Restaurant & Café Magazine | June 2020

June 2020 Vol 13 Issue 6

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editor’snote DON'T REINVENT - RECALIBRATE

Caitlan Mitchell Editor caitlan@reviewmags.com

T

he catch cry at the moment is all about business reinvention, we'd like to suggest that it is more of a recalibration. Taking stock of your assets, among them namely your team, your premises, your goodwill then how do we recalibrate that mix into sales - or to not put too strong a phrase on it - bums on seats.

It's coming up to payday, and the pressure to do something is mounting.

Q2 is a disaster and you just can't have a disastrous Q3. Gathering your team you meet to identify a strategy that stops the downward trend. We know how we got here, we did it as part of the team of five million, but now we see that we were the team but the Government wasn't a team, it was one person leading the charge and when she couldn't do every job the wheels fell off.

Then the bright spark in the room suggests:

What if we cut the portion sizes?

How much will we save?

Will anyone notice?

Or maybe its staffing levels: Do we need a runner?

How much will that save?

And so begins the gravity at work, pulling down the very essence of what made the business special. Often

READ ONLINE www.restaurantandcafe.co.nz

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management cuts what they think is fat, but often they are destroying the foundation of what made the business successful.

• Fresh becomes frozen.

• Made-from-scratch becomes manufactured.

• Cooked-to-order becomes precooked.

• Unique becomes cookie-cutter.

The guest becomes underrepresented in the meeting, unless there is a great operator, who is always a customer advocate. This is the person who is passionate to create a hospitality experience that delights their customers - great operators put their customers first. They watch making sure that customers enjoy everything from the first bite - have a great time and love the whole experience. They note the smiles and the frowns, have staff that know the menu, can answer any questions and delight in sharing their knowledge.

Unfortunately, layered into every growth story are inevitable missteps that result in traffic decline leaving owners and their teams to debate a new strategy after negative results.

The inevitable question arises: “We have to do something, but what?”

This is where the downgrading begins because, in the face of not knowing what to do, operators go back to basics.

• Do we have to use the topline brand? Is there a cheaper option?

• Do we have to use fresh? Frozen is cheaper.

• Portion size, how much can we trim off?

• Do we have to make from fresh?

What prep solutions are there to cut corners and costs?

Don’t worry about everything being made from scratch, homemade, made on the premises – it’s all about cutting costs not improving value.

Customers get confused, and the employees are demoralised. Suddenly your booming business is closing.

We all agree, fat will need to be trimmed in these COVID-19

times, we are all having to trim the edges, but we must be very wary of well-intentioned ideas, aimed at maintaining profits, when sales flatten or disappear, that undermine who you are, what you stand for and what your customers expect. When contemplating a strategy to regain profitability, build sales, rather than cut costs which will only generate short term results.

Be like a speedboat, pivot your business - don't be like the Titanic where the turnaround is impossible.

Are you strangling the Golden Goose in an effort to get more eggs? Make sure a customer advocate is in the your team meeting.

Also, I’m very aware that as a business owner it is difficult to ask for help but have you asked for help from your customers? People will help, but you have to ask. Probably the best outcome I've heard from an operator asking customers for help over the COVID-19 pandemic is when they said they asked their client base to buy prepaid vouchers and got $40,000 in orders. It was enough to provide the stop-gap for them to breathe, take stock of their situation, and not lose their team while they pivoted their business.

Great operators grow brands and fight with all they have to continue to serve fresh flavourful foods to repeat customers. Who in the restaurant business lives for providing second rate food, without care, without the love of what they are doing?

Remember when the customer was your friend, they came to your restaurant or cafe because they liked the overall experience, felt valued and got value for money. They are not just a cover count number.

The answers are not simple – but fight the gravity that seeks to diminish, while rekindling your passion for your business. caitlan@reviewmags.com

6 News

15 Columns

8 Save Our Fries

16 Support Local

12 On Trend

30 Meet the Chef

14 20 mins with . . .

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31 Grape to Glass

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Tauranga: 11th August Bay Park, 81 Truman Lane, Mt Maunganui Auckland: 13th August Sir Woolf Fisher Arena, Vodafone Events Centre, 770 Great South Road, Wiri, Manukau 2104 Rotorua: 18th August Energy Events Centre, Queens Drive, Government Gardens, Rotorua Palmerston North: 19th August Barber Hall, Arena Manawatu, Waldegrave Street, Palmerston North Wellington: 26th August The Member’s Gallery, Sky Stadium, 105 Waterloo Quay, Pipitea, Wellington Hawkes Bay: 27th August Club Hastings, 308 Victoria Street, Hastings, 4122, New Zealand Christchurch: 23rd September Horncastle Arena, 55 Jack Hinton Dr, Addington, Christchurch Timaru: 24th September Southern Trusts Events Centre, 70 Morgans Road, Glenwood, Timaru Nelson: 6th October The Headingly Centre, 2 Headingly Lane, Richmond 7020

Dunedin: 13th October More FM Arena, Edgar Centre, Corner of Portsmouth Drive & Teviot Street, Dunedin Invercargill: 14th October ILT Stadium Southland, Court 1 & 2, Surrey Park Sports Centre, Isabella Street, Invercargill New Plymouth: 28th October Devon Hotel and Conference Centre, 390 Devon Street East, New Plymouth

100% OWNED

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Hamilton: 6th August Claudelands Event Centre, Corner of Brooklyn Road & Heaphy Terrace, Claudelands, Hamilton

Greymouth: 7th October Shanty Town, Rutherglen Road Paroa Greymouth 7805

RESTAURANT & CAFÉ SUPPORTS

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

Whangarei: 4th August Northland Event Centre, Refining NZ Lounge, 51 Okara Drive, Whangarei

ISSN 2422-9601 RESTAURANT & CAFÉ: Suite 9, Level 3, 20 Augustus Tce, Parnell, Auckland PO Box 37140, Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 304 0142 or Fax (09) 377 2794 Restaurant & Café is published monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to Restaurant & Café. The opinions and material published in this edition of Restaurant & Café are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated.

All material appearing in Restaurant & Café is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2020

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news

CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AT VENERDI Auckland bread making company Venerdi has announced a change in leadership, with current CEO Tim Grainger moving into a new Business Development role at the company he co-founded in 2002.

The new role will allow Grainger to focus on plant and machinery improvements, product developments, and market development. Tim’s successor is current Venerdi Head of People and Culture, Kerry Elliot.

Elliot has worked at Venerdi since 2016 and has been instrumental in developing the strong valuesbased organisational culture, which Grainger says underpins the performance of the company today.

“Kerry’s alliance with company values and her understanding of the importance of process will propel our business forward. I can see Kerry will be effective in improving our focus on values and product quality, while increasing our ability to resolve frustrations, to reduce waste and ultimately to make the best bread in the world,” commented Tim. Elliot is excited about the new challenge and has spent the past six weeks familiarising herself with all the various aspects of the business.

“I am really inspired by all that the Grainger family has achieved throughout their 18 years of building Venerdi to be the nutritious and successful manufacturing company it

WORLD FIRST FOR HAWKE’S BAY

A world-first home compostable apple zip lock pouch bag has just been launched by New Zealand’s largest organic apple producer. Bostock New Zealand has spent over 12 months developing what it believes to be, the world’s first certified home compostable zip-lock pouch bag for apples. The bag is made from rice, potatoes and corn derivatives blended together and took 12 months to develop a bag that was strong enough to hold a kilogram of apples.

“One of the major challenges was the zip lock on the bag. We worked with a New Zealand company to find a converting facility in Germany that

could accommodate the zip lock, macro-perforations and gusset with a monolayer home compostable film,” said owner, John Bostock.

“It’s very exciting to be launching the home compostable pouch bag in New Zealand and around the world.”

The packaging is certified to the Australasian, European and American compostability standards. However, currently in New Zealand there is no official home compostable standard.

To achieve international home composting accreditation, the bag must disintegrate in 90 days, and biodegrade within 180 days in a home compost environment.

“Finding sustainable packaging solutions is a real focus for our company as we move to reduce plastic where we can,” explained Bostock.

