospect; he was very interested in the operation and maintenance of the large machines as well as the sensory

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aspect which gets into the deep end of tasting and evaluating coffee.

“Also, Peoples Coffee was an ethical business which, at its core, was trying to change the world by intentionally working with marginalised producers, which I found super interesting.”

The job of a production roaster is perhaps different to what people think, Macaulay often gets asked if he is experimenting all day to find new flavours like an artist might experiment with colour. The golden rule in coffee is consistency, however, not art or magic or smoke and mirrors.

“We now use computers to monitor the roasting which means we visually can track a roast and compare it to the intended profile to replicate it as perfectly as possible. So, each day I am trying hard to do exactly the same thing, as if I was a machine so each respective roast tastes the same.”

Air pressure, temperature, humidity, processing method and the altitude the coffee was grown at are some of the variables in roasting one must manage to achieve a consistent flavour. It takes some time to learn how to evaluate coffee, finding the right vocabulary can be hard, and understanding how to pick the negative and positive attributes of coffee is a learning journey.

The industry standard of evaluation is called cupping. It is a form of brewing coffee which eliminates most variables which change flavours. By immersion brewing at a fixed ratio 1:16 with just water and boiling coffee in a cup, it produces a predictable flavour every time. This is the method People’s use to taste coffee to see how a roast or a coffee is performing.

Macaulay has been involved with

New Zealand’s coffee association and roasters guild for many years and was the chair of the roaster’s guild for three years (some time ago). During this time, he created many events which ran nationwide and hosted many events where he shared his experience and industry knowledge with his own competitors throughout the country.

“New Zealand has some amazing people working in coffee, I had some great times getting to know various people in the industry.”

Like many of us, Macaulay finds coffee a little hard on the stomach and so begins his day with a decaf, oat milk flat white, in fact, this roaster highly recommends not starting the day with caffeine – you read that right!

“Allow your body to naturally wake up unassisted and then have coffee a couple of hours after you wake,” advised Macaulay.

“I strongly dislike coffee snobbery and think decaf is great. I think ‘death before decaf ’ is so childish, imagine someone who just enjoys coffee for its taste and cafe experience, as opposed to someone who just uses it as a drug and can’t function without it!”

Because Macaulay starts each day with a decaf, he makes sure People’s decaf tastes great.

“Currently we are using a Honduras water processed decaf which is beautiful, and I roast it for both filter and espresso to support all the noncaffeinated coffee lovers out there.”

Ethiopian coffees (and most African coffees for that matter) have been a favourite of Macaulay’s from the beginning as they all have such unique and distinct flavours, however, naturally processed coffees have the most potential interest for him.

“After visiting Rwanda and

learning about its recent history and experiencing what is happening there now, coffee from the woman’s Kopakama co-operative is the closest to my heart. The people of Rwanda in the last 25 years have had their identities and cultures tampered with and have lived through un-imaginable times, however their lives now have undergone true restoration.”

While he loves roasting, after 14 years, it is the travel to meet the producers and see how the trade impacts their life that it the most inspiring part of the job for Macaulay.

“I have been traveling to the producing countries for 12 years, visited 10 producing countries, and some co-ops I have visited four or five times over the years. We don’t travel out of fear or to control the process, but because we are interested in documenting who, how and why, and while we do post this to social media, we are motivated to sell their coffee and tell their story for their benefit, not just our story to build our brand.”

Peoples Coffee has always used coffee bought with fair trade contracts and have been 100% organic from the beginning. Part of the fair-trade contracts which buy the coffee they use have an amount of money per kg set aside from the payment to the farmer, this is called the social premium.

With the fair trade social premium system Macaulay has seen first-hand the things that can be achieved which have an ongoing impact on many people. Heath clinics, woman’s programs, food security programs, seed and bean banks, midwife training, home gardening programs, income diversification programs, roads, bridges, schools, buildings, all coffee infrastructure, training, access to social services, financial literacy training, banks … the list goes on of programs running because of this trade.

“Our goal is to have long term trade relationships with these co-ops, so it is important we choose co-ops who are able to succeed.”

