FMCG Business August 2019 by The Intermedia Group

fmcgbusiness.co.nz

L E A D I N G

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

AUGUST 2019 – Volume 6 – No 7

W E N

NZ’s first Plastic Free NZ Made water wipe to help you drive the baby category

PLUS! NEW PRODUCTS & EVENTS n INTERNATIONAL FLAVOURS n FROZEN FOODS NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AUDIENCE

We want to give our bottles a second chance, because our environment only gets one.

By the end of this year, all our plastic bottles smaller than 1 litre and water bottles across all sizes will be made from entirely recycled plastic in New Zealand. Every bottle that is recycled is one less in our oceans or landfill. Find out more on coca-colajourney.co.nz/Sustainability

CCSPOS2954_TA_R

contents AUGUST 2019

UP FRONT

EVENTS

EDITOR’S NOTE

INDUSTRY NEWS

32 WHAT’S ON Events for your diary

SPECIAL FEATURES

13 WHAT’S HOT IN RICE & PASTA 14 INTERNATIONAL FLAVOURS 20 ICE, ICE, BABY! New products and trends in frozen food

REGULARS 10 GEAR New tech for work, rest and play 12 BEST IN SEASON Fresh produce update 24 HEALTH & WELLNESS Skincare Secrets

GOOD BUSINESS

26 COVER STORY New plastic free NZ made Baby Wipes 27 MARKETING Are you taking care of unmet needs? 28 LEGAL ADVICE 29 FGC It’s a challenging time to be in business

32 NZ’s BEST PIES REVEALED 34 C&I EXPO 35 OUT & ABOUT Our people - spotted at events around NZ

THE SHOUT 3

EDITOR’S NOTE

4 INDUSTRY NEWS AND INSIGHTS 8 MASTER AT WORK Q&A with New World Wine Awards international judge, Nick Bulleid MW 10 THE YEAR OF VEGAN WINES Sip NZ’s Caro Jensen gives us an insight into what makes wine ‘vegan’ 12 SAUVIGNON BLANC AND AROMATICS Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS 16 WINTER ALES FESTIVAL John Oszajca shares a travel diary of his windy weekend in Wellington

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ editorial ]

COMPLEX CHALLENGES The FMCG industry is dynamic and forever changing. Some store formats are getting smaller, product variety is growing and shopping baskets now reflect our busy on-the-go lifestyle. There is a focus on fresh, natural offers, health and wellness. The concept of premiumisation has shown no signs of slowing down as consumers continue to spend more on products and services that really matter to them. E-commerce and omnichannel shopping are rapidly altering consumer behaviour and the time we spend with media is rising, across an array of expanding platforms and devices. Producers, marketers and retailers all need to evolve and adapt rapidly to keep up with the new landscape. The arrival of Costco in New Zealand is no longer just a rumour and while it may be good news for shoppers, it will present another new challenge for established retailers. Grocery businesses are also in the midst of a storm of increased costs, explains FGC Chief Executive Katherine Rich on pg 29. Our industry experts share their advice in every issue of FMCG Business, which is carefully curated to help you tackle some of these complex challenges. We conducted a Reader Survey recently, which offered us valuable insights and feedback. More than 50% of respondents said they turn to industry magazines/websites first for help and advice for their company. More than 96% of survey respondents said that this publication is helpful for their business. Our favourite feedback came from a company director in the Bay of Plenty, who reads “the whole magazine and finds it all very useful and interesting.” Look out for exciting new features and events coming soon, here and over on www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz. Enjoy this issue,

“MORE THAN 96% OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS SAID THAT THIS PUBLICATION IS HELPFUL FOR THEIR BUSINESS.”

PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136 PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz EDITORIAL DIRECTOR James Wells The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd AUSTRALIA james@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CONTENT Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 027 278 4761 SALES MANAGER Brigid DiMattina bri@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 029 230 1372 SALES DIRECTOR Wendy Steele wsteele@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 300 473 THE SHOUT EDITOR Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 774 080 THE SHOUT SALES DIRECTOR Jacqueline Freeman jfreeman@intermedianz.co.nz ART DIRECTOR Ryan Vizcarra ryanv@intermedia.com.au HEAD OF CIRCULATION Chris Blacklock cblacklock@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au PUBLISHING ASSISTANT Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz

Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz

ISSN 2382-1663

FMCG Business is audited and verified by ABC.

L E A D I N G

fmcgbusiness.co.nz

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

AUGUST 2019 – Volume 6 – No 7

NZ’s first Plastic Free NZ Made water wipe to help you drive the baby category

ON THE COVER New EarthSmart Aquawipes are New Zealand’s first plastic free NZ made water wipe. Read the full story on pg 26.

PLUS! NEW PRODUCTS & EVENTS n INTERNATIONAL FLAVOURS n FROZEN FOODS NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AUDIENCE

FMCG BUSINESS IS PROUDLY ASSOCIATED WITH

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by New Zealand and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2019 - The Intermedia Group Ltd

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[ news ]

COCA-COLA’S RECYCLED PLASTIC COMMITMENT Coca-Cola Oceania and Coca-Cola Amatil NZ have announced a major increase in the use of recycled plastic as part of a global commitment to help solve the growing packaging problem. The companies jointly announced that all its plastic bottles smaller than 1 litre and all its water bottles will be made from entirely recycled plastic by the end of 2019. This includes all packaging smaller than 1 litre for brands like Coca-Cola, Sprite, POWERADE, Fanta and L&P, as well as Kiwi Blue and Pump water across all pack sizes. The announcement makes New Zealand one of the first countries in the world to achieve and exceed Coca-Cola’s global sustainable packaging goal to increase its use of recycled plastic. Richard Schlasberg, General Manager of Coca-Cola Oceania said, “As one of New Zealand’s largest beverage companies, we have a responsibility to be part of the solution to the plastic waste crisis. That is why over half of our plastic bottles will be made entirely from recycled plastic by the end of 2019.” Managing Director of Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand, Chris Litchfield, said: “Our move to substantially increase the use of recycled plastic means we will avoid using around 2900 tonnes of new plastic and that’s incredibly positive for our environment. Already all the

Richard Schlasberg – General Manager at Coca-Cola Oceania and Chris Litchfield – Managing Director at Coca-Cola Amatil.

bottles and cans we make can be recycled, and this takes us a step further towards creating a truly circular economy.” The initiative is part of Coca-Cola’s international efforts to reduce its impact on the environment and encourage sustainable practices across all countries where it operates. The Coca-Cola Company has a global goal of reducing waste and collecting and recycling as many cans and bottles as it sells each year by 2030.

16+ RESTRICTION ON ENERGY DRINKS From 2 September, customers will need to be 16 years or older to buy energy drinks at Countdown’s 180 supermarkets nationwide. The decision comes in response to growing concerns raised by health leaders about the impact increased consumption of high-sugar, highly-caffeinated energy drinks is having on New Zealand children. There are 74 energy drink products in a range of brands or pack sizes sold across Countdown’s supermarkets, which will now be sold to customers 16 years or older. The Australia New Zealand Food Standard defines an energy drink as a ‘Nonalcoholic, water-based flavoured beverage which contains caffeine and may contain carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins and other substances (including other foods) for the purpose of enhancing mental performance’. 6

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

Kiri Hannifin, Countdown’s General Manager Corporate Affairs, Safety and Sustainability, says the company has talked with a wide range of health leaders, and the combination of caffeine, sugar, serving sizes and the fact that children often consume energy drinks on the way to school was specifically highlighted to them. “We’ve talked with a wide range of people about this issue and overwhelmingly, the advice and feedback we received was that when it came to children’s health, restricting the sale of energy drinks would make an important and meaningful impact in an area of high need,” says Hannifin. “Energy drinks are not recommended for children and they already have to carry a warning on pack.”

BRAN-NEW!

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WITH PRE+PROBIOTICS For trade enquiries, please contact your local Twin Agencies Representative on 0800 258 946 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.twinagencies.co.nz

[ news ]

PAMS PANTRY – CHANGING THE WAY WE SHOP

Pams Pantry threw open their doors in July to some very happy Amberley locals, rapt with the range and the fantastic service from the team of seven. Tim Donaldson, GM Retail Foodstuffs South Island said: “A couple of comments really brought home how we’ve nailed the proposition. Firstly, we’ve curated the range very carefully, ensuring we’re stocking essentials and super fresh every day produce and meat. The first customers through the door said they loved that approach – it made their shop very simple, fuss-free and convenient. So, it’s easy to find what you want and get out the door.

“But they also talked about the outstanding service they received from the team – who are freed up from operating a till, to help customers with product queries and ideas for their breakfast, lunch or evening meal.” The store is unique in the way it has a range of only around 2,500 products and is 100% selfcheckout. Donaldson says, “It’s easy to make a choice and it’s easy and convenient to get your shopping done and get back to your business or off home. We’re always on the lookout for how we can help locals, and we know from our research that ease and convenience are right up there next to value, which you get from our fantastic Pams and Value range.” While the iconic Pams brand is at the heart of the store, there are other products for customers to enjoy like Whittaker’s, Corona and Meadowfresh Kalo yoghurt. “While Pams and Value boast around 3,000 quality products, we like to give customers choice,” says Donaldson.

HAND IMPLANTS REPLACE CASH, CREDIT CARDS Thousands of people in Sweden are having futuristic microchips implanted into their skin to carry out everyday activities and replace credit cards and cash, reports the New York Post. More than 4,000 people have already had the tsci-fi-ish chips, about the size of a grain of rice, inserted into their hands — with the pioneers predicting millions will soon join them as they hope to take it global. Like smartwatches, the chips help Swedes monitor their health and even replace keycards to allow them to enter offices and buildings. They have particularly caught on, however, by enabling owners to pay in stores with a simple swipe of the hand, a big deal in a forwardlooking country that is moving toward eliminating cash. The microchips were pioneered by former body piercer Jowan Österlund, who calls the technology a “moonshot”. He says his company Biohax has been approached by many hopeful investors. Österlund insists the technology is safe — but that has not stopped alarm bells from ringing. Critics have voiced concerns about the mass of highly personalized data and how it could be used.

The trend coincides with Sweden’s march toward going cashless. Notes and coins make up just 1% of Sweden’s economy. At the same time, the country has seen a dramatic decrease in some crimes — with just two bank robberies last year, compared to 110 in 2008.

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS FOLLOW US ON

CHECK OUT WWW.FMCGBUSINESS.CO.NZ

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

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SAMSUNG A50

Pat Pilcher’s monthly round up of all the tech worth knowing about, for work, rest and play.

In an age when you can pay close to $2,000 for a flagship smartphone, there is some good news. Significantly more affordable mid-range phones are offering more bang for your buck than ever. Samsung’s A50 is a case in point. For a mere $549 you get dual rear cameras, an HD+ AMOLED screen, complete with an under-display fingerprint sensor. Add to this a highend finish, and it is difficult to tell the A50 from its more expensive siblings. https://www.samsung.com/nz/ smartphones/galaxy-a50-a505-spark/ $569

SONY HT-X 8500 SOUNDBAR

ECHO SHOW 5 Amazon has just launched their Echo show mini which combines an Alexa smart speaker with an equally bright 5.5” LCD screen. Being able to connect to smart home hardware such as lights, heaters, music systems and security cameras makes the Echo show mini an ideal smart home hub. Using simple voice commands such as “Alexa turn on the bedroom lights” feels almost like magic. Thanks to its small size and ability to display a clock and other notifications, the Echo Show Mini is also a great bedside clock with tonnes of added smarts too. Last but by no means least, it also has a built-in camera which can be used for Skype video calls. https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Echo-Show-CompactSandstone/dp/B07HZJ64WD $144

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

It’s an irony of our age, as TVs get thinner and their video improves, the sound produced by newer TVs continues to deteriorate. This is because there is no longer any space for decent speakers. Sony’s Soundbar provides an elegant solution to this, thanks to a built-in bass radiator, it can crank out richly detailed audio and delivers Dolby Atmos. This means that in addition to stereo left/right sound, you also get front/back and up/down audio for immersive surround sound from your TV. https://www.sony.co.nz/electronics/sound-bars/ht-x8500 $699.95

[ gear ]

NETGEAR ORBI As a growing part of our lives is dominated by connected smart home widgets, good Wi-Fi coverage in every part of our homes becomes vital. Thankfully banishing reception issues needn’t be all that difficult. Netgear’s Orbi mesh routers wirelessly connect to each other in a daisy chain fashion to deliver rock-solid Wi-Fi in each room. They’re dead easy to set up and can make a massive difference to the connected gadgets in your home. https://www.netgear.co.nz/home/products/networking/orbi/ default.aspx/ From $399

SONY WF-1000XM3 TRULY WIRELESS EARBUDS Good things often come in small packages, and Sony’s latest truly wireless earbuds are no exception. Features include 8-hour battery life, industrial-strength noise-cancelling and advanced miniaturised analog amplification that delivers stunning audio. Things are further helped along by the excellent Sony Headphone Connect android, and IOS app that allows for a considerable amount of customisation of sound. https://store.sony.co.nz/headphones-noisecancelling/ WF1000XM3B.html $449.95

SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB S5E Sometimes lugging a heavy laptop around can be a real chore, especially when a good tablet can be an excellent alternative. Samsung’s latest Android-powered tablet, the Galaxy Tab S5e packs plenty of power for productivity and fun into a compact package. Add to that built-in 4G for internet almost anywhere, and there’s a lot to like. The Tab 5e is also the thinnest (5.5mm) and lightest (400g) tablet Samsung has made to date. Being a Samsung device, its 10.5” Super AMOLED 16:10 display is both crisp and vivid. The Galaxy Tab S5e is also the first Samsung hardware to use a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor. It comes with either 4 or 6GB RAM and 64 or 128GB storage. Either spec works fine for basic productivity chores through to demanding games. https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-tab-s5e/ $999

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ fresh produce ]

BEST IN SEASON What to look for: Select firm, well-shaped kūmara with clean and smooth skin. Avoid ones with any spots, bruises or signs of decay. Storage/handling: Kūmara should not be refrigerated as cold temperatures can make them become bitter. Store them in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks. Nutrition: Kūmara provides a source of dietary fibre and thiamin and also contain potassium which helps with healthy nerve function. Gold and Orange kūmara contain a good source of Vitamin A for healthy eyesight and skin.