Bostock Far East International Market Manager, Vladimir Beliakov says Bostock New Zealand has been exporting organic apples to Russia for four years and has been proud to trial the compostable apple bags there this season. Last year Bostock New Zealand was the first apple exporter in the southern hemisphere to start using compostable fruit stickers on some of its apples. Bostock New Zealand has also been trialling other sustainable and compostable packaging options across its products,

NO MORE SHENANIGANS

Lawrenson Group has confirmed the indefinite closure of Hamilton bar,

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Shenanigans, which hasn’t been able to open its doors since lockdown.

including home compostable wood fibre netting for its organic onions.

“We are moving to use less plastic across our company and are continually looking for more sustainable packaging options.

However, this comes at a price as the compostable packaging is a lot more expensive.” The new home compostable apple pouch bag is at least three times more expensive than a plastic apple pouch bag.

“We need to make compostable packaging solutions more affordable, so they are financially sustainable for our business and others following the same path. This will also enable us to roll out more environmentally focused packaging,” said Bostock.

As part of Bostock New Zealand’s drive to reduce plastic across the company it has set up a dedicated internal team, called Project Green to help achieve this. The initial goal was to reduce waste sent to landfill by 50 percent within three years and the company has reduced the waste by 43 percent in the last 12 months.

This has also led to responsible sourcing initiatives to phase out waste across every part of the business. This includes using less plastic which could remain in the orchards. For example, using hessian strings on the apple trees, rather than plastic string.

It is the second of Lawrenson Group’s bars and restaurants in the Waikato to close after the closure of Bluestone Steakhouse. The lease for Shenanigans, which is on Victoria St in central Hamilton, was up for renewal and because of the debt the business was in they decided not to renew it.

“It was a great pub for a long time and it certainly was pretty sad walking around in there a few days ago as we pulled down the jerseys on the walls. A lot of really good memories in that business,” said Lawrenson Group chief executive John Lawrenson. “But it is the right call.”

is today,” said Elliot.

“I feel very honoured to have been appointed in the role of CEO and look forward to continuing to work towards our business goals with the Venerdi team. Tim has been a great mentor to me over the past 4 years and although they are big shoes to fill, I feel ready for the challenge.”

Kerry takes over as Venerdi CEO effective immediately.

Venerdi produces a range of gluten free breads, bagels, bread mixes and pizza bases under the Venerdi, Paleo, Gluten Freedom and The Larder Project brands, sold throughout stores across New Zealand and Australia as well as online at www.venerdi.co.nz.

THIRD BEST HAVARTI CHEESE IN THE WORLD Known as the cheese capital of New Zealand, Eltham, a small town in south Taranaki is home to the third best havarti cheese in the world.

Kāpiti Kānuka Havarti, made by Fonterra Brands’ Eltham Bridge Street Cheesemakers, was awarded a score of 98.60 out of 100 at the annual World Champion Cheese Contest. It was only 0.5 of a point off second place, which was awarded to Klondike Cheese Co. of the USA and 0.10 of a point off first place, which was awarded to Meister Cheese, of the USA. Being awarded the third best havarti in the world was a big deal for the small Eltham factory.

“That’s quite a good achievement because there’s a lot of Europeans that have been producing harvati for hundreds of years,” noted lead cheesemaker Cathy Lang.

There was often confusion with the brand name Kāpiti, with consumers thinking it’s made on the Kāpiti Coast and not in Eltham, but the awards had helped clear things up and boost Eltham back into the spotlight as the cheese capital of New Zealand. “It’s been a bit of a hidden secret,” said Lang.

news

CAFES ALREADY HURTING FROM COVID-19 STUNG

BY BOOMING COFFEE MACHINE AND POD SALES

WELLINGTON ON A PLATE AND BEERVANA 2020

Two favourite events in the Kiwi culinary calendar, Wellington On a Plate and Beervana, have forged ahead with 2020 dates announced for both.

Wellington Culinary Events Trust has announced that this year’s Visa Wellington On a Plate will run for the whole month of October.

Meanwhile, Beervana will return in November at Sky Stadium.

Both events are normally held in the capital in August, however the trust said it had pushed out the dates to allow for more freedom of movement with mass gatherings.

“Now is the time for

Wellingtonians to get out and support the hospitality sector,” said Festival director Sarah Meikle.

“Visa Welly On a Plate won’t be able to host international chefs, so our emphasis will be on community collaboration and celebrating the immense depth of culinary talent within the Wellington region.”

“Likewise, with Beervana, we won’t be able to bring international brewers here, but distanced collaborations between breweries are still going ahead, and we’ll still be pouring their beers at the festival.”

While cafes are struggling to get back on their feet, coffee machine and pod sales are booming.

According to product comparison site PriceSpy, popularity for espresso machines has skyrocketed, up 77 percent year-on-year.

“The data brings to light just how popular home espresso machines have become as a result of COVID-19,” said country manager Lisa​Matinvesi-Bassett.

There was a predictable surge in shoppers clicking on espresso machines in the days leading up to lockdown, and again when shops could sell essential goods, but this growth hasn’t slowed since cafes re-opened. “In fact, the number of clicks received in 2020 has far exceeded that of 2019,” said Matinvesi-Bassett.

“All kitchen appliance sales have been substantially up on last year since lockdown commenced, but the coffee category grew the most,” said Fraser Collins, merchandise general manager

for Briscoes. There was major growth in the market for mid to top end machines, with people trying to recreate the perfect brew at home. There are just 1000 espresso machines currently listed for sale, while 74,000 people were searching for them. Almost 18,000 searches were also made for Nespresso, up 10 percent from the week before. Those in the industry know that cafes are not just about the coffee, however. They are a significant ‘third place’ in our communities, separate from the workplace and the home.

“Our craving to reconnect with our local cafes is about much more than just getting a much-missed coffee fix. Instead, it shows that our houses were never meant to be lived in 24-7, and that we are fundamentally social creatures,” said social scientist Carl Davison.

Surely no amount of coffee pods or self-taught home-baristas can truly replace the Kiwi café experience.

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MID-CANTERBURY IS HOME TO THE WORLD’S BEST CHIPPING SPUDS Potatoes New Zealand has launched their plan for pandemic recovery, utilising Consumer and Grower Research completed this month to inform their actions.

Frozen fries generate 55 percent of the potato industry’s $1 billion value. Currently Potatoes New Zealand is addressing the potential import threat of a 2.6 million tonne surplus of frozen fries from the European Union.

M

eet fry guy, Guy Slater who has worked on his family farm since his teens.

He shares the land and the work with his wife and extended family.

Understanding the team around this Canterbury grower is key. Slater is quick to point out he is not a single grower, but he enables a whole community to grow spuds. He is humble yet proud of the community he supports.

“It’s hugely rewarding, if you can afford to be generous it pays to and if you can’t, then you need to talk about it,” explained Slater. The sense of community around spuds is part of what makes the company successful.

Slater’s venture has needed to get bigger to survive. The original team of 3 growers has expanded to include 25 other family’s farms.

The team grows process varieties and supply New Zealand’s main processors; Talleys, Mr Chips, and in partnership with Hamish and Bridget McFarlane, supply McCain in Timaru. Slater also grows Agria for Proper Crisps of Nelson. They are one of the more significant growers in the country when it comes to area planted.

It is clear any threat to one of the biggest process growers in New Zealand, will affect a great number of people, all in a concentrated area.

“If the Europeans send these spuds down, they don’t pose a quality threat to us that’s for sure, because we’ve got a better product. We’re in the best location, we’re nimble and if they do arrive, then game on,” expressed Slater.

However, undermining a level playing field by subsidisation is the concern. Canterbury potato growers have specialised in the process side of growing and they’re brilliant at it, as hot chips eaters know when they chow down on a #fryday night.

85 percent of frozen fries eaten in New Zealand are homegrown and can be guaranteed to be high quality, they have a low environmental impact and economically support local families and communities. Any threat to process potato prices, could be the end for growers who may already feel bombarded with compliance costs, as well as recent biosecurity incursion recovery.

“We’ve become very sustainable and transparent. We’re dealing with a product that has to be fit for purpose.

Canterbury is becoming a significant domestic producer and exporter of Frozen fries,” said Slater.

“Never have I been so proud of the people with their efforts during lockdown. I felt proud to be a New Zealander. Their efforts meant I carried on. I want to acknowledge the pressure all Kiwis have been under.

We all want everyone to access quality

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food at competitive prices and we as farmers want to provide that.”