It would appear that this skateboarding, jewlerry making, instrument playing roaster has fallen into a deep passion when it comes to People’s Coffee, and don’t forget his sage advice: “If you are a coffee fan, try to not start the day with coffee, if you can wait 1 -2 hours after waking your life will be much better, coffee will be a boost not a requirement to be alive.”

roasterprofiles ALTEZANO BROTHERS was started by three

brothers born and raised in Latin America during the days of platform shoes, bell-bottom pants and too much disco. Our school trips were to coffee farms which provided an early exposure to growing, harvesting, and preparing coffee. Fast forward a few years and we found ourselves in Tamaki Makaurau where lattes were served in bowls.

Altezano Brothers was born to rectify this, with the lofty goal of providing Kiwis with the most enjoyable cup of coffee. More than twenty years on, we’re older … but still on the same mission. Ay caramba!

Today we roast daily in Mt Eden and ship all over the country. Coffee roasting is part science, part sensory art. Through a process of experience, and ridiculous amounts of cupping, we maintain ideal roast profiles for each coffee. For the calibre of coffees that we are buying, it would be a sin to roast them too dark. The hallmark of our coffees are clean, distinctive notes that emphasise each origin’s characteristics.

Call us on 08003021880 for an honest discussion about your requirements or visit www. altezanobrothers.co.nz Coffee Equipment, training, and maintenance.

SUBLIME COFFEE ROASTERS based in the

RED RABBIT COFFEE CO. has come a long way since 2013 when Steve Barrett (Coffee Guru) and Adrian Sole (Commercial Guru) decided to collaborate and create Red Rabbit, from its humble beginnings leasing part of the Leeds Street Bakery in Wellington. It quickly gained a reputation of innovation by sourcing/ using the best seasonal single origin green coffee sourced from all over the world, then lightly roasting it to perfection, even keeping that methodology for espresso, which was unheard of in New Zealand, all part of an international third-wave movement of micro roasting.

At Red Rabbit, we aren’t about conventional espresso and roasting methods, instead, crafting clean, sweet, seasonal single origin espresso and filter coffees passionately prepared for you. To share the labyrinth of flavour in the cup that you drink is what excites us. Because of this ethos, Red Rabbit continues to enjoy national, international, and social media acclaim for this bold approach.

Since 2016, Red Rabbit moved its headquarters and Roasting to Parnell, Auckland and continues to attract premium foodservice clients throughout the country, these café operators have all wanted to join the Red Rabbit third-wave movement and they are now some of our fiercest brand ambassadors that we have!

For more information, visit www. redrabbitcoffee.co.nz

heart of Nelson there’s a hum from a bunch of happy people pumping out some tasty beans to send out nationwide.

It is a specialty coffee roasting company established in 2005 and now has a team of around 40 people who together have an unflinching belief that quality should never be compromised. Exceptional Single Origin Coffees and Blends sourced from across the globe - there’s something for everyone here. From fruity, zingy, naturals to the moreish chocolatey Custom Deluxe blend, right through to the big guns: the dark and grunty 52 blend.

Not just about delicious coffee, Sublime is a champion for change towards ethical business practice and environmental impact, with fully compostable packaging, from bags to lids and cups they’re practicing what they preach.

Sublime Coffee Roasters is all about mutually beneficial relationships, from the grower through to the flat white drinker. Sublime can offer a tailored package of great product, equipment, training, and maintenance. The techies and trainers will come to you or you can come to the purpose-built training room.

Still owned and operated by the original founders, Sublime pride themselves on being great to deal with, whether it’s a super high use busy cafe right down to the home delivery website customer, Sublime wants to exceed expectations.

For more information, phone 0508 SUBLIME, or visit www.sublimecoffeeroasters.co.nz

March 2021

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craftcoffee

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Kiwi Craft Coffee:

The Little Guys are Becoming the Key Players

The global pandemic has disrupted supply chains for almost every aspect of foodservice, including coffee, and climate change is threatening the areas coffee is typically grown. Both these factors are contributing to the rise of smaller, batch roasters who are providing unique sensory experiences with their highquality coffee and close relationships with the farmers they work with, and more New Zealand cafés are turning to small, local roasters over the larger players.