Lemons

“SELECT FIRM, WELL-SHAPED KŪMARA WITH CLEAN AND SMOOTH SKIN.”

Much to the rejoice of consumers, the New Zealand avocado season kicked off early this year with prices falling in July. Supply will build over the coming months. Bananas, which are imported consistently yearround will increase in demand due to the limited amount of other fruit available. Volume and price are dependent on market demand. Sub-tropicals including persimmons and tamarillos are still available but will start to wane this month.

Kūmara Kūmara crops are back to expected yields this year compared to the last two years where weather events caused them to be down. Due to kūmara being abundant this season, it should be featured prominently, highlighting the reasonable kilo price points in comparison to the last two years. There are four main types of kūmara - Orange (Beauregard), Red (Owairaka) and Gold (Toka Toka). A new variety Purple Dawn, has been bred by Plant & Food NZ and will add interest to your display due to their vibrant purple skin and flesh.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

Lemons are available all year-round, however the bulk of the crop is harvested between June and March. They don’t tend to suffer as much from biennial bearing compared to other citrus crops such as oranges, and new plantings of the Meyer variety over the last few years are still coming into full production. This has negated any effects of a downturn in volume from more mature plantings, and this year’s crop has benefited from a slightly smaller size profile and great harvesting conditions through May and June. Lemons are among the world’s most popular citrus fruit and should always be well stocked in your produce department. What to look for: Lemons should be heavy for their size – the heavier the fruit and the thinner the skin, the more juice it has. Ripe lemons should be firm with a fine textured, deep yellow coloured peel. Storage/handling: Like all citrus, lemons begin the decomposition process as soon as they’re picked. For lemons, this means drying out—a process that can be slowed by refrigeration, so keep cold where possible. Nutrition: Lemons contain a good source of Vitamin C which helps the body absorb iron from food, supports healthy immunity and acts as an antioxidant to help protect against free radical damage.

Join us on

www.unitedfresh.co.nz

[ category insights ]

WHAT’S HOT IN

RICE & PASTA

A quick snapshot of new arrivals in a populary category.

Wilson Consumer Products markets the Diamond brand of pasta and Rice Risotto mixes. Marketing and Business Development Manager Susan Harvey told FMCG Business: “Last year we implemented major changes to our pasta range, combining the best of Kiwi ingenuity and Italian pasta to give New Zealanders the best of both worlds. The range offers features such as portion markings, recloseable packs and stand up bags and has been received very well by New Zealanders. We also launched a number of new pasta variants to the range which have been performing very well. “Diamond Angel Hair is new to the range and is the number one angel hair brand in the category (IRI TKA dollar sales Diamond Angel Hair versus other Angel hair products, 6 months data to 05/5/19). Angel Hair is particularly useful pasta as it has a very quick cooking time of 3-4 minutes, perfect for timepoor Kiwis. “New Diamond Zoo Animal shapes have been a real hit with kids and appeal to both boys and girls. This new kids’ variant has outsold the previous kids shapes that were part of range by 41% (IRI data TKA dollar sales Diamond Zoo animals versus Diamond Footy shapes, Diamond Teddy Bears, Diamond Dinos 6 months data to 5/5/19 versus 6/5/18). “The new Diamond Wholemeal range has been selling well and with its distinctive brown packaging it is easy for customers to identify on shelf. Diamond Wholemeal Penne and Wholemeal Spaghetti are the number one and two wholemeal products respectively in the category (IRI data TKA Dollar sales wholemeal SKUS 6 months to 5/5/19). “Diamond Gluten Free pasta is also easy to shop in light blue. Since launching the new range, Diamond gluten free has already grown by 131% (IRI data TKA Dollar sales 6 months to 05/5/19 versus YAGO),” says Harvey. She adds: “Pasta is still a great staple for many Kiwis and is a regular weekly meal (IRI data TKA dollar pasta sales growing at 4.4% 6 months to

5/5/19). We have partnered with Fresh to develop quick and easy pasta recipes that will inspire Kiwis to try great new meal ideas that are fast, fresh and delicious – from Green Mac n Cheese Balls to Spicy Bone Broth and Shitake Dumpling Soup, there is something for everyone. Visit diamondmeals.co.nz for the recipes!” Harvey says: “Diamond Rice Risotto is an iconic brand – a rare intergenerational favourite that keeps on staying relevant through fantastic flavours and outstanding value. We have very recently launched our first Gluten Free Rice Risotto in our popular Chicken flavour. This has been very well received by those looking for a gluten free option. It is also priced with the rest of the range, making it an affordable gluten free meal solution for the whole family. “As well as Gluten Free Chicken we have introduced Sweet and Sour in our regular range. A popular flavour amongst families it’s sure to become a regular dinner in many households.” Source: NIELSEN SCANTRACK Total Supermarkets - MAT w/e 14/07/2019 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

T. Rice

73,210,375

6.1%

T. Core

46,103,753

6.2%

T. Microwave

27,106,621

5.9%

T. Dry Pasta

38,775,978

3.7%

T. Short Goods

16,324,838

1.4%

T. Long Goods

10,593,066

-0.4%

T. Gluten Free

5,146,848

25.1%

T. Lasagne/Cannelloni

4,415,059

-4.3%

T. Organic

1,060,760

15.0%

T. Gnocchi

629,601

3.9%

T. Egg Pasta

605,805

53.6%

T. Fresh Pasta

19,420,839

0.9%

T. Noodles

42,824,534

5.6%

T. Noodles Multipack

38,073,502

7.8%

T. Noodles Single

4,366,254

-14.7%

T. Other Noodles

384,778

203.4%

FMCG Business produces a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients and Nielsen data available at time of print. To showcase your products in upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz. FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

INTERNATIONAL

FLAVOURS

Discover exciting new products, inspired by bold flavours from around the world.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ category insights ]

“FARRAH’S WILL LAUNCH THREE NEW PRODUCTS THAT DRAW FROM TRENDING INTERNATIONAL CUISINES.”

There is no doubt that New Zealanders’ palates are evolving. As a country we’ve become a melting pot of cultures, and as a result are lucky to be spoilt for options when it comes to food choices and what we want to cook for ourselves at home. Last year Farrah’s launched Italian Herb Wraps, highlighting the timeless Italian style pizza on the front of pack. This product (see recipe image on pg 16) quickly became a top seller in the wrap’s category. Hoping to replicate this success, Farrah’s will launch three new products that draw from trending international cuisines in mid-August - Smoky Chipotle Wraps, Mediterranean Tomato Wraps and Chia, Oats & Hemp Wraps. Farrah’s Smoky Chipotle Wraps have been influenced by the ever-popular Southern American cuisine and are full of bold smoky and sweet notes, with just the right chipotle kick. They’re perfect for summer BBQ burgers or slow cooked pulled pork and beef. Packed with rich tomato, fresh basil and oregano flavours, Farrah’s Mediterranean Tomato Wraps taste like how you’d imagine a European summer would. Try layering them into lasagne instead of pasta sheets, or rolling into cheesy pinwheels - there are no rules when it comes to Farrah’s Wraps! Farrah’s Chia, Oats & Hemp Wraps pull together the trendiest ancient grains of 2019, that once originated in three separate corners of the globe. They have a clear call out on the front of pack to highlight the protein and fibre for those looking for extra nutritional benefits, but there is absolutely no compromise on taste. The three new flavours be will be available in all good supermarkets from August 19th. RRP $5.99.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

Lasagne with Farrah’s wraps

Lamb Curry with Farrah’s wraps

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[ category insights ] New Rose Harissa from Alexandra’s Alexandra’s introduce their new ‘Rose Harissa Paste’ made from tomato, herbs, chili and essentially rose petals, which give a special sweetness to soften the chili kick. Fragrant, versatile and enlivening Rose Harissa can be used as a marinade, relish, rub or simply added to crème Fraiche or yoghurt to make a sauce or dressing. Incredibly versatile, Rose Harissa can be used for everything from meat and fish to scrambled eggs, soups and pasta to give a spicy spark to almost any dish. The base for this fabulous paste is Alexandra’s superb Harissa spice blend, which includes sixteen ingredients creating the most genuine Harissa available. Rose Harissa adds another dimension to cooking for everyone from home cooks to seasoned chefs. Harissa is the chili sauce the best Mediterranean chefs turn to the most and Alexandra’s new Rose Harissa Paste is the most complex and rewarding available.

Pams Finest Slow Cooked Meats A new range of Pams Finest slow cooked meat has just rolled out with flavor inspiration from all around the world. Pams Finest new range of beef, lamb and pork cuts are cooked to perfection, low and slow in flavoursome sauces.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

The best part – they’re ready to eat in 20 minutes! Pams Finest meats are easy to heat, easy to serve and always tender and moist – the meal possibilities with these are endless! The new Slow Cooked range includes for example: • Moroccan Lamb Shoulder (Gluten Free), prepared with fresh New Zealand lamb and cooked low and slow for 14 hours with a fragrant blend of Moroccan inspired spices. Serve with a traditional couscous and fresh herb salad, on a root vegetable mash, or with warm flat bread and thick yoghurt. • Chimichurri Beef Brisket (Gluten Free), is cut from prime New Zealand beef, cooked low and slow for 14 hours with a flavoursome Argentinian inspired rub. • Asian Style Beef Short Ribs (Gluten Free), cut from prime New Zealand beef, cooked low and slow for 14 hours with a delicious, Asian inspired seasoning paste. • Massaman Lamb Shanks (Gluten Free) prime New Zealand lamb, cooked low and slow for 14 hours in a mildly spiced Thai curry gravy. Serve on steamed rice or rice pilaf, pulled off the bone with roti or naan bread with a fresh herb salad, or on spicy roast root vegetables with thick, creamy yoghurt. The new range of slow cooked meats are the perfect meal solution for so many occasions – a quick and flavourful after-work dinner, a meal to impress your guests with, or even the base to create one of the many delectable recipes available here: https://www. pams.co.nz/whats-new/new-pams-finest-slow-cookedmeats/.

OUR PREMIUM “OLD EL PASO IS GROWING AT 10.1%.” KEEZIA HASTE, MARKETING & CATEGORY ACTIVATION MANAGER.

Old El Paso The Old El Paso range of dinner kits, carriers and ingredients are sold across supermarkets in New Zealand. “Old El Paso, with over 50% share of the market and driving growth 2.7% ahead of rest of category is a key player in the market and growth has been driven through innovation and visibility,” says Keezia Haste, Marketing & Category Activation Manager. “We recently launched Old El Paso Gluten Free Enchilada Kit, which was a natural extension to our existing Gluten Free range, which includes a gluten free tortilla and a soft taco kit. Our gluten free skus are performing in the top tier of the category and now allows everyone to enjoy Mexican. Old El Paso are proud to announce that their flour tortillas are now preservative free, making them an even better option for a quick, delicious and fun family meal. “Old El Paso has recently launched our new “Make Some Noise” campaign, which is all about bringing Kiwi families back to the dinner table and we know that Mexican is the perfect facilitator of good noise and good times! Whilst we know most Kiwis are open to Mexican, we also know they just forget about it, so we are investing over a $1million dollars to get Kiwis eating Mexican more often! NZ supermarkets have gotten behind this campaign and in the latest four weeks Old El Paso is growing at 10.1% and total Mexican 4.6%,” says Haste.

