B&B operators getting ‘back in the swing’ –
Reconnecting New Zealand’s valuable Bed and Breakfast sector with the international travel trade will be the key focus of its first annual conference in three years.
Industry operators are keen to reunite for the first time since 2020 at the Bed & Breakfast Association New Zealand conference, taking place at the Copthorne Oriental Bay, Wellington, on 19-21 June 2023.
“The 2023 conference is about getting all geared up for the return of our international visitors. We’ve continued with domestic travelers during the pandemic but our members are excited to get back into the swing of hosting our international visitors. So the theme of our conference is appropriately Back in the Swing,” said BBANZ president Donna Brooke.
The conference begins on June 19 with a Travel Trade Afternoon which will facilitate connections between B&B operators and inbound tour operators. The session is already attracting a lot of interest from agents and wholesalers in New Zealand and in Australia, Ms Brooke says.
Participants will include bed and breakfasts, homestays, farm stays, luxury accommodations, self-catering properties as well as small commercial sized bed and breakfasts.
Operators participating in the afternoon will meet BBANZ minimum quality standards and are assessed at three yearly intervals, providing assurance that they offer a first-class quality experience and are ready to work with international travel wholesalers.
“This will be an excellent opportunity for inbound tour operators to meet both established and new ‘product’, with plenty of opportunity for them to get to know the people behind the business,” Ms Brooke says.
The B&B sector is helping meet the demand from international travelers for high quality accommodation in New Zealand, especially after the loss of so much accommodation due to the impacts of the pandemic, she says.
“We provide a boutique and genuine Kiwi experience to our visitors. Having the opportunity to meet and stay with their hosts offers an unforgettable chance to live like a local.”
For more information about the conference and registration, go to: 2023 CONFERENCE, Bed & Breakfast Association
Nourish Group restaurants team up to raise funds for KidsCan & SPCA –
Iconic restaurants from Auckland, Andiamo & Jervois Steak House alongside Wellington’s Shed 5, are teaming up with drops from wineries Grove Mill, Mt Difficulty, Martinborough Vineyard and Te Kairanga for an evening of charity donation.
One hundred percent of selected Foley Wines and fifty percent of a la carte purchases on Tuesday 28 March will go to KidsCan and SPCA in areas of New Zealand affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.
KidsCan is on a mission to get clothing and food supplies to children and their families via schools and early childhood centers in Auckland, Northland, Hawke’s Bay, and Tairāwhiti and are helping displaced families start again by providing beds, bedding, whiteware, furniture and household items. The SPCA has been working hard on the ground in Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne and Northland, rescuing displaced animals, providing lifesaving transport and shelter and much needed support to vulnerable pet-owners.
Bookings for the fundraiser are now open and can be made on the restaurants’ website at https://www.thenourishgroup.co.nz/
SkyCity welcomes Cassia –
Auckland’s award-winning Indian restaurant Cassia, led by Chef Sid Sahrawat, is moving to SkyCity.
The renowned restaurant in Auckland’s Fort Street was closed in January after severe weather events and flooding left the business inoperable, temporarily opening as a ‘Cassia Kitchen’ pop up in the private dining room at the Sahrawat’s restaurant, Sid at The French Café.
Owners, husband and wife duo Sid and Chand Sahrawat have now found a new permanent home for the much-loved restaurant and its 20-plus team members.
Cassia is scheduled to open in early May at the site formerly housed by The Grills and will continue to run its Cassia Kitchen pop up offering until the new restaurant is ready to open.
“Sid and Chand have changed the face of Indian cuisine in New Zealand with Cassia and we are thrilled to welcome them and their talented team to SkyCity. We know their fresh and interesting take on modern Indian cuisine will continue to delight our customers and all the loyal Cassia followers,” said David Allott, General Manager Hospitality, SkyCity.
“What is even more exciting is that this is going to be the first of many changes to come at our precinct, so we are thrilled to welcome Cassia to the SkyCity family,” he added.
“It’s great to join up with SkyCity,” said Sid Sahrawat. “It was really important for us to find a location where we could quickly get up and running again, but where there would be absolutely no change to the Cassia experience.
“It was also just as important to partner with people who are serious about great food, so we can’t wait to share SkyCity Federal Street with some of New Zealand’s best dining outlets.”
The race is now on to get Cassia ready to open in early May.
“We want to recreate the look, feel and warmth of the old Cassia but add a few new features to mark our new beginning,” said Sid.