I

nnovative work is also being done on how to best sustain the coffee industry for generations to come, from working with new coffee species to incorporating Artificial Intelligence into coffee bean tasting.

Rediscovering Forgotten Wild Coffee Species According to research from CIRAD, a French agricultural research centre, and the Royal Botanic Garden in Kew, the coffee sector can look to forgotten wild coffee species to mitigate the global impact of climate change.

While Robusta and Arabica make up more than 99 percent of all coffee production, there are more than 120 other species that have been identified within the Coffea genus. The flip side of the success of species like Robusta, which started to emerge as a dominant variety in the early 1900s, was that lesser-known coffee species were increasingly abandoned and forgotten.

Recently there has been a renewed interest in such species. Climate change poses a significant threat to coffee farmers worldwide and Robusta’s dominance is under threat.

Scientists predict that as much as 60 percent of land used for cultivation of the current coffee species could be affected by climate change by 2050.

CIRAD has been working with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, UK to identify the most promising wild coffee

species. Researchers have focused their efforts on three Coffea species that are relatively unknown: stenophylla, brevipes and congensis. These are of interest because of historical reports of a superior taste, but also because they are found in Upper West Africa at relatively low elevations, suggesting the potential for climate resilience.

“Coffea affinis and C. stenophylla may possess useful traits for coffee crop plant development, including east differentiation, disease resistance and climate resilience,” explained researchers from Kew. “These attributes would be best accessed via breeding programs, although the species may have niche-market potential via minimal domestication.” In December last year, 15 experts gathered at CIRAD’s sensory analysis laboratory, with four more virtual attendees from Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium to taste the three species together, representing a world first.

“The aroma profile of new coffees looks promising,” noted Morgane Daeschner, a Q-grader (an internationally recognised professional credential that confirms the holder’s ability to grade and score coffee).

All tasters agreed that it was a historic moment in the journey to find new coffee varieties with the potential for each of the coffee species to be grown independently or crossed with other species, such as Robusta, to

create new, more robust, and higheryielding varieties.

Replicating Coffee Cupping with Artificial Intelligence Agriculture and food tech startup, Demetria, has pioneered the automated analysis of coffee bean tasting using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data cloud technology.

Coffee tasting, or coffee ‘cupping’, is the process by which characteristics of a coffee bean are evaluated. Not dissimilar to conventional sensory panel, when cupping, experts check a particular bean’s fragrance, aroma, acidity, body, flavour, and finish.

According to Demetria, this manual method is expensive and time consuming, and is predominately

carried out by industry experts outside the origin countries. This can mean roasters and traders have minimal visibility into the quality of the beans they purchase until they are exported.

The start-up has also raised concerns that cupping is inaccessible to a majority of coffee farmers, notably the 12.5 million smallholders who produce 60 percent of the world’s coffee beans. Consequently, growers are unable to determine or manage the quality of the crop. “Farmers’ inability to guarantee a consistent level of quality of beans mean that a significant number of them receive just a base commodity price for their produce,” commented Demetria.

The food tech company says it has the answer.

Demetria is leveraging near infrared (NIR) sensors to analyse and fingerprint green coffee beans for biochemical markers. Its AI based platform, known as an e-Palate, then matches each bean profile according to the industry standard coffee flavour wheel. Quality and taste can now be assessed at any stage of the coffee production and distribution process.

“The ability to discover the quality of green coffee beans is a game changer for an entire industry that’s relied on a primitive supply chain and artisanal processes for 300 years,” noted Demetria co-founder and CEO Felipe Ayerbe. “Our technology delivers vital intelligence to ensure crop consistency and quality control, resulting in readdressing the economics of the coffee value chain to benefit every key player.”

The company has also forged a working relationship with the Columbian National Federation for Coffee Growers (FNC). Together, they are developing a series of smartphone apps designed to help farmers and their transaction points enhance traceability in the supply chain.

Ultimately, the goal is to better control and track bean quality to ensure it is priced appropriately.

“Through the use and affordable democratisation of sensors, cloud computing and other technologies, coffee growers will be able to manage each stage of the production process in a simple, timely and accurate manner, and, more importantly, evaluate the quality of their own crop and gain a price that reflects this,” expressed FNC President Roberto Velez.