Rose

Harissa Paste available

now

Made with organic rose petals, red peppers, chilli, tomato, garlic and herbs, Rose Harissa has a sweet smokiness that adds a real depth of flavour to any dish. Versatile and enlivening, Rose Harissa is so much more than just Harissa paste.

Source: NIELSEN SCANTRACK Total Supermarkets - MAT w/e 14/07/2019 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

T. Total Mexican Foods

36,050,718

4.9%

T. Carriers

15,785,488

1.2%

T. Ingredients

10,159,321

8.4%

T. Kits

10,105,909

7.6%

T. Asian Simmer Sauce

25,957,764

3.0%

sales@alexandras.co.nz

Ph +64 9 570 4739 FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

ICE,ICE, BABY! New products and trends in frozen food.

Walter & Wild owns the I Love brand, which consists of gourmet pies available in the chiller section of the supermarket, the I Love Baking range of cookies and the recently launched I Love Breakfast range of cereals. “In the freezer we have a range of sausage rolls, party pies, fruit pies and gluten free pies,” explains Co-founder Maree Glading. “All our pastry products are made with our lovely sour cream pastry and contain no nasties – no MSG, palm oil, preservatives, artificial flavours or colours. We are known for our quality innovations which disrupt categories and excite consumers. Consumers love our products because we tap into key trends around authenticity, we use real ingredients like you find in your pantry at home and we offer a great ‘better for you’ convenience option. 20

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ category insights ] “Three years ago we launched our first range of frozen products – with a range of frozen sausage rolls. We saw an opportunity to premiumise this category and to create an offering with a real point of difference. Our original flavour won a NZ Food Awards for best frozen product and off the back of this we have launched three more flavours – Spinach & Feta, Lamb & Rosemary, and Chorizo - we also launched the original flavour in a handy pre-cut snack pack which has been performing really well. Mums love this as it saves time as you don’t defrost the rolls before you cut them and they also work well as you can take out what you need when you need them – making them perfect for kids’ dinners. “The other frozen product we launched was a Gluten Free Angus Beef Mince & Mozzarella pie and an Angus Beef Steak & Rosemary pie - this was developed directly from consumer demand. It is great to be able to offer choice to consumers and it would be sad if our gluten free eaters were missing out on having a decent pie! We are looking forward to developing more products for our gluten free friends. “We are committed to developing quality premium frozen products that will grow the category through bringing new users to the freezer and encouraging existing consumers to trade up,” says Glading.

“WE ARE COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING QUALITY PREMIUM FROZEN PRODUCTS THAT WILL GROW THE CATEGORY.” I LOVE PIES CO-FOUNDER MAREE GLADING

Simplot’s Frozen Brands Simplot participates in Frozen Vegetables, Frozen Potato and Frozen Fish with its popular Birds Eye brand, which offers a broad range of products including: Birds Eye Golden Crunch chips; Birds Eye Deli Seasoned premium chips; and Birds Eye Oven Bake fish fillets, Fish cakes and Vegetable snacks. “The combined Frozen Vegetables & Potato category is worth $158m in Total Key Accounts, and was flat, growing by 0.2% over the latest MAT, down from 2.8% growth a year ago,” says Janelle Jowsey, Category Development Manager Simplot New Zealand Ltd. “The Frozen Vegetable category declined -3.7% over the MAT, with the only segments growing being over $5/kg i.e. Premium valueadded.” She adds: “Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables range include: Birds Eye Vegetable Snacks, Birds Eye SteamFresh, and Birds Eye Seasoned Sides contributing $4.2M to the frozen vegetables segment MAT, and $421K dollars category growth over the same period. The total Steam segment has grown 27.0% over the MAT, now contributing 9.5% share of total frozen vegetables, up from 7.2% share YA. “The Frozen Potato category is valued at $75.8M and grew by $3.5m or +4.8% over the same period. Within Frozen Potato, Premium Chips is the fastest growing segment, growing by $1.16m or +11.2%. It now commands 15.2% share of total Frozen Potato. Simplot’s own FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ category insights ] Birds Eye Deli Seasoned Chips and Golden Crunch battered chips ranges have contributed a massive $409K to category growth, and 51.2 share of total Premium Chips MAT. “The Frozen Fish category is valued at $37.9m over MAT, a decline of -1.8%. This category is dominated by the Fillets Segment which accounts for 70.8 share, and is in slight decline -1.3%. Birds Eye has a 23.9 value share of Frozen Fish and Birds Eye Oven Bake Family Fillets grew at +3.9% MAT.” In late 2017/18, Golden Crunch was relaunched with new packaging design, a new crunchier batter formulation and TV advertising. “This has been massively successful, resulting in Golden Crunch growing +11.6% MAT, contributing $350K in additional category sales to frozen potato, and raising the average selling price by 8%,” says Jowsey.

Consumer Trends Jowsey says : “Value-add in potato is driving the category growth, with premium chips up +11.2%. Consumers love the crunchiness that coated premium chips provide and are willing to pay more for them. “In Frozen Vegetables, the continued growth of Steam at 27.0% demonstrates that convenience and variety are becoming increasingly important to shoppers in this category. This helps to drive higher dollar per unit sales for retailers, and accelerate category value growth.” *All data IRI Scan MAT to 16/6/19

KUNGFOOD James Crisp Ltd distributes the KUNGFOOD brand in selected Countdown, New World and Pak’n Save stores. Melanie Taylor, Marketing Manager – Own Brands, explains: “KUNGFOOD is a range of authentic, delicious, frozen, Asian fusion food, made right here in Godzone. KUNGFOOD Dumplings and Steam Buns are a clever fusion of our favourite Kiwi flavours and ancient techniques. The KUNGFOOD range provides restaurant quality Asian fusion food from the convenience of your home. Source: NIELSEN SCANTRACK Total Supermarkets - MAT w/e 14/07/2019 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Frozen Food

857,132,691

6.6%

T. Ice Cream

232,517,007

9.8%

T. Frozen Vegetables

158,533,901

0.5%

T. Total Frozen Convenience Foods

153,126,103

11.6%

T. Frozen Poultry

130,758,623

4.2%

T. Frozen Fish

91,620,708

8.1%

T. Frozen Fruit

56,342,723

7.2%

T. Frozen Desserts Party

34,233,625

-0.3%

“Building on the success of the top selling BBQ Pork Steam Buns 400g and meeting the snackification and convenience trends, recent additions to the KUNGFOOD range include two new BIG 150g Single serve Steam Buns - Asian Beef and Teriyaki Chicken. These unique skus are a healthier alternative to the humble pie and take just 2 minutes to cook in the microwave! “KUNGFOOD is the no. 1 Frozen Finger Food brand in New Zealand grocery with 19.1% value share1 and has delivered $6.9M in value sales since launching in late 2017.2 KUNGFOOD products are proven performers and comprise 3 of the top 10 skus.1 The new BIG 150g Single Serve Steam Buns were launched in July and distribution and rate of sale is growing steadily. “Asian Fusion Food is hot,” says Taylor, when asked about trends in this category. She adds: • The Total Frozen Asian Foods segment comprises 85% of the Total Frozen Finger Foods category and is growing ahead of the category at 21.7% • Premiumisation – Consumers are looking for superior, restaurant quality products • Convenience – Consumers are seeking product and pack formats to complement their busy lifestyles • Snackification – Consumers are shifting away from 3 square meals a day and are increasingly snacking throughout the day to fit in with their busy lifestyles. 1. IRI Data, T. Frozen Finger Foods, T. NZ Grocery, Value, latest 4 weeks to 30/06/19 2. IRI Data, T. Frozen Fingers Foods, T. NZ Grocery, Value Sales to 30/06/19

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ profile ]

MOTUEKA CREAMERY MAGIC

Nestled between Nelson and Abel Tasman National Park on the Western shore of Tasman Bay, Motueka is blessed by some of the finest weather and scenery on offer in New Zealand, if not the world. Home to artists, musicians and growers alike, it’s a place built on craft and creation, and it’s easy to see where the influence for our flavours comes from with such amazing surrounds on our doorstep. Growing up in New Zealand means that at least one of your earliest childhood memories probably involves ice cream; mum scooping rock-hard vanilla out of the tub after dinner, a chocolate cone dripping onto the hot sand, or stopping for a real fruit whip on a winding family roadie to the beach. Ice cream first hit the New Zealand media in 1930, when an advertisement in the Auckland Star deemed it “the health food of a nation”.

Since that first foray we haven’t stopped and for most of us eating a cone on the beach on a hot summer`s day defines our psyche The ‘State of the Nation’ when it comes to ice cream is a funny thing; we have jumbo tubs of budget flavours and garish colours in supermarket freezers for less than a fiver, alongside tiny pottles of “gourmet” offerings at eye watering prices, or even ones with the calories removed. But one Kiwi company is aiming to change that, with flavours inspired by the places we call home. The Motueka-based business often known for its 100% NZ seafood, vegetable and potato offerings, says quality shouldn’t be sacrificed for cost, and are aiming to “bridge the gap” between mainstream and premium ice cream. Crafted using real milk and cream, their ice creams are inspired by the places they call home. To some, their names may seem exotic and a little out of this world, but to Motueka Creamery, it’s just down the road and around the corner. They’re also tapping into fruit flavours we don’t see a lot of in the supermarket’s usual offerings, like apricot, lemon cheesecake, wildberry and crisp apple. After making ice cream for 23 years Talley’s Motueka Creamery has gained many awards, including the Supreme award for our Green Tea ice cream in the 2017 NZ ice cream awards. For more information visit www.talleys.co.nz

“AFTER MAKING ICE CREAM FOR 23 YEARS TALLEY’S MOTUEKA CREAMERY HAS GAINED MANY AWARDS.”

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

SKINCARE

SECRETS

We reveal new products, specifically designed to keep us looking and feeling youthful.

GLOW LAB AGE RENEW® Supermarkets are fast becoming one of beauty’s best kept secrets, boasting products with big claims and small prices. “Glow Lab has set out to redefine supermarket beauty once again with the first natural, anti-ageing offering meeting the needs of women aged 35 and over,” says Fenella Brown Brand Manager, Glow Lab. Combining nature with scientifically proven, active ingredients, the new Glow Lab Age Renew® skincare range of eight products is luxurious and results-driven, yet affordable. It’s no secret that as women age, their skin changes too. Born out of extensive consumer research with New Zealand women aged 35+yrs, Glow Lab Age Renew® was developed from the inside out, to specifically meet their skincare needs. Research highlighted hydration, skin firmness, reducing fine lines and protection against UV damage were key concerns, with many looking for more natural skincare alternatives.

“GLOW LAB AGE RENEW® IS RECEIVING OUTSTANDING CONSUMER FEEDBACK.” FENELLA BROWN BRAND MANAGER, GLOW LAB Brown explains: “4 weeks after launch Glow Lab Age Renew® is already delivering largely incremental value to the natural skincare category, trading consumers up to a more premium skincare offer. As the first natural anti-ageing range in supermarkets, consumers are proving they are willing to spend more for natural skincare that better addresses their specific needs. Glow Lab Age Renew® is receiving outstanding consumer feedback, generating word of mouth and creating new brand advocates among a new demographic of consumers.” 24

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ health & wellness ] The national advertising campaign, encouraging women to ‘Glow At Any Age’ went live in July. Aimed at driving awareness and trial of the new range through magazine, digital, radio and social media advertising, along with magazine tip-on sampling and point of sale in store. “This substantial investment is set to attract a new demographic to Glow Lab and encourage channel switch from pharmacy and department stores to supermarkets,” says Brown.