Sid and Chand run several of Auckland’s most-awarded restaurants: Cassia, Sid at The French Café and Kol, as well as Cassia at Home, the couple’s lockdown-inspired curry sauces and spice kits range.
A spoonful of olive oil in your coffee? –
Starbucks has launched an ‘innovative’ range of coffee beverages infused with extra virgin olive oil across its Italian stores.
Interim CEO Howard Schultz said the Oleato – meaning ‘with oil’ – range of beverages represents the ‘next revolution in coffee’ that brings together an ‘alchemy of nature’s finest ingredients’.
Starbucks cited an Italian family tradition of consuming a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil each day as an uplifting ritual as the inspiration for the concept and has partnered with premium Sicily-based olive oil brand Partanna for the product launch.
Three products — Oleato Caffè Latte, Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso and Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew — have launched across Starbucks’ 22 stores in Italy, while two additional beverages — an Oleato Iced Cortado and Oleato Deconstructed — have debuted at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan .
The Seattle-based coffee chain will then introduce the beverage in select markets globally, starting with Southern California in the US this spring before expanding to Japan, the Middle East and the UK before the end of the year.
Customers will also be able to request a press – the equivalent to a spoonful – of Partanna extra virgin olive oil as a customization to select beverages, such as espresso beverages and tea lattes.
“Oleato represents the next revolution in coffee that brings together an alchemy of nature’s finest ingredients – Starbucks arabica coffee beans and Partanna cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Today I feel just as inspired as I did 40 years ago, Oleato has opened our eyes to fresh new possibilities and a transformational way to enjoy our daily coffee,” said Schultz.
Starbucks entered the Italian market in 2018 with a Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Milan. In September 2021, the coffee chain announced it would reach 37 stores by the end of 2023, including 12 new outlets this year.
In September 2022 Starbucks opened its first store in Verona, the city which inspired the Starbucks concept in 1983, in partnership with its Italian licensee Percassi.
McPlant nuggets premiere in Germany –
The world’s first plant-based nuggets at a McDonald’s restaurant will be available in Germany’s 1450 outlets today, replacing the vegan burger.
Also new on the menu is the McPlant Burger. It replaces the vegan burger and the Fresh Vegan TS, and McDonald’s has emphasized the plant-based characteristic of the nuggets and patties, avoiding the vegan designation.
This makes Germany the first country market with plant-based nuggets on the menu boards. According to the company, this is also the first time a plant-based alternative has been available in a Happy Meal.
McDonald’s and Beyond Meat worked together to create the new plant-based nuggets and tested them in nine restaurants in Stuttgart in August. The nuggets are made from peas, corn, wheat and tempura breading. Beyond Meat has also had a chicken substitute available in restaurants since mid-2021, when the company rolled out its revamped recipe.
In addition, the McPlant Burger, which is already available in Austria, the UK and the Netherlands, among other countries, is now permanently on the menu in Germany.
With the two new products, McDonald’s, and manufacturers Beyond Meat, aim to appeal primarily to flexitarians. This is because their market share is growing steadily in the German population. For the product launch, the company actively involved guests in the development in a broad-based market test.
The McPlant nuggets are said to be a real alternative to Chicken McNuggets in terms of taste.
The McPlant burger with the Beyond Meat patty is also based on pea protein in combination with processed cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, sandwich sauce, ketchup and mustard, and is claimed to be able to convince even die-hard McDonald’s fans .
The burger replaces the Fresh Vegan TS or Veganburger on the menu and no longer bears the vegan label. This is because animal products such as eggs and milk are used in sauce and cheese sandwiches.
Guest wishes and transparency first
To distinguish the plant-based nuggets from the chicken nuggets, they come in a drop shape that is not found in the classic nuggets.
To publicize the new McPlant products, staff will be distributing free sample portions in McDonald’s restaurants in Germany from February 22 to March 01, 2023. From 02 to 05 March 2023, McDonald’s fans and registered users of the McDonald’s app will then have the chance to win one of 100,000 coupons each to try the McPlant Burger and McPlant Nuggets for free.
Hawaii leads vegan charge in USA –
Hawaii, Oregon, and New York are the most vegan-obsessed states in America.
Research conducted by health and fitness experts at Total Shape used Google search data to examine the search volume of vegan-related search terms per 100K residents in each state in America over the past 12 months. The study also analyzed each state’s favorite source of vegan protein.