“Technologies like Demetria empower the FNC to achieve its goals and play a key role in the sustainability of our industry.”

March 2021

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coffeecups

Disposable Cups BioPak BioCups BioCups are an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral, plant-based cup which is made from sustainably sourced and rapidly renewable raw materials. They are an ideal choice for socially and environmentally conscious businesses.

Paper BioCups are sustainably sourced from managed plantations and feature Inega – a bioplastic lining made from plants, not oil. BioCups are suitable for hot and cold use, are commercially compostable and can be customer printed with your branding. The Art Series (pictured) has unique designs that change every 8 weeks. Available through Burns & Ferrall, visit www.burnsferrall.co.nz

Detpak RecycleMe Coffee Cups RecycleMe is the only takeaway coffee cup system that recycles into paper. Therefore, once our cups become paper, they can be recycled into new paper products over and over again (up to seven times).

Now offering more

ways to guarantee your cups will be recycled.

RecycleMe is the easy and reliable way for you and your customers to say no to landfill. Note: RecycleMe cups are only available with the complete RecycleMe Collection System, for more information, visit RecycleMe.co. Detpak cups are available through Burns & Ferrall.

Innocent Packaging Innocent Packaging started in 2013 with the goal for finding alternatives to petrochemicalbased disposable food packaging. In 2019 the company became Carbon Zero Certified through Toitu Envirocare.

All Innocent Packaging products are made from plants – from sugarcane waste and wheat straw, to FSC certified paper and corn starch. They have a range of disposable coffee cups in multiple sizes and can provide personalised customer branding along side a stylish range of non-branded cups. Visit www.innocentpackaging.co.nz

Green Choice Green Choice is a compostable

foodservice packaging brand consisting of a quality product range. All products are made from plant-based materials, including

biodegradable and compostable coffee cup lids made from sugarcane.

Green Choice have a range of single wall, double wall and ripple wall cups in a range of sizes. The Green Choice brand is owned by UniPak, a company based in Whanganui with offices in Auckland and Christchurch. The Green Choice product range is gaining recognition throughout New Zealand as a result of Uni-Pak’s large distribution footprint.

Visit www.greenchoice.nz

Ecoware EcoCups Not just a takeaway coffee

cup, EcoCups are made from responsible sourced paper lined with Inego.

Ecoware has devoted the last 10 years to developing world-leading sustainable food packaging.

The majority of Ecoware products are made entirely from plant material and inks are either soy or water based.

Ecoware products have been certified or trialled for commercial and home composting. Their products are also able to be custom branded.

Ecoware’s Kiwi Collection EcoCups (pictured) are decorated with colourful memories of a quintessential kiwi summer.

EcoCup hot cups are leak-proof, sturdy and premium quality with exceptional insulation.

Visit www.ecoware.co.nz

Reusable Cups bygreen

IdealCup

Reduce the amount of waste you and your customers produce by offering reusable cups at your business. These quality resuables can be custom branded to include logo and brand messaging.

The reusable Coffee Cups are made from stainless steel and are double wall vacuum insulated. Available through Burns & Ferrall.

IdealCup is the very first reusable coffee cup to be designed and made right here in Aotearoa. Leak proof, easy to clean, and 100 percent dishwasher safe. Your regular customers will love purchasing an IdealCup™ with their favourite café’s logo emblazoned on it. Not only will your business be more sustainable, you’ll save yourself money and create even more customer loyalty with a reusable offering. Better yet, any IdealCups which are deemed at the end of their useful life, can be returned to our manufacturer, who will grind them down and make them into new product. Visit www.idealcup.co.nz

KeepCup

As the world’s first barista standard reusable cup, KeepCups are the OG of the reusable cup world. Available in a range of materials, colours and sizes, there is a KeepCup to suit everyone. KeepCups are hygienic, easy to care for and are designed to last. With a wide range of colours and materials you can design a KeepCup that reflects your café’s style and branding. You can also replace individual parts. Visit www.nz.keepcup.com

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SoL Cups

SoL Cups were designed to help people move from a throwaway mindset to a more environmentally supportive one.