The responsiveness and agility of the sector meant that New Zealand potato growers continued to supply New Zealanders with potatoes, crisps and fries during lockdown. Thankfully, food security was safeguarded.

“I’m not a political commentator and I don’t want to take my eye off the ball, I’m simply a business operating in extraordinary times. I am all for the free trade that our predecessors fought for, undoing this could be fatal, but a level playing field is essential. If the Europeans screw the scrum (and I’m pretty sure one country there has), I owe it to my business, my team and the wider potato industry to ask the ref to make a call,” expressed Slater.

“That’s why we appreciate Potatoes NZ going to Wellington and asking the government for an inquiry. We want it addressed quickly, based on evidence and in this case the reply could be a game changer. We need to make sure all our good work isn’t undone by inaction. I’d like the govt of the time to be bold.”

New Zealand hospitality is a key customer for potato growers, and New Zealand growers have provided a fantastic product. Here’s hoping decisions are made to safeguard potatoes so that as hospitality and foodservice businesses return to trade, they don’t end up having to rely on imported foods.

If farmers here are undercut to a point where they can no longer afford to grow for processing or fresh, (and remember processing tends to prop up the rest of the sector, by adding 55 percent of the value) we may all be facing a very strange new normal.

Local maers We’re for the celebration of local produce, that’s why for more than 30 years, we’ve been helping local businesses serve home-grown produce.

Naturally good food, simply made. mccainfoodservice.co.nz

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saveourfries

MAKIKIHI FRIES

Makikihi Fries was started in 1983, by founder Jac Bleeker (who had emigrated from Holland in 1952).

Bleeker started in potatoes as a grower, harvesting potatoes for other processors - but when the factory he had built for a crisp manufacturer in Makikihi became empty, the decision was made to start making French fries.

Thus, Makikihi Fries was born - now over 35 years in production, and continuing to grow from strength to strength.

Makikihi Fries has always seen itself as one of the little guys.

“Because we are, if you were to use a beer analogy, we would align ourselves with craft. Our motto is not to be the biggest ... just the best,” explained current Operations Manager, Stewart Hydes.

“Up until recently, our sales

were predominantly in what we see as our home patch – the eastern and southern coast of the South Island.”

The national shortage of fries arising from the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown has caused a shift.

“We were able to help out with the shortage of fries around the country - which has led to us having to think a little differently. What we found is that people all around the country just love our great-tasting fries. So, we’re working hard to build on that – and on bringing our fries to those new fans.”

Just like craft beer, Makikihi Fries might not be for everybody.

“We’ve never tried to be all things to all people,” noted Hydes.

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The Makikihi Fries range is fairly tight with products such as Skin-On, 10mm Slims, and 7mm Shoestrings, exclusively for the hospitality and foodservice customers. When you buy Makikihi Fries you get more than just a bag of chips.

“Without a doubt it is our unique, great taste that brings customers back time and again. On top of that, some of our customers like to support us because Makikihi Fries are certified carbon zero, or they like the fact our fries are gluten free and completely natural with no preservatives, additives or artificial flavour enhancers.”

Makikihi Fries use 100 percent Agria potatoes, which were first brought to New Zealand for Jac Bleeker. To this day, the potatoes are 100 percent locally grown, which fits well with the current push to think local and buy local. “For over 35 years, we’ve rigidly adhered to a simple, local recipe, untouched by globalisation. Everything about Makikihi Fries is created, consumed, and kept in New Zealand.

When you eat our fries, you become a part of the whole Makikihi Fries story.”

The team is relatively small at the factory, but the Makikihi Fries family extends beyond direct

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employees. It includes salespeople and merchandisers, distribution truck drivers who get the products around the countryside, everybody who sells its products in restaurants, cafes and takeaway shops – and of course, all the customers who buy Makikihi Fries.

Business fell off dramatically when the country went into lockdown, as most of Makikihi Fries’ customers (restaurants, foodservice) were forced to close.

“Luckily, we were able to help get our fries to more people through Supermarkets. Now that our other customers can re-open, we are welcoming them back, it’s great to see everybody again.”

Makikihi Fries have worked hard to restore the volume it lost since the outbreak of COVID-19. Once the brand gets some breathing space it has some new ideas it will be working on.

“Makikihi Fries’ customers are discerning; they appreciate great taste and good value for money. We are really pleased to be able to bring our great-tasting fries to more people around the country.”

For more information about its product range visit www.makikihifries. co.nz

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TALLEY’S - A TALE OF PASSION FOR POTATOES

Talley’s mission has always been ‘Bringing you the best of New Zealand.’ The impact of COVID-19 on the local businesses has only increased its commitment to that mission.

K

iwis across the country have encouraged consumers to buy local and support New Zealand’s recovering economy – and you cannot get more local than Talley’s. Talley’s has been around since 1936, so there’s a history of goodness and we’re not just talking about the nutritious, delicious food. What began as a small local fishing business over 80 years ago is now one of New Zealand’s largest food production and supply groups.

Talley’s is 100% homegrown, just like its products and the Talley’s

headquarters are still based in Motueka at the Top of The South Island, where it all began.

The single significant point of difference for all Talley’s products, beyond impeccable quality, is that they are all grown, harvested, and processed in New Zealand by Talley’s.

Talley’s also controls the distribution from New Zealand. This means every product has a reassuringly traceable provenance back to the clean, natural seas and fields of Aotearoa.

In the Talley’s range, one of the things they have a real passion for is

potatoes. Who doesn’t love the crunch of a good French fry; the spicy hit of a jacket wedge; or the steaming comfort of a hash brown on a cold morning?

Talley’s potato products are produced from potatoes grown in the mineral-rich soil of the Canterbury Plains and we reckon that the clean water and clear skies of the South contribute to some of the best tasting, nutritious potatoes in the world.

They’re perfect for creating the Talley’s range of fries, wedges, potato pops and hash browns – work which is done in the Ashburton plant. Once made, these little pockets of crunchy delight are sent all over New Zealand and exported to other countries who’ve learned to love a good Kiwi potato.

Right now, the Talley’s team, from its Canterbury farmers to its home hub in Tasman, need your support to make sure that they can continue to deliver the quality you deserve, and taste you love. 80% of all fries eaten in New Zealand are New Zealand fries. Why not make that 100%?

www.talleys.co.nz

June 2020

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MEATLESS FARM

Want your product featured?

Email: caroline@reviewmags.com

The mission-driven, sustainable plant-based company, Meatless Farm has arrived in New Zealand, offering kiwis a meat free alternative product range that’s loaded with taste and good for you ingredients. The high-quality foodservice, QSR and FMCG product range are lovingly made from plants and fresh, natural ingredients that stay succulent when cooked - letting consumers substitute meat without compromising on taste.

Meatless Farm chefs have perfected meat free burger patties, meatless ground mince and sausage products. Almost indistinguishable from meat in terms of taste and texture, products from The Meatless Farm are 100% plant-based and made using the highest quality, non-GMO ingredients available. Fern Ridge is the exclusive distributor for The Meatless Farm in New Zealand.

Priding themselves on providing worldclass meat and seafood from New Zealand and around the world, Fern Ridge’s offering of premium products meant the partnership with The Meatless Farm was ideally aligned.

For trade sales enquiries contact Wanlop Paunovic at wanlop@fernridge.nz

GRANDPA’S BACON

Hungry? Bacon sandwich anyone?

Grandpa’s Bacon Co, is a fit for purpose range of bacons and smallgoods products, the focus for this brand towards the more discerning customer, Grandpa’s Bacons are mostly raw, this means the customer has a lot more options when it comes to food preparations. Grandpa’s Free-range bacon: Streaky and Middle eye (Raw- not precooked) were born because the market has shifted, people are more interested in seeking out ethical options. For Grandpa’s Bacon, one thing will always remain the same: after four decades they have learnt there is no substitute for taste and quality. Stay tuned for Grandpa’s professional range coming later this year.

For more information visit www.sourceandsupply.co.nz

MOA BREWING AND LEWIS ROAD CREAMERY

The dream-team of good mates and iconic Kiwi companies, Moa Brewing and Lewis Road Creamery, is back! This time with a new flavour to add to their epic Milk Stout lineup. Completing the trio on shelves is another special brew, Salted Caramel Chocolate Stout.

