Another celebration of food and beverages
Northland’s food and beverage producers and hospitality players are once again being invited to come together for a tasty event aimed at helping shape the region’s identity to boost marketing and business growth opportunities.
Northland Inc growth adviser David Templeton said the 2019 Savour Northland industry event at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell next month was being facilitated by the regional economic development agency, in collaboration with Eat NZ, a not-for-profit organisation that linked producers with the hospitality industry.
"This is an opportunity for everyone . . . to develop a plan for putting Northland on the map as a food and wine destination."
Northland Inc growth adviser David Templeton on the 2019 Savour Northland industry event
“We hope to bring together the Northland food and beverage ecosystem to develop the food and beverage story,” Mr Templeton said.
“This is an opportunity for everyone, from producers to end users, and the hospitality industry, to develop a plan for putting Northland on the map as a food and wine destination, while boosting the national and global markets for what is produced in this region.
“Traditionally companies have developed their own individual stories as part of their marketing, but there is an opportunity for a Northland-wide story with room for cohesion,” he said.
“When producers are looking at marketing The Mangonui Fish Shop, an internationally-recognised symbol of fine Far North dining with a newsprint wrapping.
overseas, or the rest of the country, the brand as a collective will be powerful.”
Mr Templeton said Northland was a burgeoning wine region, with quality wines being produced from Ahipara to Mangawhai, its climate offering an opportunity for boutique wineries.
“We have wineries, boutique breweries and distilleries, Kombucha and tea producers and a developing coffee roasting scene,” he said.
Northland food producers were involved in everything from fruit and vegetables to seafood and meat, with plenty of value-adding, such as avocado ice creams and unique products like
jerky by Caveman Candy and high-end fermented black garlic.
The Hokianga boasted its Fire Dragon Chillies, Whanga¯rei was home to awardwinning Grinning Gecko cheese and the Kaipara produced Wild West Worcester Sauce, using a family recipe backed with clever marketing to create a unique business.
There was the seafood of Apatu Aqua at Cooper’s Beach, distributed to the Auckland restaurant market on a daily, while the K4 team at Haruru Falls had just bagged a contract to provide its Kombucha to the nationwide chain of Burger Fuel.
Then there were Kai Ora and Mana Kai Honey at Awanui, Kawakawa’s Bella Vacca Jersey, producing raw milk, and Mangawhai-based olive producers Echo Valley and Olives On The Hill.
Savour Northland would kick off at 5.30pm on Tuesday April 16 with a gala dinner, where Cuisine NZ Chef of the Year Giulio Strula would serve a tasty menu from locally-sourced food and beverages.
Next day would feature a workshop, with Northland Inc and Eat NZ facilitating discussion for producers and industry players, featuring success stories across the region.
These stories include the launch of the Savour Northland element of kiteAO, a new web platform developed to help connect skills and services in Northland.
“A great outcome would be the industry being able to clearly articulate its food and beverage story and create a framework for industry to connect and work together,” Mr Templeton said.
To register, contact Mr Templeton at david.templeton@northlandnz.com