They’re portable, convenient, aesthetically pleasing, and infinitely

reusable. Sol Chooses Hand Blown Glass. It has a sleek and sexy design, it is lightweight and best of all is made from naturally abundant materials – namely sand – and is far less permeable than plastics. As a result, SoL Cups offer purity of taste, the drink is fresher and cleaner. SoL is strong, lightweight and 100 percent plastic free, as well as being microwave and dishwasher safe. Visit www. solcups.co.nz

Eco Warehouse Eco Warehouse

is a family-owned business that works hard to provide a huge range of sustainable and ecofriendly products.

The Eco Warehouse CuppaCoffee cups come with unique and iconic designs featuring the best of Kiwiana and help support New Zealand and Australian artists. The 12oz cups are designed and made in New Zealand from food-grade polypropylene – a plastic that can be easily recycled at the end of its life (including the lid).

Visit www.ecowarehouse.nz

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coffeeprices

Is it Finally Time to Increase Coffee Prices?

While the prices of almost everything else, from milk to water to labour, has increased, coffee prices have remained, for the most part, the same for at least a decade.

K

iwi customers expect inflation on certain items but seem unwilling to pay an extra dollar for that medium flat white. Coffee prices do need to go up, however, particularly in light of the minimum wage increase which goes into effect on April 1st.

Advice from Employment New Zealand regarding the wage increase

read: “You should add any expected increased costs to your short and medium-term budget forecasts, to help you plan for and manage the effect of higher wage and holiday pay liabilities.” Well, thanks for nothing – was the resounding response from the industry. The average customer often isn’t aware of increases to costs for your business, and few take the time to understand why their coffee that cost $4 yesterday might have to cost $5 today. Customers are increasingly in want of transparency from businesses and brands, however, so clearly communicating why prices need to increase will often settle a customer’s hesitation or annoyance.

Of course, you can’t individually go through your accounts with every

customer that walks through the door, so announcing a price increase by use of in-store notices on boards or by the door and through social media is a good way to get the message out there – and this needs to be done in advance of the actual price rise.

Be clear and concise in your explanation for the price increase. If it is because of the new minimum wage, explain that you want to keep your fabulous staff on board and how this small increase in the price of the coffee or food can help you do this. This shows customers your willingness to be transparent.

Communicate to your customers that higher prices mean better quality.

It can be confusing to customers as to why a price increase would be necessary, especially if they’ve been purchasing the same product for years.

This makes it vital that you stress the importance of product quality.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic consumers have been more willing to pay higher amounts for better quality goods and better service.

It is also important to communicate any price increases and the reasons behind them to all staff before you announce it to customers, no one wants to be served by someone who doesn’t know what’s going on.

Allow customers to reach out with their queries and concerns, remember this is about transparency and most customers will accept the new prices without complaint, especially once they

understand the need for the increase.

So, how much should a customer pay for a coffee?

These are the prices from three of the large coffee chains operating in New Zealand. While chains have the ability to be more competitive in their pricing, it’s a good indication of what the average Kiwi is spending (and is willing to spend) on their morning fix.

These are their prices for a flat white (standard shots, regular milk): • The Coffee Club: S: $4.50, M/ Regular: $5.60, L: $6.30 • Starbucks: S: $4.40, Tall: $5.20, Grande: $6.00, Vente: $6.80 • Columbus Coffee: S: $4.50, upsize is 70c extra so a medium flat white would be $5.20 • (The average size of a small takeaway coffee is 280-290mls.)

With this in mind, if you’re charging less than $4.50 for a small flat white, you’re charging too little. If you think a small flat white from your establishment is worth $5.00, then explain to your customers why that is. It might be because you choose to invest in compostable takeaway cups that cost more, therefore explain your sustainability ethos to your customers and incorporate the eco-friendly story into your brand. It’s all about communication, Kiwi customers respond well to authenticity and clear messaging from the businesses they choose to spend their money with.

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meet the chef

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Blayne Still

Head Chef, Pravda Café & Grill, Wellington

Head chef at Wellington’s Pravda Café & Grill, Blayne Still was born in Lower Hutt and grew up in the city, venturing to Australia, the UK, and Europe before returning home.