These easy drinking and nicely balanced stouts served cold are best paired with rich, spicy food or buttery and well-aged cheddar. If you’re having a drink over dessert these limited-edition milk stouts are the perfect accompaniment to chocolate espresso cake, cream puffs and profiterôles.

SALTED CARAMEL & CHOCOLATE STOUT The base beer of this delectable beverage is still Moa’s classic milk stout with a delicious touch of chocolate, but now boasting luscious notes of caramel and toffee courtesy of crystal malts. The finished article is smooth, rich and roasty, with caramel qualities in the aroma and midpalate, and a subtle hint of Marlborough sea salt to set it all off.

MILK CHOCOLATE STOUT Milk Chocolate Stout, the one that started it all in 2017, is a decadent, creamy, rich, and chocolaty recipe. With a passion for good dark beer and rich Belgian chocolate, and a dash of Heilala Vanilla, Moa brewed a highly drinkable stout, for those who love beer, chocolate, or all of the above.

ESPRESSO & CHOCOLATE MILK STOUT Upping their game in 2018, Moa and Lewis Road reunited to create an invigorating brew of Espresso & Chocolate Milk Stout. This stout delivers the fullness of a milk or cream stout, balanced with a hint of chocolate from cocoa nibs and chocolate malt. Tempered with an integrated nutty coffee flavour, and with coffee also heightening the bitterness, this one is a complex and satisfying taste experience.

All three stouts are available now for a limited release.

For more information visit www.moabeer.com

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PAON BAR STOOL

Another distinctive design from HOUE, the PAON bar stool for indoor or outdoor use is light and Scandinavian by design with a touch of French Victorian romance. The PAON range is attractive and elegant in its appearance as well as solid and sturdy in its construction. The range offers extraordinary comfort and style as expected from Danish Design but at a price that is affordable. The PAON bar stool is a beautiful addition around a bar leaner. With a supportive high back, solid yet comfortable bamboo seat and perfectly positioned armrests. The PAON bar stools are stackable.

Available through Danish Furniture Limited, for more information visit www.danishfurniture.nz

CIRCLE TABLE BY HOUE

HOUE is a Danish design house founded in 2007. Driven by a passion for affordable luxury and a desire to benefit from the vast pool of gifted design talents in Denmark.

They mix beautiful and innovative design with mass appeal. Today HOUE offers both an outdoor and indoor collection always meeting their high standards in terms of design, affordable prices, and quality. The CIRCLE table ø150 cm with tabletop lamellas is made from sustainable bamboo with dark grey powder-coated aluminium legs. A beautiful and wellproportioned dining table that enables free seating as the leg construction is drawn in under the table to provide comfortable legroom. Six chairs around a CIRCLE ø150 is very comfortable, but the table can easily seat eight people. The table has a granite stone in the centre for hot pots.

Dimensions: H: 71 W: 150 D/L: 150 cm Available through Danish Furniture Limited, for more information visit www.danishfurniture.nz

AMINO MANTRA PLANT-BASED PATTIES

The Amino Mantra product range has five flavours of plant-based patties that are made with premium organic vegetables, legumes and seeds.

They are Coeliac New Zealand certified gluten-free and also free from 11 common allergens – Soy, Dairy, Tree-nuts, Peanuts, Sesame, Egg, Fish, Shellfish, Lupin, Sulphites, Pea Protein, preservatives, artificial flavours, processed starches and protein extracts/powders. Made with minimally processed ingredients, they are quick to cook in five minutes and very easy to digest. Designed keeping gut health in mind, they contain essential amino acids, dietary fibres, and good fatty acids. Amino Mantra packaging is 100 percent compostable. Inner vacuum bags are made with innovative bioplastics that are home and commercially compostable in the presence of heat, water, oxygen, soil and microorganisms. The outer box is commercially compostable as well as recyclable, inks are made with vegetable-oil extracts, and tamper-proof seals and stickers on the box are made with commercially compostable corn-starch. Available at selected food stockists and online, visit www.aminomantra.co.nz

LEBELLO 4L TEAK STOOL

Lebello is a premium outdoor furniture company, providing innovations for outdoor living with modern design, performance, and superior craftsmanship.

Lebello’s outdoor materials are made from highdensity polyethylene synthetic fibers which have high UV and weather resistant properties; characterised by their durability and performance during seasonal fluctuations. The 4L Teak Stools are an outdoor series of counter and bar height stools woven with Lebello’s exclusive Tech-Ropes. The frame design is available in teak or walnut wood which gives a lovely warm feeling and are accented with brass hardware adding a sophisticated touch.

Available from Statement ID, for more information visit www.statementid.co.nz

STABLER & STEEL BLACK SAUCE

Since 2003 Tracy Steel has been creating sauce magic with Stable & Steel’s Black sauce, made when she noticed that the flavour of her preferred sauce seemed to keep changing. Black is a wonderful savoury, sweet, and punchy sauce that is best used on eggs, tomatoes, in casseroles, on pies, well on anything really. It is great in Bloody Mary’s and on oysters, perfect in a Chilli Con Carne or in a salad dressing.

You are only limited by your imagination. Black is New Zealand made and all natural. Vegans and vegetarians will also be able to enjoy this delicious sauce as it has no animal products in it.Stabler & Steel currently stock the regular 250ml bottle but now also have a 250ml gluten-free version.

Available via the Stabler & Steel online store or at selected stockists throughout the country, for more information visit www. stablerandsteel.com

June 2020

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20 minutes with . . .

BYRAN McGRUER Source & Supply Food Co

Source and Supply Food Co. supplies fit for purpose product to a whole range of markets.

The company focusses on bacon and small goods with the brands Hosbon’s, Grandpa’s Bacon Co, and Henderson’s Bacon, which was added just over a year ago.

“I

have been part of hospitality and great food all of my life,” Bryan McGruer, the national sales manager for the foodservice arm of Source and Supply, told Restaurant & Café magazine.

“It has become who I am and how I relate to life, whether it is relating to a customer or simply cooking food for my partner Ciara and myself.”

McGruer’s love affair with food started early in life, he often found himself in the kitchen, helping his Mum prepare dinner and learning tricks of the trade McGruer still uses to this day.

“I have a standout memory of coming home from soccer practise every Wednesday, which in our household happened to be lasagne night. The first thing to hit you when walking in the door was the enchanting smell of garlic, butter and sautéed onions, this filled the nostrils and the house with that glorious smell in the pan and I was hooked.”

His cooking career started when McGruer left school at 15, naturally gravitating towards becoming a chef. He trained in Hawkes Bay at the local EIT polytechnic for two and a half years, 40 hours a week at school plus working five nights a week, a schedule which set McGruer up for the typical chef life working 70-80 hours a week.

“I was lucky enough to graduate my course with distinction, this gave me a great base knowledge and during my time I was fortunate enough to work for and with some of New Zealand’s most respected chefs/restaurateur’s helping them shape some of the best restaurants in New Zealand.”

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Fast forward 23 years and McGruer found himself at a cross-roads, after more than two decades as a professional chef he needed a new challenge. “I had to be part of hospo but how? What would stretch my brain to learn more, to evolve? I needed my fix of the service rush that all hospitality staff feel, the instant gratification that keeps you pushing for more, to do better, to be better.”

He decided to hang up his apron and try his hand at account management, this was a foreign world for McGruer. “I knew food and cooking like the back of my hand and at my interview my soon-to-be boss gave me the best piece of advice that was so simple but very Important in account management: ‘You have two ears and one mouth, use what you have more of.’ She was right.”

McGruer applied that knowledge and was thankful to gain a position with Bidfood national accounts, many of the accounts he managed being familiar from his previous life. Bidfood opened McGruer’s eyes to the flipside of hospitality.

“This new role completely blew my mind with the possibilities of where it could go, what I could learn, and weekends off! I found myself at the bottom of the heap again, trading in my executive chef hat for the kitchen hand hat. I was a complete newbie: computer systems I didn’t fully understand, logistics I didn’t fully understand, I was a fresh fish gasping for air when I first started,” admitted McGruer, explaining how the experience he gained from Bidfood was invaluable.

When it came time to move on McGruer wanted to be with a company that had family values and a company that was a true innovator in its field, which is why Source and Supply Food Co. was so appealing. It seemed to be the right fit between McGruer and brothers William and Michael Curd from the beginning.