ESSANO COLLAGEN BOOST The creators of the #1 selling serum in New Zealand and the overall #1 natural skincare brand, have released five new products to naturally boost collagen production. Joining the top performing essano™ Collagen Repair Night Crème and #1 selling Collagen Repair Serum are a new Day Crème, Facial Oil, Overnight Mask and Eye Crème, all containing natural and clinically proven ingredients. The plant-based heroes in essano Collagen Boost Range harness the long-standing power of nature to boost skin collagen and enable Kiwi women to age positively. • Rosehip Oil minimises the appearance of fine lines and sun damage. • Schisandra Chinensis Berry improves the appearance of the skin’s elasticity, resilience and firmness in only 8 weeks*. • Plant Peptides, derived from Pea Seeds extracts, promote skin elasticity and firmness. • Eye’fective™ combines Hawthorn and Arabian Jasmine to combat dark circles and lift the upper eyelid after just 14 days*. By boosting your skin’s own ability to produce collagen, essano Collagen Boost Range offers an easy regime to fight the signs of ageing to create a more youthful, smoother looking appearance, naturally and 100% cruelty free. Available at New World, Countdown, Pak’N’Save, HealthPost and The Warehouse. ^IRI NZ Grocery, Value Sales, MAT 19/05/2019 * Based on in-vivo clinical studies.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ cover story ]

NEW PLASTIC FREE, NZ MADE BABY WIPES The EarthSmart brand launched onto the New Zealand grocery market in July 2018 and is already expanding into another category with a new exciting addition to the EarthSmart family. New EarthSmart Aquawipes are New Zealand’s first plastic free NZ made water wipe, providing shoppers with a 100% biodegradable water wipe that’s kind on their baby’s sensitive skin. Consumer research conducted with Colmar Brunton identified the needs of Kiwi parents and highlighted what’s important to them when making the decision to purchase baby wipes. EarthSmart Aquawipes delivers on all key shopper attributes: • Research shows over 52% of consumers prefer to purchase locally made products where possible. Our wipe is proudly made in NZ, from local and imported materials. • Performance and skin sensitivity are key drivers to purchase. The new EarthSmart Aquawipes are hypoallergenic as tested by Dermatest GmBH, while being soft, thick and strong. • EarthSmart Aquawipes are made with natural ingredients and no nasties. The All Natural variant contains 99.8% Purified New Zealand water and 0.2% Soy Bean Amino Acid. The Aloe + Vitamin E variant 26

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

contains 99.6% purified NZ water. • EarthSmart Aquawipes are hypoallergenic as free from alcohol, parabens, fragrance, soap, MIT and petro-chemicals. • These plastic free wipes are made with 100% biodegradable bamboo fibre addressing the growing issue of plastic in the environment. • By removing the hard plastic lid, the plastic wrap can be recycled via the Soft Plastics Recycling scheme of which Cottonsoft Limited is a foundation sponsor. The waterwipes segment within the baby wipes category is growing at 33%, which is four times faster than the category (IRI MAT to March 2019, value growth). EarthSmart Aquawipes will further drive growth and innovation in the waterwipes segment. “It makes us proud to be able to provide Kiwi parents with a wipe that will not only help grow the category for retailers but help solve an environmental issue we are facing as a country,” says Senior Brand Manager Denise Calver. A strong marketing campaign supports the July launch with PR, Print, Digital and Social media, as well as sampling to target consumers to create brand advocacy.

Did you know? EarthSmart and Cottonsoft Ltd are foundation sponsors of Soft Plastics Recycling. In June 2019 alone, about 1million pieces of plastic packing were recycled in Levin & Waiuku. Collection services are available across the Auckland region, covering 34% of NZs potential consumer soft plastic, with expansion planned for later this year. Find out where? www.recycling.kiwi.nz To help take care of the New Zealand environment the EarthSmart Wetland restoration project has seen 1,000 additional native trees, flaxes & Manuka planted, plus ongoing pest and erosion control provided, including supply of plastic posts made from recycled soft plastic. EarthSmart Aquawipes is proudly made by Cottonsoft Ltd – a New Zealand operated manufacturer, marketer and distributor of paper products, providing leading brands into New Zealand homes since 1986. Visit www.earthsmartaquawips.co.nz for more information.

[ marketing ]

ARE YOU TAKING CARE OF UNMET NEEDS? Unmet Needs are like the Holy Grail in marketing. Those two little words spell green field opportunities and untapped potential. The realm of unmet needs is certainly desirable, but is difficult and challenging. The reality is that most of us, most of the time live in a world of met needs, or even saturated needs in a flood of over-supply. Do we need another coconut water? Another premium milk? A new brand of detergent? There are plenty of examples of marketers persisting with meeting non-needs. Your cellphone probably carries a graveyard of apps that were a moment of curiosity but offer no enduring value. Apparently about 80% of all apps are used no more than once. Unmet needs can be hard to deal with because human nature errs to the known. Behavioural economics tells us that confirmation bias makes us favour information that reinforces our existing perspectives. We are naturally disposed to known assumptions, conventions, priorities and the status quo. This is easier than coming up with new, lateral or better ways to satisfy unmet needs. Satisfaction of unmet needs can take different angles. • New improvements to an existing product. Adding child-proof caps on medicine bottles is a good example. • New solutions to needs you never thought you had. This was the case when texting was first made available. • Happy accidents that satisfy an unmet needs by chance. Viagra was the unexpected result of chest pain research. Post-It proved to be a very handy note tool, but a lousy glue. • Satisfying Unmet Needs by design. In the early 1980s Swiss designer Walter Düring designed the first toilet cleaner that used packaging as a tool. With its duck-shaped neck Toilet Duck provided a simple solution to kill unseen germs lurking under the rim and hard to reach. This idea elegantly neutralised a deep-seated fear of vulnerability to disease. There are several different ways to identify unmet needs, but you need to be people-centred in your approach. • Insightful qualitative and quantitative research • Ethnographic research, or observation of people using your product • User experience and path to purchase analysis • Walking in your customer’s shoes • Informal voice of the customer research

Whatever methods you use, look for examples where customer satisfaction is compromised by the means of use. These might be known annoyances, or unknown inefficiencies that customers experience. Try applying these research techniques to your business and the customers you serve.

Four common symptoms of unmet needs to look out for are: 1. Inefficiencies - when there is unnecessary effort, time, cost, or steps to take to use your product. The internet and mobile phones have disrupted many industries by redefining efficiency. Think Uber and taxis, or Air BnB and accommodation. 2. Frustrations - when customers must endure annoyances in using your product. The Dollar Shave Club successfully overcame the frustration of highly priced razor blades. 3. Workarounds - when customers are forced to do additional tasks in order to use your product. This is essentially the entire software industry whose products are fraught with over-promised ‘minimum viable products’, diabolical incompatibilities and token support. 4. User torture - when the actual use of your product creates negative unintended consequences. Flat-pack furniture is notorious for customer torture, especially when the instructions are obscure or in a foreign language.

Lew Bentley Head of Shopper Marketing Strategy at Energi lew.bentley@energi.co.nz

“SATISFY YOUR CUSTOMER’S UNMET NEEDS BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES.”

Looking for unmet needs in your business and with your customers is a double-edged sword. It is a great way to identify opportunities for innovation, but it also provides a glimpse of threats that could bring disruption in the hands of competitors. The bottom line is to satisfy your customer’s unmet needs before someone else does. FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

[ legal advice ]

SERVING ALCOHOL AT YOUR ONE OFF EVENT

Audrey Billington is a Solicitor at Steindle Williams Legal specialising in property, business and commercial law. swlegal.co.nz

If you are serving alcohol at your one off event - will it require a liquor licence? Our alcohol laws are governed by the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, which replaced the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 for safe and responsible drinking, and minimisation of social harms associated with alcohol abuse. There are four main kinds of liquor licences: Onlicence, off-licence, club licence and special licence. For one-off events a ‘special licence’ is required if you are: 1) Selling alcohol at an event, or 2) Charging an entry fee, collecting donations or subscription fees where alcohol is being supplied for free. There are a range of events that require liquor licences, some of them include chartered bus, train and limousine trips, food and wine festivals, or a wedding function in a council hall. Liquor licences are required even for events where alcohol is sold with no profits made from the sale. Events where alcohol is being served for free and the attendees either: 1) reimburse the host for any alcohol consumed at the event whether it takes place in a private home or hired venue (e.g. birthday party, launch event) or 2) purchased tickets or expected to make monetary donations, or donations in other forms such as food and drink donations or advertising (e.g. fundraisers events) or, 3) are subscription paying members in social, sports clubs and associations. Unless no money is exchanged (in any form – whether through direct sales, ticket sales, donations or subscription fees), it is likely that the event will not require a licence even though alcohol will be supplied. Below are some examples of events where no licence is required:

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

• A public or private charity dinner where alcohol served and you do not charge in any way or request donations in any form from attendees. • A private event held at a hired venue where the guest provides their own alcohol or the host supplies it for free.

Special Licences When applying to your local council, the application for a special licence may ask (depending on the size of your event) you to provide supporting documents (such as event and alcohol management plan or consents from building owners). The application must be lodged at least 20 working days before the event. Exemptions can be made under special circumstances (e.g. a funeral). In this case, a request can be sought from the district licensing committee to accept your late application. If you host a number of events over the course of the year, you can also apply for an on-licence which covers multiple events. The district licensing committee decides whether you will need to publicly notify (and the type of notice, e.g. in a newspaper, or by putting up a notice on the premises) your special licence application. If there are any public objections or opposition to your application from the Police, the licensing inspector or the Medical Officer of Health, the committee must call a public hearing to consider the application. This will slow down the application as there need to be at least 10 working days’ notice of any public hearing. The criteria for granting special licence is under section 142 of the Act as well as any relevant case law. The application fee is calculated based on the size and number of events planned.

Penalties Failure to comply with the Act is an offence and could result in imprisonment or substantial fines. So, if you are selling or supplying alcohol for your event it is advisable that you arrange for your liquor licence as early as possible to avoid any delays. Further information on local licensing processes and the steps to apply for a liquor licence can be found on your local council’s website. You can also contact your Solicitor for further advice.

[ FGC ]

IT’S A CHALLENGING TIME TO BE IN BUSINESS Surveys show that after a positive start to the year, many businesses are struggling to deal with a combination of factors that are driving down their confidence to invest further in their own business, such as upgrading equipment or innovating. Two bank surveys show confidence is the lowest it’s been for 10 years, and the downturn in spending is having a negative effect on the economy. In the surveys, business leaders pointed the finger at changes to employment law and the continuing increase in compliance costs and regulation. Food and grocery businesses are in the thick of this storm of increased costs. In fact, they’re likely feeling the effects more than most, especially when it comes to the increase in compliance costs and regulation. And when you consider the part the sector plays in the economy – the biggest manufacturing sector by income (44%), producing $34 billion in domestic sales, $31 billion in exports, and directly or indirectly employing 400,000 people – that’s not good news. Recent changes to employment law are a big contributor to compliance costs. They include: amendments to the Employment Relations Act around agreed work hours, union access, 90-day trial periods, and collective agreements; changes to the Companies Act around governance, registration and reconstruction of companies; new responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act; new hazardous substances regulations; changes to paid parental leave; pay day payroll reporting; leave for domestic violence; changes to the minimum wage. It’s not an exhaustive list, but there’s a lot there. No one disagrees with improvements around health & safety, domestic violence leave, or paying people more (we all want that so long as it and the relativity flow-on can be afforded) but it adds up to time and cost for business. Someone has to pay. Then there are the fees and taxes that accompany all other compliance. Most of those paid by the FMCG industry – exporters, importers, growers and harvesters, processors and handlers, and those in food safety – come courtesy of laws and regulation overseen by the Ministry of Primary Industries, and include the Food Act, animal products, dairy, and fisheries. July 1 is a date many FMCG businesses don’t look forward to because that’s when most new fees take effect. This year these included increases around border surveillance and food safety inspection resources. Of course, we need to protect ourselves against pest intrusion, and to produce safe food to

sell to the world, so no argument there, but they all add up. Let’s also not forget the 3.5c/litre rise in petrol tax. Another ongoing cost is what shipping companies charge importers and exporters for delays in loading or unloading containers. It’s called demurrage, and it ranges from $50 to $100 per container per day – a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the industry. It could be solved by more border surveillance resources and more efficient ports. By themselves, all this regulation and compliance is not onerous, but together they are a big cost. The Employers and Manufacturers Association sums it up like this: “On one hand, businesses are being urged to improve productivity, but on the other there is an increasing focus on compliance with government requirements that individually might be manageable, but together exponentially increase compliance workload.” Some costs can be absorbed, but most must be passed on, and that means in the price of goods. It’s a fact of life that everything that affects the food and grocery industry will have a consequence in higher food and grocery prices. When you add in outside influences, such as the swine flu outbreak in China that forced the slaughter of 30 million pigs and pushed up the price of bacon, there’s not a lot of respite on the horizon from higher prices.

Katherine Rich Chief Executive NZ Food & Grocery Council www.fgc.org.nz

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

CONVENIENCE & IMPULSE NEW ZEALAND EXPO 2019 THE CLOUD, AUCKLAND

If you own or work in an independent supermarket, convenience store, service station, dairy, corner store or minimart, C&I NZ is the one event you should not miss in 2019.