S

till started his culinary journey 21 years ago, beginning a chef course at the age of 16. Since then, he has worked in Australia and London, but his first job was at Cobar in Eastbourne, where he stayed for over five years, leaving as the Sous chef. He then moved onto Shed 5 as a chef de partie.

“At first I really struggled with the move to a new restaurant but quickly found my feet. I ended up doing three separate stints at Shed 5 over the years,” explained Still. “In between my time at Shed 5 I worked at Seasalt at Armstrongs in Brisbane and The Angel in Toowoomba. I also worked at Bistro Bruno in London.”

Still expressed that his journey to where he is now, as head chef, has required a lot of hard work and sacrifice. “I originally wanted to be

a baker, but that fell through. I had promised my parents I wouldn’t leave school until I knew what I wanted to do. I did a four-week course through school at the polytechnic, it was basic veg preparation and baking.

I loved it, so I dropped out of school and started my chef course the next week where I graduated as a top student, not bad for a school dropout from Wainuiomata!”

Pravada is a busy little café and restaurant set in the heart of the city and is known as a Wellington institution. In Russian, Pravda means ‘the truth’. Hence the eatery’s focus on honest, produce-led dishes that use the very best ingredients New Zealand has to offer.

Still’s day typically starts with him helping his breakfast chef and getting ready for a busy lunch. In between meat preparation for dinner service,

he gets to paperwork and designing new menu dishes.

“We do it all from coffee and our famous cheese scones in the morning, to breakfast and lunch. Then we turn into a steakhouse at night, inspired by our sister restaurants Jervois Steakhouse which we have in both Auckland and Queenstown.”

One of Still’s career highlights was working for Bruno Loubet in London, another was earning and retaining a chef hat whilst working at Seasalt at Armstrongs in Brisbane. These highlights reflect Still’s love of what could be described as ‘old-school’ chefs and what they stand for.

“Marco Pierre White, Michel Roux, Raymond Blanc, Pierre Koffmann and Gordon Ramsay. These chefs are not just inspirational for how good they are but for their general passion for food and cooking.”

The biggest challenge for Still has been the peaks and troughs that are part of the territory when it comes to foodservice and hospitality, particularly over the last year.

“It makes it difficult planning for the kitchen around unpredictable times. Just as we get back on track, COVID sneaks back in and we see a quieter period again. If people keep supporting local, hospitality can survive but without tourism, trade, and foreign visas, I can see trade and staffing becoming an issue.” The most rewarding aspect of Still’s job, “hands down” is seeing happy customers.

“There is something really special to a chef when you put your heart into your cooking and people love it. I also love training and teaching young chefs and watching them grow and learn their passion.”

Still’s advice for those young chefs is to not rush their journey. Listen, focus, and work hard.

“Cooking and running a kitchen takes time and patience to both learn and grow. Enjoy the ride, the good and bad is worth it in the end when you put in the grind.”

As for the home cook, be patient and taste everything. Still noted that it’s important to start with the basics, nail them, then move on to more difficult dishes.

For Still, it’s his BBQ/Smoker that’s his ‘must have’ kitchen item, when he’s not in the professional kitchen you can most likely find him playing around with smoked meats, trying new brines and rubs, cooking times and temperatures.

While the head chef would like to try his hand at making Vodka, something he learned to do from family friends while in Poland, Still’s main goal right now is to spend as much time with his new-born daughter as possible.

“I love spending time with my beautiful partner Paige and our daughter Blake. They mean the world to me and make the job I do so rewarding when I get home to see them.”

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The milks are arespecifically specificallyblended blendedtoto texture TheAlternative Alternative Dairy Dairy Co. Co. milks texture and the perfect perfectcoffee coffeeexperience experience and stretch stretch for for the

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TASTES AND COLD COLD TASTESGREAT GREAT HOT AND

LOWININ SUGAR LOW SUGAR

VEGANAPPROVED APPROVED VEGAN

DEVELOPED FOR ESPRESSO DEVELOPED FOR ESPRESSO BASED COFFEE BASED COFFEE

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