“The interview lasted for almost three hours, I remember leaving thinking I had a new home, a new role, a new life. I must have impressed them as I was offered the role two weeks later.”

The family run company began as Hobson’s Choice in 1980 with just the Hobson’s brand. Four decades later a new generation of the family runs the business: sons William Curd (GM) and his brother Michael Curd (Sales Director). To mark the changing of the guard, and the brand-new state of the art facility in Penrose, Auckland, the family decided to rebrand the company and so Hobson’s Choice became Source and Supply Food Co. The Kiwi business still makes good old-fashioned speciality smoked meat products and bacons the way it always has. Hobson’s, its iconic Kiwi bacon brand and Grandpa’s, its artisanal and traditional range remain as the mainstays of the business.

Recently the company added Henderson’s bacon to the portfolio.

“Henderson’s bacon has a point of difference as this range of bacons are chemical free with no nitrates, no added water and are produced the way I

learned to make bacon: simply with salt and sugar,” noted McGruer.

“The three brands under Source and Supply offer good, better and best. Hobsons being good, Grandpa’s, better and Henderson’s being best, we offer a wide array of bacons, hams, sausages, and smoked meats and we are always dreaming up new flavours or concepts for us to be market leading.”

Hobson’s brand is fit for purpose and is well known in the industry. The Hobson’s brand offers a lot of precooked or ready to eat options, the difference being it is accessible to all. Whether you are fixated on pricing or flavour this brand exceeds expectations on both. Grandpa’s Bacon Co is also fit for purpose, but the focus for this brand is on the more discerning chef. Grandpa’s bacons are mostly raw, this means the chef has a lot more options when it comes to food preparations. “The flavour from the Grandpa’s range is the best for me, the middle eye bacon is my favourite product we produce, it fits perfectly in your sandwich and each bite from go to whoa is the same.”

Henderson’s bacon, this is the company’s flagship brand, the bacon in this range is second to none for flavour. The deep, smoky bacon dripping with goodness is chemical free and has an absolute cult following. Henderson’s has that good mouth feel, not the typical bacon that coats the top of your mouth with that fatty feeling and gritty teeth.

Source and Supply’s theory about good food is simple: What makes the customer grin from ear to ear? Each day the team challenges themselves to do better, be better and evolve.

“You can taste the difference in our products, the love, care and respect we have for the basic raw ingredients.” Source and Supply are currently adding new flavours, new cuts, and slightly more ambitious foodie products to meet the new expectations from customers. These will be released later in the year as Grandpa’s Professional range and will cater directly to chefs’ palettes. “Grandpa’s Free-range bacon (Raw, not precooked) was born because the market has shifted, people are more interested in ethical options. For us, one thing will always remain the same, after four decades we’ve learnt there is no substitute for quality.”

Like most New Zealand businesses, Source and Supply Food Co. faced some major challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest challenge was trying to find out who would still be around after the country went into lockdown.

“It was absolutely heart-breaking hearing stories of sites that could not afford to pay rent, staff or any overheads, hospitality has such fine margins as it is,” said McGruer, who explained that Source and Supply is in a good position to be able to support a lot of these sites opening again.

“Whether that is with pricing, product supply, or someone that can empathise with what is happening in their world. We want to be here in ten/ twenty years, and we want our customers here also. I firmly believe that once we have no restrictions to dine/ drink/ eat/ socialise this will give our hospo friends a chance to regain some of the loss. It will be a long, hard road, but a road worth treading.”

Along with being a part of the evolution of the hospitality and foodservice industries, in the coming years McGruer would like to get married to his partner Ciara and start a family. McGruer also has a passion for bonsai trees, a hobby that has taught him patience and compassion for all living things, vital traits to have as we head into the new normal.

“Funny enough, 23 years cooking countless meals professionally, I still really enjoy cooking at home. My partner often comments that I am always thinking of food! However, after 23 years I still cannot produce a lasagne quite like my Mum’s.”

For more information about Source and Supply Food Co. products visit www.sourceandsupply.co.nz or call (09) 570 1912.

column

NEW POST-COVID REALITIES FOR THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR

I’m super excited about the future of the hospitality industry. Yes, I do realise that we have been through a traumatic thing and that much of the world is still going through it. I also completely understand that there has been a pronounced dent made in our economy but I’m still excited about the future.

THE CHALLENGES IN HOSPITALITY BEFORE COVID-19 Hospitality as a sector was not in the greatest of health long before anyone sneezed the word “COVID”.

Particularly over the 18 months leading into this current mess these things were true: • Genuine concerns about the oversupply of hospitality outlets (especially in our major cities) and all the challenges around fighting for dwindling slices of the pie • Increasingly demanding Landlords and not just around rent values but also around increasingly onerous lease terms and guarantees • Continued increases in produce price and pricing of other consumables (a normal fact of economic life, of course) • Supply of staff - and this has been a big one. Immigration policy changes and a ‘buyer’s market’ meant that many hospitality

businesses really struggled to employ and certainly retain staff • Intricately linked was the impending (and now real) hike in minimum wage. I’m not bemoaning people’s rights to be paid appropriately but the impact on perilously thin margins for hospitality owners of such wage hikes is pronounced All this was leading to challenging times indeed. Compounding this was (and is) the fear that hospitality operators have in increasing their menu prices to reasonable levels to cover all the challenges above.

That’s the real issue - discounting is the death of any industry and that is partly to blame. Such intense competition that demands such enormous pricing pressure, whilst seeming to benefit the consumer, simply doesn’t benefit anyone at all in the long run.

NICK GILES, Head of Hospitality at LINK

THE OPTIMISM BIT So, enough negativity! To the optimism part I promised you. Whilst sounding extremely harsh, some of the possible ‘new realities’ when we are out the other side are: • A fair chunk of hospitality businesses sadly closing for good.

This talks to the first point above about oversupply (it also talks massively to staff availability as you will see below) • Landlords might be … just maybe … a little more pragmatic and understanding of the symbiotic relationship they have with the tenant. Not much point owning an empty building, really. The Landlord seemed to hold by far the best hand before COVID-19.

Maybe that will swing a little more towards parity.

• Every sane businessman on the planet should take this situation to examine their efficiency. Do we really need to do things the way

we did things before COVID-19?

I’m happy to give you the answer for free: No. The same goes for hospitality operators, I expect far leaner and more efficient businesses to come out of this.

• Now to staff, this is the big one.

How hard was it to find staff before this thing happened? How difficult was it to retain them?

How impossible was it to keep wage lines in check because of intense pressure to pay more just to hold people? There are a couple of hundred thousand people now looking for work and many (sadly, of course) from the Tourism sector and many of these have some hospitality experience.

Do you think all of these people will demand high pay rates and jump from owner to owner? Then (and, also sadly) there are those hospitality businesses that don’t make it much past the second wage-subsidy. These businesses have staff who need hospitality positions.

MY POINT My point is that, however terrible the situation has been (and I am not making light of how terrible it genuinely has been) there will be some new realities and some of these – just maybe – aren’t that terrible in the big hospitality picture.

I’m also really pleased to see that the majority of cafes, bars and restaurants are bouncing back nicely and pretty quickly following our collective release. There are a few pockets that will be slower to return but, on the whole, there is much reason for celebration.

June 2020

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supportlocal

It has been the number one lasting motto to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic (besides Wash Your Hands): The sentence may be uttered with empty air by members of the government merely looking for a good sound bite, but those two words mean everything to the rehabilitation of the New Zealand economy, an economy built on the backbone of small-medium, locally owned Kiwi businesses.

upporting local doesn’t just begin and end at the entrance of the café down the road, however. Supporting local starts at the source. From North to South, seabed to bushland, from farm to fork, we are lucky enough in New Zealand to have innovative and quality suppliers who get everything from frozen fish to freshly baked bread to retailers throughout the country.

Most local suppliers are smallmedium businesses, and even the larger Kiwi suppliers started as small businesses. Small businesses generate 28 percent of New Zealand’s GDP and employ over 600,000 people.

Nearly half of new jobs are created by small businesses and when small businesses grow and succeed, they raise employment and incomes.

Sustainable jobs change lives.

Supporting local suppliers has a ripple effect; local businesses are more likely to utilise other local businesses such as packaging suppliers, service providers, and farms. Local businesses are owned and operated by our neighbours, they care about and are invested in the well-being of the community and its future.