C&I INDUSTRY SYMPOSIUM Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th September 2019 10am – 12pm C&I Industry Symposium is the opening event of C&I NZ 2019. The topic of this year’s symposium is “Leading through innovation.” Leading local and international speakers will discuss innovation, and the importance of this within their own businesses.

The symposium will be hosted by DAVE HOOKER Executive Director of NZACS

ORGANISED BY

Interpoint Events Pty Ltd in conjunction with C&I Media Pty Ltd and the New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores. 41 Bridge Road Glebe NSW 2037 Australia Ph: 0800 455 785 Fax: +61 2 9660 4419 Email: exhibition@c-store.com.au www.c-store.com.au

C&I Expo

FREE

to attend

In partnership with

SYMPOSIUM PRESENTERS INCLUDE:

Mike Arlidge On the Spot Group Manager, Foodstuffs

Ruth Riviere Country Manager, Mastercard

Ali Hamza General Manager, Bluebird Foods

Peter Morton Director, Herbert Morton Chartered Accountants

Brett Barclay Director, Convenience Measures Australia

Karina Hellyer National Operations Manager, Night ‘n’ Day Foodstores

18-19 SEPTEMBER 2019

SYMPOSIUM TICKETS

1 day: $25 ex GST 2 days: $40 ex GST Seats are limited and tickets are available through the registration website below candiexpo.co.nz/register

[ events ]

NZ’S BEST PIES REVEALED

Enjoy hot chocolates, coffees and much more at the Chocolate & Coffee Show!

WHAT’S ON AUGUST 14-15 C&I EXPO ICC Sydney, Australia www.candiexpo.com.au 21 FMCG BUSINESS MARKETING SUMMIT Auckland, NZ fmcgsummit.co.nz

18-19 CONVENIENCE & IMPULSE NZ EXPO 2019 Auckland, NZ www.candiexpo.co.nz

OCTOBER 5-9 ANUGA Cologne, Germany http://www.anuga.com/

21 NZ FOOD AWARDS Powered by Massey University Finalists announced https://www.foodawards.co.nz/ competition-info

5-6 CHOCOLATE & COFFEE SHOW The Cloud, Auckland, NZ www.chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz

SEPTEMBER

1-7 CHOCOLATE WEEK New Zealand nationwide www.nzchocolateweek.co.nz

3 ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS Hong Kong www.asiafruitcongress.com 4-6 ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA Hong Kong https://www.asiafruitlogistica. com/ 14 GROCERY CHARITY BALL Auckland, NZ https://s2nevents.eventsair. com/2019-grocery-charity-ball/ book/Site/Register

18 WORLD CHEESE AWARDS Bergamo, Italy 23 NZ FOOD AWARDS Powered by Massey University Winners announced https://www.foodawards.co.nz/ competition-info

NOVEMBER 6-8 FGC CONFERENCE Melbourne, Australia https://www.nzfgc-conference. com/

15 32

Visit the websites and contact the event organisers for further details and updates. To have your event listed in FMCG Business email: trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

Patrick Lam is this year’s Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards winner - bringing his total score to seven Supreme Awards! Lam, of Goldstar Patrick’s Pies in Rotorua, and Bethlehem and Tauriko in Tauranga, is New Zealand’s most awarded baker. He scored the Supreme Award again with a stunning mince and cheese pie, as well as winning two golds and two bronze awards and $9,500 in prize money. The Awards were announced in Auckland at a gala event celebrating the 11 finalist categories. The judges, including celebrity chef judge Gareth Stewart, had a difficult task finding the winners from 5326 pies entered by 553 bakers. Bakels NZ Managing Director Brent Kersel said: “The Supreme pie was absolute perfection. The pastry was golden, with perfect lamination, flaky, and a delight to bite into. The filling though surprised us. It was like the cheese had been swirled through the mince and the way it blended in your mouth as a result was exceptional, delicious. Mince and cheese is my favourite pie, and I’d go so far as to say Patrick’s was the best I’ve ever tasted.” “We saw some very creative pies come through the Café Boutique category including The Flintstone with beef brisket and bone protruding the top pastry. A standout for me was the slowcooked pork belly pie which was cooked in apple cider and pear cider. It looked pretty impressive,” said Kersel. See all the 2019 Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards Winners over at www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz Celebrity chef Gareth Stewart, Supreme Award winners Lay Phan Ho and Patrick Lam, and NZ Bakels MD Brent Kersel.

[ events ]

C&I EXPO IS COMING TO AUCKLAND Attention all NZ convenience retailers. Finally, a NZ trade show designed just for you! The Convenience & Impulse New Zealand Expo 2019 is the first national event devoted to the needs of New Zealand’s convenience retailers. For all owners of convenience stores, petrol stations, dairies and mini marts in New Zealand that want to grow your businesses, this is the single event you should not miss this year. C&I NZ 2019 will be held at The Cloud in Auckland on 18th & 19th September. You’ll learn about the latest equipment, sample new products to bring customers into your shop, hear from experts discussing how innovation is a key part of their success, and meet directly with suppliers who are actively addressing problem areas for retail sites. 3 great reasons to attend C&I NZ 2019: • Meet the right contacts • Network with suppliers and retailers at the expo and over a few drinks at the Convenience Cocktails event on Wednesday night. • Get up to speed • Find out about the latest products from your favourite suppliers and new market entrants. Exhibitors include Coca-Cola Amatil, Goodman Fielder, NZ Drinks, Fonterra, JL Lennard, Bluebird Foods, Signature Marketing, Gallagher, British American Tobacco, Majors, Imperial Tobacco and Dover. • Learn from industry experts

“NETWORK WITH SUPPLIERS AND RETAILERS AT THE EXPO.” • •

The C&I Industry Symposium is the opening event of the expo. From 10am to midday each day, attendees will hear from experts as they discuss “Leading through innovation”.

• • • • •

Speakers include: Mike Arlidge – On The Spot Group Manager, Foodstuffs Ruth Riviere – Country Manager, Mastercard Peter Morton – Director, Herbert Morton Chartered Accountants Brett Barclay – Director, Convenience Measures Australia Karina Hellyer – National Operations Manager, Night ‘n’ Day Foodstores Ali Hamza – General Manager, Bluebird Foods

The symposium will be hosted by Dave Hooker, Executive Director of the New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores. C&I 2019 is a trade only event. The expo is free to attend. Tickets to the C&I Industry Symposium are $25 for 1 day or $40 for 2 days. Tickets to the Convenience Cocktails event are $80. Visit the website to register today www.candiexpo.com.au. FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

The countdown

IS ON!

With a range of stalls and stands starting at just $395.00 + GST for two days in front of over 7,000 food lovers, The Chocolate and Coffee Show is one of the most cost effective marketing options for your brand.

5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;6 October 2019 The Cloud, Auckland

Tickets for MASTERCLASSES and our all-new VIP LOUNGE are already selling fast!

Now in its 6th year, the show is considered one of Aucklandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most loved events dedicated to showcasing talents and success of artisan, boutique and craft business. The consumer audience skews 75% to Female with a 25-54 age group and an average show spend of $75.00 per person. So you can focus your efforts on presenting your products to a targeted and interested audience. Any related offerings of indulgence are welcome at the show including tea, milks, liquor through to cakes, cupcakes, bakery and homewares. You will also receive a free Exhibitor Profile at www.chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz and free social post to our 14,000+ social audience.

To secure your space and find out more about The Chocolate and Coffee Show 2019 contact Brigid DiMattina bri@intermedianz.co.nz | 029 230 1372

www.chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz

Out & About

The cutest little bundle of joy arrived at The Clevedon Buffalo Co this winter.

Johnston from Bryan Wilson and Sally ty, with Food Safe d Foo land New Zea O’Connor at the ien Dam r iste Min Safety ty tools in Nelson. Safe d Foo new of launch

Participants at the first Foodstuffs North Island Checker of the Year 2019 event in Napier.

SNAP & WIN!

Award-winning Whangarei bu siness Maunga centre for gro tapere Berries wing excellenc will create the e in the New Ze industry (L to first aland hydropon R Director Patri ics horticulture ck Malley and Berryfruit Ma nager Aroha He ta).

Has your team moved to new premises, or been part of a fun event, great harvest, or promotional activity? Send us your favourite snapshots to be in to win a NIVEA prize pack (worth $21.50). NIVEA has an arsenal of products designed for the protection and nourishment of winter skin, including NIVEA’s Fast Absorbing 3-in-1 Anti-Age Hand Cream, the classic NIVEA Crème, and NIVEA’s Original Lip Care Balm.

Just email your high res image with a caption to trubanowski@intermedianz.co.nz

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2019

SHOUT NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIQUOR AUDIENCE

THE

AUGUST 2019 | www.theshout.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND

*AC Nielsen Data; 02 June 2019

VEGAN WINE NEWS AND EVENTS WINTER ALES FESTIVAL

New Zealand’s favourite* Riesling now has a

orders@parrotdog.co.nz | 04 384 8077 | parrotdog.co.nz

contents

august2019 WINE, WINE, EVERYWHERE…

What are you sipping on tonight? Your favourite Central Otago Pinot? A buttery Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay? I’ve said it before, we all love the classics - but each month we know that something new is just around the corner to bump us out of our comfort zones, and this issue is all about testing your taste buds. Yes, we have a delicious selection of our Kiwi favourite, Sauvignon Blanc, on pgs 12-13, but how about trying a Würzer, a Gewürtztraminer or a Viognier? Take a look at Cameron Douglas MS’ aromatics tasting notes on pgs 14-15 for some great examples. Or why not make a special effort to seek out a vegan wine this month? In fact, you won’t have to try very hard – more than 250 wines in New Zealand are considered vegan. Flick to pg 10 to find out exactly what that means, as explained by our friend Caro Jensen from Sip NZ. So there we have it, an August filled with new wines to try - but we’ll still be celebrating International Pinot Noir Day on August 18! Don’t forget to stop by next month when we’ll be sharing what’s new and trending in Rosé, vodka and New Zealand Draught. See you then!

4 INDUSTRY NEWS AND INSIGHTS 8 MASTER AT WORK

Q+A with New World Wine Awards international judge, Nick Bulleid MW

10 THE YEAR OF VEGAN WINES

Sip NZ’s Caro Jensen gives us an insight into what makes wine ‘vegan’

12 SAUVIGNON BLANC AND AROMATICS

Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS

16 WINTER ALES FESTIVAL John Oszajca shares a travel diary of his windy weekend in Wellington

SHOUT NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIQUOR AUDIENCE

COVER STAR:

THE

NEW ZEALAND

AUGUST 2019 | www.theshout.co.nz

VEGAN WINE NEWS AND EVENTS THE WINTER ALES FESTIVAL

New Zealand’s favourite* Riesling now has a

*AC Nielsen Data; 02 June 2019

The Shout Editor, Charlotte Cowan

GIESEN

From their first vintage in 1984, the three Giesen brothers have aspired to create great wines. And as their business has grown over the past three decades, they have remained true to their vision of creating wines that people love to drink. Giesen now produces an extensive range, including the award-winning Giesen Estate Riesling and the new Giesen Riesling Blush. For more on Giesen, head to pg 7.

EDITOR’S PICKS 1 SEIFRIED NELSON GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2019 An early ripening variety with an aromatic, fragrant bouquet, Gewürztraminer is full of flavour and sophistication. Seifried Nelson Gewürztraminer 2019 is floral, peachy and balanced and is one of Cameron Douglas MS’ highest scoring aromatics this month. For more, visit pgs 14-15. PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136 Managing Director-Publisher Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz Editor Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph 021 774 080 Sales Director Jaqueline Freeman 021 286 7600 jfreeman@intermedianz.co.nz

Worldof Wine VOLUME 2 WINTER 2019

IT'S A MATCH

Food and wine pairs to love

CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

CELLAR SECRETS

Backstage at the vineyard PLUS finding your favourite drop

WINE LABEL LANGUAGE EXPLAINED

Reds on the Rise

2 AUNTSFIELD SOUTH OAKS BARREL FERMENTED MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 Bright straw in colour and complex on the palate, Auntsfield’s Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc is a stand-out in this month’s Sauvignon Blanc tastings with a huge 96 points. For more on this wine, and many other stellar Sauvs, check out pgs 12-13. 3 WORLD OF WINE WINTER 2019 EDITION For a comprehensive wine bible for lovers of the grape drop, you can’t go past World of Wine magazine. The Winter 2019 edition is out now and is packed with industry news, trends and insights. For more, take a look at pg 4.

For more amazing liquor news (and even a few giveaways), make sure you follow us on Instagram and Facebook @theshoutnz and sign up to our fortnightly eNewsletter at www.theshout.co.nz.

THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019 3

news

World of Wine magazine available now The Winter 2019 edition of World of Wine magazine has been released and is available now from isubscribe.co.nz. In partnership with Cameron Douglas MS, New Zealand’s only Master Sommelier, World of Wine is a 68-page magazine packed with industry news, innovations and exclusive features on some of the industry’s trailblazers, plus Douglas’ personal tasting notes. Written in Douglas’ own distinctive style, World of Wine brings you the latest in wine trends, as well as regional discoveries, food and wine pairings, and varietal highlights. The ultimate resource for wine lovers, both at work and at home, and you can subscribe for just $12.95 or $19.95 for both the Winter 2019 and Summer 2019/20 editions. For more information and to subscribe, head to www.isubscribe.co.nz/

WHAT’S ON August 9-10 BEERVANA Westpac Stadium, Wellington www.beervana.co.nz August 18 INTERNATIONAL PINOT NOIR DAY September 30-October 2 NZ International Wine Show 2019 judging www.nziws.co.nz October 5-6 THE CHOCOLATE & COFFEE SHOW The Cloud, Auckland www.chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz October 6 MATAKANA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Matakana www.oysterfestmatakana.co.nz/

Chardonnay makes a comeback at the New World Wine Awards

October 17-19 BREWNZ 2019 Wellington www.brewersguild.org.nz

Chardonnay’s long-promised return to favour has become a reality at this year’s New World Wine Awards, with New Zealand winemakers backing their best bottles in record-breaking numbers. “Chardonnay entries have hit a new high this year, with more than 180 wines - mostly from New Zealand - competing for a top spot,” says Chair of Judges, Jim Harré. “It is also the first time in the awards’ 17-year history that the Chardonnay class has outpaced other popular varietals, overtaking New Zealand’s white-wine darling Sauvignon Blanc, and equalling Pinot Noir entries, to lead across all the classes.” Having observed many wine trends during his 12 years at the helm of the New World Wine Awards, Harré says this year’s numbers signal a big shift following a particularly successful year for Chardonnay in the 2018 awards. “Winemakers have been developing modern-style Chardonnay over recent years and we are now seeing the results,” he says. “These entry numbers are a sign of winemakers’ confidence in the quality of their Chardonnay, and of changing consumer tastes as more people embrace new versions of this old favourite.” Approximately 90% of the Chardonnay wines and 70% of the total 1420 wines entered in the New World Wine Awards this year are from New Zealand, with the balance from top-producing regions in France, Italy, Spain, Australia and the USA among others. More than 170 wineries are represented. To check out our Q+A with New World Wine Awards judge, Nick Bullein MW, head to pg 8.

October 19 INTERNATIONAL GIN & TONIC DAY

WIN

October 25 NZ INTERNATIONAL WINE SHOW AWARDS DINNER Auckland www.nziws.co.nz

November 16 THE NEW ZEALAND CIDER FESTIVAL Nelson www.nzciderfestival.com/

Richard Emerson: The Hopfather released

Richard Emerson: The Hopfather, the newest book from beer writer and judge Michael Donaldson, is set to be released in book stores nationwide this month. One of New Zealand’s pre-eminent brewers, Emerson was born profoundly deaf in Dunedin in the 1960s and triumphed over all odds to launch Emerson’s Brewery in 1992. He went on to create a string of award-winning beers, spark a cult following and become a millionaire. The Hopfather is his story and we have five copies to give away! To go in the draw, head to @theshoutnz on Instagram and Facebook. 4 THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019

industry insights

It’s a Pinot party! Make a note in your calendar. While it may seem like there’s a ‘special day’ for everything nowadays, International Pinot Noir Day on August 18 is a date you won’t want to miss. Pinot Noir is New Zealand wine’s second biggest variety in terms of production, second only to Sauvignon Blanc, with the majority grown in Marlborough and Central Otago. In 2002 we planted 2,029 ha, but by 2018 we recorded 5,653 ha of prime for-the-picking Pinot. The difference in our climate is a major factor in the defining regional styles, with Pinot Noir having a host of different flavours based on where it’s come from. Spin the wine flavour wheel and you could land on dark berry fruit, chocolate, fresh herbs and spicy notes. Pinot has established itself as Central Otago’s flagship variety and it flourishes there, as extreme climate rewards careful site selection with wines of great intensity, sophistication and reputation. Though the rugged terrain may be breath-taking, it doesn’t make life easy for grape growers and winemakers – this is one of the hottest, coldest and driest regions in New Zealand. Historically however, Pinot Noir was first planted in the Wairarapa region as far back as 1883. Things didn’t really kick off until a century later, and by the late 1980s, local wine show accolades began rolling in. By the 1990s, gold medals were won in Australia, then London, and

Amber Silvester New Zealand Winegrowers Communications Manager

murmurings of a potential new Pinot powerhouse began traveling around the world. And now in 2019, New Zealand has cemented its place as a world-renowned Pinot Noir producer. From Central Otago to North Canterbury, Nelson and Marlborough in the south, over to Wairarapa and Central Hawke’s Bay in the north, our winemakers produce a dramatic and distinctive array of styles, driven from the land. And the rest of the world has discovered it too. There has been impressive growth in export sales of New Zealand Pinot Noir in the last five years, with nearly 1.5 million cases exported in 2018. As any New Zealand wine lover will tell you; Pinot Noir is a chance we’re glad we took.

Is there an export market for NZ beer? People often say to me: ‘With the growth in New Zealand’s craft sector, we must be exporting a lot of beer’. While it’s true, we are exporting more than before. It’s a relatively small amount. In 2018, we exported $45 million worth of the amber liquid. Which equates to about 10% of the beer produced here. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what variety of beer is leaving our shores because the data is shown in ABV. The biggest segment by far was 4.35-5% ABV coming in at $22.5 million. So where do we send our beers? The biggest consumer of our beers is Australia, which last year took $30 million worth of the $45 million exported, easy to see why. It is so close. So, distribution is cheaper. It’s a similar market. So, Australians enjoy (and are familiar with) our craft beers and there are plenty of ex-pats who want a taste of home. Whether that’s the most recent hazy from their favourite local. Or a six-pack of what their dad drank. NZ Trade and enterprise recently put together a ‘howto’ for exporting craft beer titled ‘Craft Beer: Turning on the export tap’. Which is a pretty good starting point for those looking to expand their horizons. One of the biggest take outs for me was the statement: ‘It’s about finding

Dylan Firth Executive Director, Brewers Association of New Zealand

a value proposition – a story – that resonates with craft beer drinkers. Hammering it home: being a premium craft beer from New Zealand is probably not going to be good enough anymore’. Understanding what the target market is key, you can’t be everything to everybody. Whether that’s the growing Chinese market, which is notoriously hard to crack, or just doubling down our existing biggest export destination Australia. Exporting must be highly targeted. Lastly, do you know we exported $30,000 worth of beer to Antarctica in 2018? It was the highest single value New Zealand export to the icy continent. Guess our Scott Base residents need something to enjoy during the darker months!

THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019 5

Giesen RieslingBLUSH sponsored

iesen is New Zealand’s Riesling hero - so it’s no surprise they are the winemakers behind the country’s most exciting new wine – Riesling Blush. Giesen Riesling Blush is a first-of-a-kind blend of Riesling with a delicious twist – a splash of Rosé. It’s the perfect fusion; New Zealand’s favourite Riesling meets the hottest wine trend – Rosé. In 1984, the company’s founders - Theo, Alex and Marcel Giesen - drew upon their German heritage to create Estate Riesling which is without a doubt, New Zealand’s favourite - being the country’s highest selling Riesling by value and volume. What’s more, Giesen Estate Riesling has found favour with the country’s toughest critics. Giesen Estate Riesling has been awarded five consecutive Gold Medals at the New World Wine Awards and multiple trophies, including Champion Riesling Trophy and Champion Open White Wine Trophy, at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2016. In 2017, Giesen developed special limited release Gemstone Riesling, which sold out within weeks. Gemstone by Giesen was made again in 2018, paying tribute to great Riesling with a point of difference, the inclusion of wine fermented and held in granite tanks. Wine matured in granite has an intense, mineral character.

Giesen brothers - Alex, Marcel and Theo

Drawing upon knowledge of how to make great Rieslings which people love, the team has created Giesen Riesling Blush. To create Giesen Estate Riesling Blush, the winemaking team started with Giesen Estate’s much-loved and awarded Riesling – carefully

selecting parcels of premium dry Riesling from cool-climate vineyards in Marlborough and Waipara. Premium Riesling parcels were blended to create a wine with luxurious richness and bright citrus highlighted by fabulous floral aromas from the Waipara fruit. Then winemakers added the exceptional element – a splash of Rosé. A playful pink colour, Giesen Estate Riesling Blush offers enticing aromas of luscious red berries and elderflower, underlined by subtle sweet spice and a refreshing twist of citrus. The delicious wine offers taste mouth-watering lime and blood orange, with a touch of sweetness that finishes dry. The subtle berry flavours and a hint of spice make Giesen Estate Riesling Blush a perfect match for BBQs or antipasto platters, and the refreshing citrus flavours taste delicious just on their own. A playfully versatile addition to any gathering – Giesen Estate Riesling Blush adds a touch of Giesen Estate style to any moment! Riesling THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019 7

Q+A

master AT work This year’s New World Wine Awards saw more than 1400 wines blind-tasted by a panel of 17 expert judges, including international winemaking consultant Nick Bulleid MW. We grabbed a chat with Nick on his quick trip across the ditch. What is your background in wine? “I started as a keen amateur – when I was a marine scientist, actually – and was lucky to meet the right people. That led to writing part-time for two magazines, and later working full-time for Cellarmasters and what was then Southcorp Wines. Since 1999, I’ve been a winemaking consultant, working with companies on quality control, blending, picking decisions and vineyards and I also do some expert witness work in industry disputes. As a wine judge in Australia and internationally, I have assisted with the establishment of guidelines for wine shows in Australia.” What are the biggest changes you have seen in the world of wine over the last five years? “Where do I start? First is the huge advancement in the quality of low-middle priced wines in the major European countries [such as] Italy, Germany, several regions in Spain and Portugal, across southern France and the Rhône, and [also] outside Europe [in] Argentina and South Africa. Secondly, the rise of Greece, Romania, Moldova and the continuing rise of Austria. Third, the wonderful profusion of excellent grape varieties virtually unknown to New World vineyards until recently – Grüner Veltliner, Nero Mascalese, Feteasca Negra, Assyrtiko, Mencía, Albariño and virtually any Portuguese grape. And finally, the continuing domination in Australia, the UK and I’m told Germany of major liquor stores, particularly where vertical integration in wine has reduced the variety stocked by independents – but I don’t want to get depressed.” Do you think Chardonnay is making a comeback? “In Australia it hasn’t needed to as, at higher prices, its success never slowed. It did only at entry level, where it lost share to Sauvignon Blanc and, to a certain extent, Pinot Grigio. The style at the high-quality end has been in continual evolution in Australia and we are now 8 THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019

seeing pleasantly complex, subtly ripe, medium bodied wines. Quality at entry level is better too, as are the everyday Chardonnays from most other countries.” What are your favourite New Zealand varietals and why? “Pinot Noir, particularly from Martinborough, and Riesling from just about anywhere on the South Island. I like the way Martinborough combines intensity with elegance, which other regions don’t always show, although there are increasingly good examples. Marlborough Rieslings have been excellent for many years, and I love those from Waipara and Central Otago, too.” What are the biggest differences between New Zealand and Australian wine? “Easy – terroir and taxation. Australia has a much wider range of climates and soils, so our wines can range more in style than New Zealand could make, or in many cases would want to, and in the case of the inland regions, at a lower cost base than New Zealand can achieve. Your taxation also makes it difficult to make good, very cheap wine (which again you may not want to do), while Australia’s allows us to do, but heavily taxes high-quality wines.” What is your prediction for the next big thing in wine? “Threats, frankly, but I want to stay positive. There won’t be one big thing. There will be a general trend towards wines with good provenance and personality, and made with good environmental and sustainable values.”

ABOUT NICK BULLEID… • Nick became the third Master of Wine in Australia, passing the exam on his first attempt in 1992. • For 13 years he taught wine tasting as a visiting professor at Charles Sturt University in Sydney and he has conducted masterclasses in China and Hong Kong. • He writes on wine for consumers in Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine and has a regular column ‘From The Tasting Bench’ in Australia’s Wine Business Magazine. • Nick has been a shareholder of Brokenwood Wines since 1978 and a Director since 1983. • He also manages his own small HATHERLEIGH vineyard at 910m altitude in the chilly Southern Tablelands of New South Wales.