There are obvious economic benefits of spending locally. Money remains in the local economy, a resilient marketplace is created, self-sufficient towns are built, and local jobs are created. Think about how supporting a local business can then support a local charity, event, or

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sports team, and so the value of the money merry-go-round goes on to support the community.

Local ownership ensures that important decisions are made by people who live in the community and who will feel the impacts of those decisions. There is nothing better than having business decisions made by local owners who understand the nuances and what is most important to the community they serve.

Entrepreneurship fuels economic innovation and prosperity and serves as a key means for Kiwis to move out from low-paying jobs. Many of the suppliers that Restaurant & Café magazine talked to have employees who have been with them for ten years or more, employees who have been provided upward progression.

The good news is Kiwis want to buy local. According to the MYOB Consumer Insights survey, more than half of Kiwi consumers (54 per cent) always or often purchase products and services from New Zealand owned and operated small businesses, either by visiting their physical premises or heading online. Buying from a local supplier will ensure that those Kiwis who want to support your café or restaurant are supporting local all the way from the plant to the plate.

Supporting local businesses is also good for the environment, they often have a smaller carbon footprint than larger companies, and if positive impacts on the economy and the

environment are not good enough reasons, then supporting local also happens to be on-trend. Hyper-local ingredient sourcing ranked as the number one chef-driven priority when 2020 food and beverage trends were predicted at the beginning of the year.

Businesses must stay true to their word, if you are a local café that prides itself on being local ten it only makes sense to support local by sourcing from a local suppliers. As the Commerce Commission recently advised: “If you can’t back it up, don’t say it!”. If you want to promote your New Zealand made product you should do so through agencies owned and operated by fellow New Zealanders.

Whichever way you look at it Support Local is more than just a hashtag, it is an essential part of this new normal we find ourselves in. Kiwis need to continue their support for fellow Kiwi businesses long after the post-pandemic support local honeymoon is over. If the government is not willing to protect our assets, by allowing the foreign invasion of products we produce on our shores, then we need to protect each other.

June 2020

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June 2020

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SOUTHERN BLUE WHITING

HOKI WEDGES

CRUMBED FILLETS

CRUMBED FILLETS

CALAMARI RINGS

From New Zealand's pure pristine waters we bring you the world's finest seaffod

FORMED AND CRUMBED

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HOKI CRUMBED

FISH NUGGETS

FILLET PORTIONS

CRUMBED

GREENSHELL MUSSELS BLANCHED HALF SHELL

Thank you To order or find out more contact: Jason Sare, National Sales Manager

jrs@unitedfisheries.co.nz 03 343 0587 ext 880

June 2020

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Gilmours is your one stop Foodservice shop From food & beverage, to packaging, cleaning, sanitising & PPE – we have what your business needs.

Enjoy wholesale prices. Proudly supporting local business.

Visit our website www.gilmours.co.nz

Introducing

Food Nation & Wild Chef Both available from Gilmours online and in-store.

Food Nation:

Wild Chef:

Redefining great food

Wholesome alternatives

Launching in mid-June, Food Nation is local innovation at its best, featuring a range of plantpowered products aimed at getting more plants onto more Kiwis’ plates for the good of the planet.

A New Zealand made business by husband & wife team, Jeremy and Jennifer Lang, Wild Chef produces chef-quality meal and canape components that look and taste as they have come from your own professional kitchen.

Developed in New Zealand to appeal to omnivores, carnivores, vegans, vegetarians and flexitarians, this is a range that will have widespread appeal and multiple uses. It has been created to place importance on taste and the joy of eating great food, while underpinned by a more serious purpose. It has been proven that our planet and people can be effectively sustained by adopting a more plant-based diet – and Food Nation is part of the solution.

The first range of products mirrors how we currently consume – transforming traditional centre-plate paradigms into the form of minces, sausages, burgers, ‘shroom balls and the like, without trying to mimic meat. The format is about convenience, but the ingredients are all about fresh, locally grown vegetables, legumes, herbs and spices.

To make them as accessible as possible, the range is soy free,

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Throughout its years in the industry, Wild Chef has listened and evolved to fit the current market, which has taken them into the plant-based space that they thrive in today. Sourcing local brings the quality and ethos into their products, from the freshest ingredients coming from farms all over New Zealand to using locally sourced and manufactured packaging. vegan friendly, dairy free and gluten free where possible.

Try out two new flavours.

Mushroom & Hemp: Loaded with umami to make every-thing taste delicious – pastas, burgers, larbs, koftas and curries.

Mexican Corn & Capsicum: delivers flavour and nutrition to all your favourite Mexican dishes, tacos, tostadas, burritos, and nachos.

Find out more at www.foodnation.co.nz

Mini Burger Buns and Hash Cakes for any meal of the day.

These components are time saving bases and sides that allow you to build upon whilst creating your own signature dish. And just as important in these times, to assist with reducing prep time and food wastage while building back up your business.

Wild Chef is continually creating and crafting innovative marketleading products that align with evolving consumer demands, to be enjoyed by all. They pride themselves in producing quality products that have no added additives or preservatives (i.e. no nasties!) to ensure they are as wholesome as those you might make yourself.

The range offers many tasty Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan and plant-based options – which are great ways to include one base for several menu items.

Wild Chef products include Potato and Kumara Rosti, Hash Browns, Gratins, Vegetarian Burger Patties, Falafels,

Gourmet Food Manufacturer

supportlocal

Howler Hotdogs, Golden Goose Howler Hotdogs, catering your customers’ needs. Whether you run an event venue or gastropub there’s a Howler Hotdog product that will work for you.

H

owler Hotdogs has grown to be the #1 selling hotdog product in New Zealand supermarkets over the past few years and is now launching a convenient 1kg catering pack of it’s top selling mini hotdogs in original, vegan and gluten free.

It’s no secret that a great hotdog has to start with a great sausage.

Howler Original Hotdogs are made using Canterbury beef. When Howler Hotdogs couldn’t find a vegetarian sausage it liked for its Vegan Hotdogs it made its own and won a Vegan Society of Aotearoa award for it.

Gluten Free consumers rate the Gluten Free Hotdogs as being just as good as the real thing. You can’t get a greater compliment than that.

Howler Mini Hotdogs are a guaranteed crowd pleaser and an easy way to introduce vegan and gluten free options to your menu with the increasing prevalence of special dietary needs. They are designed to be baked or fried.

Howler Mini Hotdogs are a favourite for platters, bar snacks and kids menus.

Contact Howler Hotdogs for complimentary product samples to evaluate for your menu by emailing topdog@howlerhotdogs.co.nz or phoning Howler Hotdogs founder Jo Williamson on 021 2266469.

Howler Gluten Free hotdogs are accredited by Coeliac NZ and Howler Vegan Hotdogs have Vegan Society of NZ accreditation.

June 2020

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supportlocal

Barker’s of Geraldine, Juicy Innovation since 1969 The desire to be different and to explore new and better methods has been in the Barker’s DNA for generations.

Barker’s has been on the corner of the original family farm since 1969 and continues to respect, foster and grow along side the land around it.

B

arker’s blackcurrant fruit syrup is the number one seller today, but it was wine that the Barker family started with years ago.

In 1969 Anthony Barker began picking the wild elderberries on his farm to create traditional country wines. Gooseberry, strawberry, blackcurrant, apricot and raspberry

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wines, aperitifs and liqueurs followed with blackberries, loganberries and kiwifruit.

Anthony Barker subscribed to the UK publication ‘The Amateur Winemaker’ where elderberries were proclaimed to produce one of the best non-grape red wines. The richcoloured elderberry was used as long ago as medieval times when ‘black mead’, a potent concoction made from elderberries and honey, was enjoyed by kings and commoners alike. It was a compelling economic argument that the humble elderberry, growing profusely in the Te-Moana Riverbed bordering Barker’s farm could be harvested for free.

In 1969 Barker’s Wines was born and 1,200 gallons of dry red elderberry wine was made. Within four years 30,000 bottles were sold annually and the cellar door attracted around 20,000 visitors each year.

The Barker family farm has seen many inventions over the years.