Entries to the New World Wine Awards must retail for $25.00 or less, and there must be at least 4,000 bottles (or 2,000 for emerging varietals) available for sale through New World stores. For more information, visit www.newworld.co.nz/wineand-beer/wine-awardscompetition

An elegant fusion of flavour and fashion. @youngandcowines_nz Please Enjoy Responsibly.

wine insight

vegan wines

THE YEAR OF

Vegan wine is becoming more prevalent amongst our most popular varietals – but what makes a wine vegan… or non-vegan? Caro Jensen, co-founder of Sip NZ and drinkfo.com, explains. hen KFC launches a vegan chicken burger, you know that a niche lifestyle is about to turn mainstream. The Economist predicted late last year that 2019 is going to be the ‘Year of the Vegan’ and Kiwis are at the forefront when it comes to finding out more about veganism, ranking third in vegan-related Google searches over the last year. Vegans regularly fill forums with lengthy posts about whether Nutella or Oreos are 100% vegan or not. Unfortunately, wine often makes vegan blacklists, potentially turning new generations of wine drinkers away from the category that doesn’t want to study the intricate details of winemaking practices. In the end, it all comes down to the ‘fine’ details - the process of clarifying a wine with fining agents. Young wines are hazy and contain tiny molecules such as proteins, tartrates and harsh tannins and the fining process helps clarify those, but it can also improve its colour and flavour. Animal-derived fining agents are commonly used in red, sparkling, or white wines, making those wines unsuitable for a vegan diet. These include blood and bone marrow, casein (milk protein), chitin (fibre from crustacean shells), egg albumen (derived from egg whites), fish oil, gelatin (protein from boiling animal parts), and isinglass (gelatin from fish bladder membranes). Those agents, however, are processing aids, not additives to the wine, as they are filtered out along with the haze molecules. Traces of animal-derived agents may be present in the wine, therefore making them unsuitable for a vegan diet. However, there are several fining agents that are suitable to make vegan wine. Carbon, bentonite clay, limestone, kaolin clay, plant casein and silica gel are some alternatives for winemakers to choose from. Another alternative method is… time! Most wines, if left long enough, will self-stabilise and self-fine. Gravity will simply do the Caro Jensen work. Especially amongst

10 THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019

organic and biodynamic winemakers, this lowintervention method is often used to get their wines market-ready. For consumers it’s down to the ‘fine’ print as to whether a wine is vegan or not. Thanks to the NZ Foods Standards Code, the presence of fining agents as potential allergen products must be declared on the back label of a wine. An increasing number of wineries also use the vegan logo (a green V symbol) to clearly state the benefit of their wine being suitable for a plant-based diet. A smart move in 2019 that will hopefully excite consumers’ taste buds more than a certain vegan ‘chicken’ burger.

Bentonite clay

There are at least

275

vegan wines available in New Zealand

For a full list, head to www.vegetarians.co.nz/articles/newzealand-vegan-wine-list/

Carbon

OUR FAVOURITE BEERS ARE NOW IN 330ML CANS!

www.behemothbrewing.co.nz ORDER FROM: orders@behemothbrewing.co.nz

n o n g i v u sa

c n a l b

LAS MS

DOUG N O R E M A BY C

f Sauvignon Blanc was a song, then it would probably sound like the opening few bars of a heavy metal track – I Was Made For Loving You by Kiss (1979) is what’s playing in my mind right now. Not only does Sauvignon Blanc have a distinctive and very recognisable beat and rhythm - a loud bouquet - it often hits the palate with a core of energy and style that makes it, well, a bit like a heavy metal song. So there’s no mistaking this variety, with its pungent, fresh and crunchy texture, sweet herbs, tropical fruit, peach, citrus, apple, gooseberry and grass/hay characters. These are typical of the variety grown in cool climate appellations. New Zealand’s southerly location, strong maritime influences and narrow shape gives rise to this type of cool climate needed for such intense aromas and flavours. Classified as cool climate, promoting naturally higher acid levels, yet warm enough and with abundant sunlight to fully ripen the variety in almost any part of the country. Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Nelson, Marlborough, North Canterbury and Central Otago have these attributes and can produce some excellent examples. While some Sauvignon Blanc can be made in a generic style, and these wines sell well, there are regional differences to be discovered as well. For example, Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blancs often show a riper more intense yellow peach and sweeter tropical fruit characters with less herbaceous drive, while a Marlborough version can often taste of pink grapefruit, basil, thyme, passionfruit and be very herbaceous (these are just some of the descriptors). Central Otago expressions often have a mineral core, dried thyme and white peach character. Regardless of origin and individual expression, Sauvignon Blanc is a great match with foods that are light-weight, high-energy and with a noticeable freshness or higher acid content, such as salads with radishes and apple, pickled vegetables and even oysters or mussels with fresh lemon juice.

Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. An experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant, he is academically in charge of the Wine and Beverage Programme at AUT University in Auckland and is Patron of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association. Douglas consults to a variety of establishments, taking care of their wine lists, wine and food pairings, and staff training matters and he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas. 12 THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019

tasting notes AUNTSFIELD SOUTH OAKS BARREL FERMENTED MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 Complex and developing bouquet with aromas and flavours of baking spices and lemon pepper, baked apple and wood smoke, ripe peach and vanilla. A weighty and complex wine with a youthful acid line, nutty oak flavour, some pristine fine tannins and long varietal finish. Complex and very enjoyable. Drink now and through 2025+. Points 96 RRP $38.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Phone: (03) 578 0622 www.auntsfield.co.nz

SAINT CLAIR FAMILY ESTATE WAIRAU RESERVE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 Fragrant, fruity, varietal and enticing bouquet of Sauvignon Blanc. Classic, bold and very expressive with aromas and flavours of sweet and tart passionfruit, spicy pear and apple, a stony mineral core and leesy ginger spice note. No mistaking the sweet herbs of basil and thyme, high acidity and lengthy finish. Lots to like. Drink now and through 2022. Points 94 RRP $33.90 Distributor: Negociants NZ Phone: (03) 578 8695 www.saintclair.co.nz

PALLISER ESTATE 2018 SAUVIGNON BLANC MARTINBOROUGH Lovely bouquet and palate of Sauvignon Blanc with aromas and flavours of wet rocks and silty earth, mixed with whitefleshed stone fruits and sweet citrus; some delicate fruit spice moments, lively acidity that dances on the palate and a lengthy persistent finish. This wine a has a definitive core of fruit, a fleshy texture and lively acidity, satin mouth feel and moderate weight. Drink now and through 2023. Points 92 RRP $28.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Phone: (0800) 634 624 www.palliser.co.nz

DOMAIN ROAD VINEYARD BANNOCKBURN CENTRAL OTAGO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017 Complex and enticing bouquet of Sauvignon Blanc with aromas and flavours of angelica and apple, pear and minerals, white flowers and sweet herbs. Balanced, fresh, quite complex and dry on the finish. Additonal flavours of preserved lemon and barley sugar, some white blossom and gooseberry. Well made, drink now and through 2021. Points 94 RRP $23.00 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (03) 445 4244 www.domainroad.co.nz

SEIFRIED NELSON SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 Aromas of tropical fruits and white peach, sweet herbs, hay and nettles then stony soil suggestions. Very crisp, youthful and refreshing acid line, flavours of tropical and citrus, white stone fruit and herbs on the palate. Lengthy finish, lots to like, well made and not quite ready. Best enjoyed midsummer 2020 through 2022. Points 93 RRP $18.00 Distributor: Seifried Estate Phone: (0508) 4 WINES www.seifried.co.nz

RT WINES WILD WAVES MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 Varietal and gently spicy with aromas of herbs and citrus fruits, some grapefruit and apple then a light saline moment. A modern expression of Sauvignon Blanc with a more delicate set of flavours, but still showing cool climate acidity and intensity. Balanced and well made, a wine to consider cellaring to discover its evolution over the next three to six years. Points 90 RRP $18.00 Distributor: Currently looking for a distributor, please phone below Phone: (027) 410 1745 www.rtwines.co.nz

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ALLAN SCOTT MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 White smoke and white-fleshed fruits, citrus blossoms and apple, sweet hay and freshly gathered herbs of basil and thyme. Some classic aromas of tropical fruit with a definitive grapefruit and green apple flavour. Youthful, crisp and firm texture, lengthy finish. Enjoy from the beginning of summer 2020 and through 2024. Points 94 RRP $18.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone: (03) 572 9054 www.allanscott.com

Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order. Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

WAIRAU RIVER ESTATE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 Unmistakable aromas of tropical fruits and citrus, sweet grass and wet stone. On the palate - flavours of pineapple and passionfruit, red apple and peach. Additional flavours of lemongrass and galangal, wet stones and minerals. Crisp and dry on the finish. Drink now and through 2022. Points 92 RRP $20.00 Distributor: Federal Merchants Phone: (03) 572 7950 www.wairauriverwines.com/

SACRED HILL RESERVE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 Spicy and smoky, varietal, fruity, herbaceous and tempting. Aromas and flavours of barrel spices and ripe grapefruit, apple and baked stone fruits and custard. Nice creamy texture, youthful acid line, lengthy finish showing off spice, oak and fruit attributes. Drink now and through 2024. Points 92 RRP $21.99 Distributor: Quench Collective Ltd Phone: (06) 879 8760 www.sacredhill.com

SAINT CLAIR FAMILY ESTATE ORIGIN MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 Aromas of white peach and grapefruit, some passionfruit, apple and floral moments with a whisper of spice. Crisp, fruity, varietal, refreshing and just dry on the finish. A very light creamy texture, luscious and fresh, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2021. Points 90 RRP $18.90 Distributor: Negociants NZ Phone: (03) 578 8695 www.saintclair.co.nz

ARA SINGLE ESTATE MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 Aromas of lemongrass, sweet hay, grapefruit, mango and pineapple. Crisp, dry, fruity and ready with flavours of apples and citrus fruits, tropical notes of passionfruit and pineapple. Herbaceous grassy notes begin to emerge on the finish. Balanced and well made, drink now and through 2021. Points 89 RRP $19.99 Distributor: Giesen Group Phone: (03) 344 6270 www.giesenwines.co.nz

THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019 13

romatics are a category of wine that have a distinctive, sometimes intense aroma of flowers, ripe white-fleshed fruits, musk, candy and spices. These translate easily to the palate as flavours, as well as the palate intensifying the aromas even more. Aromatic wines can be very powerful and present interesting food and wine pairing challenges. The texture of these wines is often described as creamy or oily, finished with a spiciness. The term ‘aromatic’ refers to a specific category of white grape varieties that contain an extra set of naturally-occurring compounds called ‘terpenes’. Terpenes enhance and even amplify the spice, fruit and floral scents of wine. This makes them particularly distinctive. The following wines are classified as aromatic or semi-aromatic and are regularly available in New Zealand: Würzer, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Torrontes, Albarińo, Riesling, Müller Thurgau and Pinot Gris. Each of these wines are floral, fruity and intense on both the nose and palate, with moderate acidity. Textures ranges from soft and creamy to satin or silky and crisp. Gewürztraminer is the most intense and exotic of the aromatic varieties, with flavours of tropical fruits, roses and spices. Descriptors such as lavender, talcum powder, pineapple, white pepper and even apple strudel have been used to describe the wine. The most popular of the aromatic varieties is Pinot Gris. Strictly speaking Pinot Gris is semi-aromatic - it is not as floral or intense as a Muscat or Gewürztraminer. The aroma and flavour package of Gris is relatively simple - fruity, mouth-filling, without being cumbersome or too complex and often, with just a little residual sweetness, it can be enjoyed with or without most white or yellow proteins (chicken, fish and pasta). Pear skin and poached pear, yellow or red apple, white spice like pepper and Asian pear are typical descriptors. Medium weight and acidity and mostly with no wood flavours, or the use of old wood for structure, and some complexity. Some of the more enjoyable examples I have encountered recently have been made using indigenous ferment techniques and a touch of older wood. 14 THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019

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tasting notes

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TIKI KORO WAIPARA NOBLE RIESLING 2017 Golden yellow leading to intense aromas and flavours of apricot and peach, honey and ginger, beeswax and lemon. Thick and creamy, spicy, fruity and delicious. High acidity and sugar to match with a spicy preserved lemon and baked custard finish. Drink now before anybody else finds this gem. Points 95 RRP $34.99 Distributor: Federal Merchants & Co Phone: (03) 326 5551 www.tikiwine.com

SEIFRIED NELSON GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2019 Immensely floral with lavender and rose, acacia flower and fruit perfumes. There’s a subtle delicate side as well, showing some minerality, kombucha and cider notes. Fleshy, fresh, crisp and dry on the palate with flavours of everything that the nose suggested. Medium acidity, youthful textures, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2023. Points 94 RRP $18.00 Distributor: Seifried Estate Phone: (0508) 4 WINES www.seifried.co.nz

BLACK BARN VINEYARDS HAWKE’S BAY PINOT GRIS 2018 Aromas of ripe tropical fruits, grapefruit and wet stone layers. Delicious on the palate with flavours of red apple and tropical fruits, white peach and baking spices, plenty of acidity and light weight. A lovely texture adding complexity, length and charm. Drink now and through 2021. Points 94 RRP $26.00 Distributor: Negociants NZ Phone: (06) 877 7985 www.blackbarn.com

LAKE CHALICE THE FALCON MARLBOROUGH RIESLING 2019 A classic bouquet of Riesling with aromas of apple and lemon, white peach and stony, earthy qualities. Off-dry at first then a sound acid line turns the wine drier, adding texture, crispness and highlighting some nice pure fruit flavours. Balanced, even, persistent and ready with flavours of ripe lemon, apple, pear and white peach. Drink now and through 2026. Points 93 RRP $18.99 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone: (0800) 699 463 www.lakechalice.com

JACKSON ESTATE MARLBOROUGH DRY RIESLING 2016 Pungent, fragrant, floral, a mineral core of wet stone, citrus and tree fruit. Delicious on the palate with fleshy green and red apple flavours, some pear, lemon and white rose. Dry with a lighter weight, abundant acidity and crisp refreshing finish. Drink now and through 2024. Points 93 RRP $20.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone: (03) 572 9500 www.jacksonestate.co.nz

GIESEN ESTATE RIESLING 2018 Fragrant and enticing bouquet with aromas of sweet citrus, honeysuckle, white-fleshed tree fruits and flowers. Off-dry style with an immediate sweetness, tempered by high acidity and flavours of honeysuckle, white peach, sweet lemon and tropical fruits. Balanced and well made. Ideal for moderately spicy seafood and poultry dishes. Drink now and through 2024. Points 92 RRP $14.99 Distributor: Giesen Group Phone: (03) 344 6270 www.giesenwines.co.nz

TOI TOI RESERVE MARLBOROUGH RIESLING 2018 Intense aromas lemon and green apple with jasmine and white rose, wet stone and lots of energy. Crisp, tense, youthful and dry. Flavours reflect the nose - all equally intense with long finish and developing complexity. Best drinking from 2021 through 2031. Points 92 RRP $30 Distributor: Toi Toi Wines Phone: (09) 972 9498 www.toitoiwines.co.nz

Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order. Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

PASK HAWKE’S BAY VIOGNIER 2018 Bold and richly fruited on the nose, with some wood spices and ripe fruit adding weight, shape and intensity. Immediately varietal on the palate with flavours of ginger-spiced apricot, baked apple and peach. Medium acidity with a bite of oak adding firmness and structure with, a whisper of bacon, alcohol adding warmth and sweetness. Overall a delicious wine, weighty, rich and distinctive. Drink now and through 2022 Points 92 RRP $25.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone: (06) 879 7906 www.pask.co.nz

SEIFRIED NELSON GRÜNER VELTLINER 2019 Classic bouquet of Grüner with a mix of white pepper and radish, crisp white-fleshed tree fruits, citrus and apple moments. As the wine opens up, these ideas get louder and stronger. Dry, crisp, youthful and tense on the palate. A young wine needing some development time to release and harmonise all the attributes on display. Decent finish and well made - a wine to watch. Best in cellar till late 2020, then enjoy through 2026. Points 92 RRP $18.00 Distributor: Seifried Estate Phone: (0508) 4 WINES www.seifried.co.nz

SEIFRIED NELSON WÜRZER 2019 Very fragrant, floral, spicy and tropical with aromas and flavours of white spices and lychee, pears and flowers, lemon and apple. Crisp, refreshing, just-dry with a light sweet moment, balanced and well made with a lengthy floral and spicy finish. Drink now and through 2021. Points 90 RRP $18.00 Distributor: Seifried Estate Phone: (0508) 4 WINES www.seifried.co.nz

GIESEN RIESLING BLUSH 2018 Classic aromas of Riesling with red apple and citrus then whispers of Bing cherry and a hint of strawberry. Off-dry style, juicy and fleshy in texture. Flavours of red apple and light red fruits re-emerge. Fresh, crisp, easy to enjoy and balanced. Ready to drink now and through 2023. Points 88 RRP $14.99 Distributor: Giesen Group Phone: (03) 344 6270 www.giesenwines.co.nz

THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019 15

r l e a v t i t s n e i f w ales

It’s 4:30am. My phone’s alarm pulls me from a deep sleep and into a confused, semiconscious state. This is just the first of four alarms that I’ve set to insure that I don’t miss my flight from the Bay of Islands Airport in the Far North, down to Wellington for this year’s Winter Ales Festival. Though Nelson’s hop growers might disagree, it’s pretty widely accepted that Wellington is New Zealand’s craft beer capital. Not only is it home to an everincreasing abundance of breweries, but it is also home to numerous beer festivals, competitions and events, such as the well-known Beervana festival. Thousands of beer lovers across the country travel along ‘the road to Beervana’ to Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, just to sample hundreds of beers from breweries across the country and abroad. While Beervana is certainly a fantastic festival – and one not to be missed – it is the humbler Winter Ales Festival that has got me out of bed at such an ungodly hour. My first stop on this wintery beercation is The Society of Beer Advocates Annual General Meeting at the Fork & Brewer. SOBA (the Society of Beer Advocates) is a “consumer-based organisation with a mission to educate, promote, and advocate for the appreciation of, and access to, a diverse range of quality beer” in New Zealand. They 16 THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019

fund and/or organise a multitude of beer events across the country each year, as well as hold New Zealand’s national homebrew competition; arguably the heartbeat of New Zealand’s homebrew scene. I happen to be the Far North regional coordinator for SOBA, and SOBA happens to be the organisation behind the Winter Ales Festival. Expertly killing two birds with one stone, SOBA officers decided to hold their annual meeting just hours before the Winter Ales Festival kicks off. Fork Brewing (the brewing wing of the restaurant/brewery combo that is the Fork & Brewer) is located at the top of a steep staircase in the middle of the city’s CBD. This is unusual for a brewery when you consider the literal tonnes of grain that needs to be carried up, and kegs that need to be carried down each month (without the aid of a lift I should add). The stairwell spills out into a row of shiny stainless steel sentinels that usher me towards the brew pub’s iconic circular bar. I am immediately struck by the most impressive house-brewed tap list I have ever seen in New Zealand. Forty-two beers (only two are guest taps), ranging from all manner of IPAs, lagers, sour beers, stouts, and more. Given that it is only 11am, I opt for a handpulled pint of their Pict English Dark Mild. Full bodied and creamy, with notes of toffee, chocolate, and just the right amount of roast, this is the finest example of a Dark Mild I’ve personally ever had.

One windy Saturday, beer writer John Oszajca travelled to the craft beer capital to drink a brew or two with 600 other ale lovers…

John Oszajca To contact John Oszajca regarding beer features or samples, please email him at john@newzealandbrewer.co.nz

beer feature With the meeting, and a second pint of Fork Brewing’s famous Burton Earnie (a hand-pulled Burton Ale) behind me, a few of my fellow SOBA members and head up to the Hunter Lounge, where the Winter Ales Festival is being held. The festival is housed within a huge halllike space, with a second floor balcony that wraps around an otherwise open space. More than 600 people fill the room, literally to the rafters, and lines have already sprouted behind some of the more popular beers. There are 38 beers on tap, (four of which are casked, and two of which are on hand-pull), and there is only one beer on offer from each brewery. The majority (if not, perhaps all) of the beers available are new releases, one-offs, and otherwise festive-or hard to find-beers. My comrades and I disperse in an attempt to grab a glass of whatever had most caught our eye on the beer list. I kick things off with a half-glass full of New Reserve Barleywine, a 10.5% ABV Barleywine that was brewed as a collaboration between North End Brewery and Emerson’s. The beer is rich in notes of bread crust and marmalade and has the added appeal of being served on hand-pull. Next, I make my way over to the Sawmill Brewery tap to try my first White Stout, a beer that I’ve written about but never had the pleasure of trying. A White Stout is a pale beer that is typically brewed using herbs, nuts, spices, and specialty malts to create those signature Stout-like flavours without the use of any actual dark malts. In this case, Sawmill used cocoa nibs, coffee beans, and vanilla pods for flavour, and a generous portion of oats and wheat to give the beer body. A unique, and well-brewed beer to be sure, but one that leaves this beer fan feeling that I have just enjoyed a coffee pale ale more than anything actually approaching a Stout. Next up is Friends in the Wild #4 from Wilderness Brewing. Friends in the Wild #4 is a mixed ferment, pale sour beer, brewed with honeydew melon and Huell Melon hops. The acidity level on this beer is neither subtle, nor overbearing, allowing the deliciously barnyard flavours of Brettanomyces to shine through along with the subtle-but-present notes of honeydew melon. Perhaps this is not for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. As the day draws on, I sample all manner of delicious concoctions, including (but certainly not limited to): Bassline Brewing’s Hello Sailor, a Rum and Raisin Doppelbock; 8 Wired’s Gypsy Fruits, a barrel-aged sour beer with grapefruit; Hey Day Beer Co’s King of Hearts, a Belgian Brown Ale and many more.

“THE MAJORITY (IF NOT PERHAPS ALL) OF THE BEERS AVAILABLE ARE NEW RELEASES, ONEOFFS, AND OTHERWISE FESTIVE-OR HARD TO FIND-BEERS.” But after several hours of the palatecrushing, wild and crazy brews that are so common at beer festivals, I find myself craving – of all things – a beer. Just a simple, balanced, well-brewed beer that simply tastes of malt and hops. No chocolate, rum, or raspberries, no acidity, barnyard funk or experimental hop flavours; just a good old-fashion beer to sip while I enjoy the many conversations I have throughout the day. I find exactly that in Boneface Brewing Company’s modestly titled Belgian Pale Ale. This beer was brewed by the Boneface Staff on their small pilot kit. The resulting beer is a classic Belgian ale, with perfectly balanced fruit and spice, and a pillowy mouthfeel. Only a single keg of this beer was produced for the public and it is on tap at today’s festival. I declare this beer my favourite of the day and soon go back for seconds. However, as odd as it may sound, the defining aspect of the Winter Ale’s Festival is arguably not the beer itself. It is the people. Unlike many of the larger festivals that pull in thousands from far and wide, cost the brewers thousands to participate in, and foster a much more expo-like environment, the Winter Ales Festival has a feeling more akin to an enormous house party. Everyone seems to know someone, and those who don’t are quickly absorbed into someone else’s circle of friends. While many of the brewers are present, they are not pouring the beer, or networking.

They are just hanging out, catching up with friends in the industry, and generally having a good time. This sentiment is expressed frequently by attendees. It feels good, less profit driven, and more about the beer. I catch up with many friends (old and new) within New Zealand’s brewing industry. As a beer writer and podcaster I have interviewed many dozens of brewer’s across New Zealand, but so seldom get to meet them in person due to my geographical isolation in the Far North. Much of that changes today as I finally have the opportunity to share a beer with many of New Zealand’s finest brewers. I enjoy getting to know Kelly Ryan from Fork Brewing, Bruce Turner from Urbanaut, Simon Edward from Black Dog, as well as catching up with more familiar faces such as Jason Bathgate from McLeod’s, Matt Dainty from Boneface, and many more. As quickly as the festival comes to an end, a plan to meet at Bruce Turner (from Urbanaut’s) house for an ‘after party’ is hatched. Soon dozens of brewers and beer-loving Wellingtonians have gathered in his beautiful home for a night of music, dancing, Urbanaut beer, and Shigeo from Funk Estate’s famous cocktails. I woke up the next morning with a cell phone full of hilarious photographs and feeling far less hung over than I expected. As is often the case when I travel somewhere far from home to meet great people, and enjoy an abundance of wonderful food and drink, I feel certain that I’m going to move the family down to Wellington; as I am sure that there could be no better place in New Zealand. It’s a feeling that I know will inevitably fade as the novelty of somewhere new begins to wane. I hit the city once again to soak up what little more I can. There is, however, one last stop I am intent on making before I fly home to the far North. I’m off to the Fork & Brewer. I need to get another pint of that damn Pict British Dark Mild. Man, that’s a good beer!

More than 600 beer lovers attended the festival

THE SHOUT NZ – AUGUST 2019 17