Anthony Barker crafted his pure elderberry wine using an extraordinary range of simple home appliances; an old washing machine converted for drying corks and a vacuum cleaner to provide the turbo boost for his diesel fired coppers, true Kiwi DIY. The summer of 1981 saw an endless supply of blackcurrants, father Anthony and son Michael decided it was time to put them to use, and set out to make their first non-alcoholic

drink. “At the time it was innovative and exciting. Dad was considered a bit of a nutter perhaps, but a very innovative one. He made great products and it was a story that people talked about,” said Michael Barker.

Barker’s Blackcurrant, a pure and natural squeezed and pressed juice was a hit with adults and children nationwide. The extensive range of Barker’s juice and fruit syrup blends continue to grow to this day.

In 1991 Anthony Barker launched his signature ‘Anthony Barker’s Preserves’ sold in specialty food stores and delicatessens. New Zealanders soon caught on to the quality of Barker’s preserves, and they’re now found on the shelves of major supermarkets and boutique stockists alike. In 2019 the company celebrated 50 years. The rural location means the business relies heavily on the natural resources of the land. There is pride in calling Geraldine home and the business continues to invest in this special rural location.

The culture of the business was defined by the personalities of Anthony and Gillian Barker and the rural community it is part of. The business continues to value and nurture this special Barker’s family culture and ‘The Barker’s Way’ has proudly lived on in the business with the longstanding team enjoying the benefits of living, working and playing in the paradise that is South Canterbury.

H OKI Salt & Pepper

FILLET BITES 3kg

HAND CUT NZ HOKI FILLET bites COATED IN A DELICATE CRUMB AND LIGHTLY SEASONED WITH SALT & PEPPER FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT SEALORD FOODSERVICE CAN DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS VISIT WWW.SEALORD.COM June 2020

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supportlocal

Omega Seafood – Lizzie Redwood, Marketing and Sales Manager Chris and Trish Redwood started PHR Processing back in 2004, with their own brand of long-life mussels and clams, Omega Seafood. In conversation with their daughter, Lizzie Redwood, marketing and sales manager of the company, we discussed the nuances of growing a family business from the ground up.

R

edwood started her journey with a BSc at Massey University, majoring in animal science, before transitioning to marketing and sales after a few years in the companion animal sector.

By a stroke of good timing she has just moved fulltime into the family business. Based in Marlborough, Omega Seafood produce mussels and clams that come lightly cooked. “We pride ourselves on our high quality

and fresh product that not only tastes great but also looks beautiful on the plate,” she said.

On top of this, however, is the ease that Omega Seafood’s product brings to busy foodservice businesses — no prep is required.

In her role, which she does remotely from her home in Hawke’s Bay, Redwood looks after all the domestic (New Zealand and Australia) market for marketing and sales. “As I am the only person in this area for our business my role encapsulates everything from day to day orders, freight, invoicing, customer services, trade shows, marketing and everything else in between.”

While Omega Seafood isn’t the only one processing mussels in similar ways, they were the first. On top of that, they currently remain the only company that process their clams in the way that they do, as well.

Redwood said that in conversation

with her parents, they stated that if they had known how hard it was going to be to start a new category in the seafood industry, they would not have done it. Looking back, however, they are proud of what they have achieved. “At the moment, the market for us is strong, the benefits of convenience, food safety and healthy deliciousness are proving to be a winning combination for us.”

The state of the ocean is something that often gets called into question; are we farming it responsibly? For Omega Seafood, sustainability is inherent in its practice. “Sustainability and the traceability of seafood is a concern for many — our products are

all sustainably farmed and harvested.

We can trace any packet of Omega mussels back to the line on the farm in the beautiful Marlborough Sounds that the mussels were harvested from.”

The company is in the best position they have ever been in. “Over the years, we have pursued a policy of attempting to form relationships with family businesses in overseas markets. This has resulted in not only friendships but trust and understanding with our customers,” added Redwood. “We are beginning to reap the benefits, which is very exciting.”

Service Foods - Aneil Balar, Service Foods Director Service Foods started its life as a greengrocer in Christchurch in the late eighties, the wholesale operation was then opened in 1994. The business grew nationwide and is now multi divisional with butchery, produce, seafood, dry, chilled, and frozen.

“I

t was very challenging to scale as a private business, and to do it in a relatively short period of time, especially with the heavy requirement of infrastructure investment for foodservice distributors,” explained Service Foods director Aneil Balar.

“This is however very enjoyable, and we are learning as we go. We now employ over 500 team members across eleven sites.”

Most of our products at Service Foods are sourced locally, prepared in house and under strict conditions.

Fresh each day from boats, farmers, and growers.

The biggest challenge for Service Foods during the pandemic lockdown was keeping all our branches operating nationwide on such a low level of revenue while ensuring all

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health and safety measures were followed.

“There was a little bit of the fear of the unknown, however we had been through the Christchurch earthquake so that had taught us some very valuable lessons, mostly to keep positive, things will recover.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Balar learned the importance of diversification of one’s customer base. Service Foods explored new revenues such as direct delivery to home, more sales to independent retail stores and a deeper focus on exports.

“Remain nimble, it doesn’t matter how big you are,” advised Balar.

Service Foods has a great, family orientated team, many of whom have been on board for ten or more years and have grown from operational positions upwards.

Some of the general managers were originally drivers, pickers, and packers. Growth is important.

What’s the best thing about being a local, Kiwi supplier? For Service Foods it is reinvesting in Aotearoa.

“The New Zealand business landscape is flooded with foreign owned companies; this creates a huge outflow of capital which could be used to invest in primary industries but is effectively lost. This capital will never return. During a time like COVID-19, this capital could have been used to help recover faster,” noted Balar.

“Whatever we make is reinvested in New Zealand, this generates more jobs locally and keeps the economy balanced.”

DOWNLOAD OUR NEW FREE APP TODAY AND SHOP FROM ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.

Search for SERVICE FOODS in your app store or scan the QR code to download June 2020

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supportlocal

Killinchy Gold, Emerald Foods

Creating masterful ice cream doesn’t just happen. It’s a process that takes years of practice, discovery and refinement to perfect.

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K

illinchy Gold’s story began many years ago in a small Canterbury farmhouse kitchen. A local farmer was passionate about crafting ice cream that tasted as creamy and pure as the one his grandmother used to make.

He spent his time perfecting the traditional family recipe, using the best local ingredients from around New Zealand.

The creation became a labour of love, the hours were long, but the

result was deliciously rewarding, an ice cream that was so creamy and decadent that once people tasted it, they would have an insatiable desire for more.

Over the years, Killinchy Gold has made an art of it, creating indulgent flavours and textures that delight.

But it also looks to push boundaries and forge new tastes that combine the new with the traditional.

Just as South Island prospectors sought out their fortune back in the

day, Killinchy Gold continues to hunt for new richness, fossick for new methods and uncover new flavour combinations, sometimes in the most unexpected places, until it finds exactly what it is looking for.

Killinchy Gold, Masters of New Zealand ice cream.

Our Killinchy Gold 5L range is nationally available from mybidfood. co.nz

Farrah’s

Being a local business has never been so important.

The current global pandemic has encouraged New Zealanders to increase their support of local businesses, and Farrah’s is no exception.

O

ver two decades ago, Jovan and Farrah Čanak took a leap of faith to open a specialist bakery in a former Wellington fish and chip shop, where they worked long hours making wraps for the local hospitality industry. The original idea for the business came from a chance conversation with a friend.

The story is so simple, it’s printed on the back of every packet of wraps: “It was the summer of ‘99 when our friend Jimmy, who owned a local kebab shop, commented that he couldn’t find a tortilla wrap that wouldn’t crack or split when rolled – this sparked an idea.”

The couple taught themselves how

to make flour tortillas the traditional way – hand rolling the dough balls, stretching them and cooking them over an open flame hot plate. They visited Mexico to research different techniques, and then the United States, where tortillas were beginning to be called wraps.

Twenty-one summers and millions of wraps later Farrah’s is now the market leader in New Zealand and have just put the finishing touches to their most ambitious project yet: a state-of-the-art factory in Upper Hutt.

Planning for the world-class facility started back in 2017 when Farrah’s purchased the former Foodstuffs Wellington site.

The founders’ pioneering spirit and determination continues to drive the Farrah’s team to meet the needs of the market.

Being local and supporting local is an extremely important part of Farrah’s and has enabled them to understand and connect with customers. Their story and journey are what has shaped the business that you see today.

Sharp Serviettes are the market leader and largest local manufacturer of napkins in New Zealand.

From the most elegant fine dining table settings to quality super costeffective options and everything in between, with a wide range of colours to compliment any décor.

Sharp Serviettes specialise in personalised printed napkins giving its customers access to a clearly visible advertising platform at a fraction of the cost of traditional channels.

All products are inherently ecofriendly and 100% compostable, made from paper sourced only from reputable sustainable supply chains.

The Sharp Serviettes team consists of 40 local staff members working hard to create quality products which will add a spark to table settings across our beautiful country.

Support fellow Kiwis - buy local and contact Sharp Serviettes today.

Phone (09) 836 2818, Email: sales@serviettes.co.nz, or visit www.serviettes.co.nz June 2020

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meet the chef

Jo Smits

The Smoking Barrel Motueka

Born and bred in Motueka, Jo Smits from The Smoking Barrel still calls that beautiful part of the country home where he resides with his supportive wife, Rachel and their two children. In 2016 the couple took the leap and purchased a restaurant when the previously owned premises closed its doors.

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“A

fter a six-week renovation, we opened and welcomed people to embark on the journey that is The Smoking Barrel,” Smits told Restaurant and Café magazine. “We tested different concepts and always adapted our service and menus to what people were wanting. We always aimed to maintain the direction and style that we love so much.”

The idea of smoking developed for Smits after pursuing an interest in charcuterie in his spare time.

Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork.

Charcuterie was originally intended as a way to preserve meat before the advent of refrigeration; today they are prepared for their flavours derived from the preservation processes.

“We began with an old oak wine barrel which we converted into a cold smoker, hence the name The Smoking Barrel. After six months of playing around with cold smoking methods, I began to follow some people on Instagram who were producing incredible smoked brisket and pulled pork using the American low and slow method of smoking.”

Smits quickly developed a raging interest in the American style. He borrowed a BBQ from a local contact who allowed him to have a play around with his smoker. The methods were self-taught and certainly involved a bit of trial and error, but with a solid understanding and knowledge of various cooking techniques and styles, Smits was able to pick up smoking relatively quickly. “We then take these incredible smoked products and incorporate them into our restaurant menus,” explained Smits. “We also cater offsite for weddings, corporate events and large fairs and festivals.”

The outbreak of COVID-19 presented challenges that Smits and his team worked hard to overcome. They recently launched an online sales site where customers can purchase heat and eat BBQ packs to enjoy in the

comfort of their own home. The meats are smoked for up to 14 hours, vacuum packed, and delivered fresh to the customer’s door. “The concept is for the meat to simmer in the bag for just 15 minutes and presto! Quick n easy, low n slow BBQ!” The Smoking Barrel has also become well known for its gourmet filled doughnuts which sell out daily.

People travel from far and wide to get their hands on The Smoking Barrel Donuts. For Smits, the most rewarding aspect of his job is the feedback he and his team get on the food, service, staff, atmosphere, and décor at The Smoking Barrel. “The team is what makes each shift so enjoyable, but that is always created from the top,” Smits noted, “You have to cultivate and create that atmosphere.”

In the future, Smits would like to refine The Smoking Barrel’s business model. “Perhaps open multiple locations and have the ability to spend time in various parts of the country.

We’re also trying to find a solution for that work/family balance.”

When he’s not in the kitchen or smoking up a storm, Smits loves hanging with his kids, eating out and supporting other local restaurants and cafes, and a good day out fishing on the boat. He loves cooking at home and enjoys taking the time to make a good curry from scratch or a loaf of sourdough bread.

Smits has learned some valuable lessons over his time in the industry, what advice would he give to a chef just starting out? Be prepared to work hard – bloody hard. Having a great team and the courage to pivot the business if necessary is also important, so is keeping stock and menu selection simple.

“Value your staff and make sure they know that you appreciate them on a daily basis. A thank you goes a long way!” Smits advised. “Have a point of difference and have the ability to adapt your style if something is not quite working. Think outside the box.”

For more information visit www.thesmokingbarrel.nz.

grape to glass

It seemed fateful that Brett Fullerton would end up in winemaking.

Growing up in one of the wine capitals of New Zealand, Kumeu, Fullerton worked in the surrounding vineyards and wineries as a teenager during the school holidays. Thirtyfive years later his love for creating wine has not ceased.

t the end of an Arts degree Fullerton decided that the holiday job was what he wanted to do full time, and it turned into a permanent role as a cellar-hand with Selaks.

“I started with Selaks in 1992, then took a year off to study Winemaking at the Universtiy of Adelaide in 1996,” explained Fullerton. “After that I came back to Selaks and worked my way through the ranks to a Winemaker role.” When the winery relocated to the Hawkes Bay in 2005, Fullerton relocated with it to the position of winemaker/manager.

The Selaks winery is one of New Zealand’s oldest Wineries, with a history dating back to 1934. As with many wine companies in New Zealand it was founded by Croation immigants.

Back in Croatia, wine was the centre of the table that brought families and friends together, part of everyday life. Marino Selak decided to create his own wine by buying some land for a market garden, orchards, and vineyard.

When Marino Selak first arrived in New Zealand in 1906, there were a few things missing. Apart from olive oils and traditional Croatian food, it seemed wine was in seriously short supply too. 1934 saw the first vintage of Selaks and by 1940 things were going so well Marino put the call back home for help. Selaks’ emphasis on

elegant, consistent winemaking that brings people together continues to this day. The Selaks winery has its roots in West Auckland, initially in Henderson, then Kumeu when it had to move to make way for the new North Western Motorway. Initially vineyards were re-located away from Auckland to the regions of Marlborough and Hawkes Bay with arguably better climates, and in 2005 the winery was moved to Hawkes Bay to be near the vineyards.

“In fact, we are in the enviable position of being located right in the middle of one of our largest vineyards.”

The role of a winemaker is wide and varied, and very much linked to the seasons. Over the harvest period it involves long hours, it could be walking vineyards to make calls on when to pick or at the winery helping to keep the place humming and getting the juice safely into tank. At other times of the year it may be blending and finishing wines ready for bottling or organising work around the winery in preparation for the next season.

Great weather over summer led to a stellar harvest for Kiwi wine growers this year. The wine industry was considered essential and was able to continue harvesting during the COVID-19 Level Four Lockdown.

“The 2020 harvest in Hawkes Bay turned out to be one of the best in living memory,” noted Fullerton. “A

very dry and warm summer led into an early start to harvest (around two weeks early). As we worked through the harvest the weather remained warm and dry and the fruit quality was superb.”

Earlier this year Selaks announced the release of its new premium range of wines, Selaks 1934, crafted to reflect the brand’s rich heritage and honour traditional winemaking practices.

Selaks 1934 is a particularly special addition to the Selaks portfolio, named in honour of the year its founder sold his very first vintage.

“Wines like our 1934 range are all about celebrating and respecting our rich history, however we also like to be at the forefront of new developments in the world of wine. This includes different wine styles and also different forms of packaging and delivery to our customers.”

This innovative approach is reflected in the Selaks 1934 bottle label, it features augmented reality (AR) technology that brings to life the Selaks story in a unique and engaging way and shares helpful information for consumers, including tasting notes, food pairing advice and stockist details.

Winemaking is a wide and varied role, which is what attracted Fullerton.

Part science, part art, and part trade.

“Plus, every harvest is different,” Fullerton noted. “Winemaking is a team effort and I very much enjoy working with my team and being involved with all aspects of the process from vineyard to bottle.”

Working alongside and mentoring his team on their wine journey is one of the most rewarding aspects of Fullerton’s job. “Every single vintage is different and brings unique opportunities and challenges.”

Fullerton is up for those challenges, after almost 30 years with the Selaks family he is excited about taking its winemaking traditions into the future.

“I think it’s important that wine industry remains relevant and exciting for our customers of all generations, we don’t want to get left behind!”

When he is not in the winery or the vineyard you will most likely find Fullerton on the back of two wheels.

“I like to spend as much time cycling and motorbiking on the road and track. On a Wednesday evening you might find me at the local Irish pub attempting to play a few tunes with the Celtic session.”

June 2020

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PARBAKED PERFECTION

Premium NZ Butter based pastry with superior functionality.

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April 2020

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