The research revealed that Hawaii is the state most interested in a plant-based diet. Over the past 12 months, over 1.7K vegan-related searches were made per 100K Hawaiian residents. The most popular search term among Hawaii’s population was “Vegan,” followed by “Vegan Restaurants”, which had 12.1K searches and 9.9K searches, respectively.
The most popular natural source of protein for those who are on a plant-based diet in Hawaii is Jackfruit. Surprisingly, Jackfruit only offers 2.8g of protein per cup, however, it is popular due to its similar texture to pulled pork, an excellent gateway for those who want to try a vegan diet.
The second most vegan-obsessed state is Oregon, with a search volume of 1.5K vegan-related search terms per 100K residents. Oregon is known for its fresh fruits, especially blueberries and huckleberries, as well as its hazelnuts, which are prominent in a vegan diet.
Quinoa and Jackfruit are the joint most popular vegan protein sources in Oregon. Quinoa is a great source of protein, offering 8g of protein per 100g. Although this may not be as high compared to processed plant-based proteins, Quinoa offers all essential amino acids, as well as fiber, which explains why it is so popular.
New York is the third most vegan-obsessed state, with 1.3K vegan-related searches per 100K residents. Similarly to Oregon, Quinoa and Jackfruit are the most popular vegan sources of protein in New York. Chia seeds are also another popular choice for protein in New York, providing 17g per 100g serving.
Surprisingly, California does not rank at number one but instead ranks fourth, with just over 1,000 searches per 100K residents. California has a huge vegan following, especially as it has nearly 8,000 vegan restaurants, however, it still fails to rank at number one.
A spokesperson from Total Shape commented on the research, “It may come as a surprise that Hawaii is the most vegan-obsessed state in America, as it is well known for its fresh fish and often referred to as a ‘Fisherman’s paradise.’
“Furthermore, a vegan lifestyle is more attainable today because products are more readily available, and people now choose to opt for a balanced diet that does not consist of animal products.”
$5m Govt flood support package announced –
The Government is providing a $5 million package of emergency support to help businesses significantly affected by the recent flooding in Auckland.
This includes:
- $3 million for flood recovery payments to help significantly affected businesses
- $1 million for mental wellbeing support through a boost to the First Steps programme
- $1 million for small business advice focused on business continuity and resilience
- Inland Revenue will also waive penalties for late payments for Auckland, Northland, the Bay of Plenty, Thames/Coromandel and Waikato.
“The floods were devastating for many businesses in the Auckland region. It was sudden and could not be reasonably prepared for so it is expected that it will take a long time for many businesses to recover and start operating again,” Grant Robertson said.
“We developed this package of support through discussions with Auckland business leaders so it reflects the needs they identify.
“The money will be delivered through the Auckland Business Chamber, the Employers and Manufacturers Association, Whāriki (Auckland’s Māori Business Network) and the Pacific Business Trust.
“We will consider further support if required,” Grant Robertson said.
Inland Revenue will also provide support for affected businesses.
“If taxpayers are affected by the flooding and other weather-related damage contact IRD, it can waive penalties for late payments or late filing of returns,” David Parker said.
“It can waive interest on late payments by taxpayers in Auckland, Northland, the Bay of Plenty, Thames/Coromandel and Waikato.”
“On Tuesday I met with some of our small businesses who were hit hard by the Auckland floods. What they told me is that using existing business networks on the ground in Auckland is the most efficient and effective way to deliver this help, and that is what we are doing,” said Ginny Andersen.
“We know that for Auckland businesses who are still dealing with the impact of COVID, the floods have been another blow.
“This is a tough time, and in order to provide further support we are boosting funding for the business led First Step program which provides targeted mental health support to small business owners,” Ginny Andersen said.
The Government’s $5 million support package for Auckland businesses hit by the recent flooding is a welcome start that followed strong advocacy, says Hospitality New Zealand.
“No one has any idea what the true and final cost to the business of this event will be, but this package is a good start to getting businesses across Auckland, Northland, Bay of Plenty, Thames/Coromandel and Waikato back on their feet,” says Chief Executive Julie White.
“Hospitality NZ, as the voice for hospitality and accommodation has been working with the Government and advocating for targeted support for those businesses impacted by the weather events and flooding.
“Details on how businesses can apply for funds will be made available soon, and we will be strongly advocating to quickly get the money out the door to those who need it.
“We also welcome Inland Revenue’s decision to waive penalties for late payments or late filings of returns for businesses.
“This event has hit many businesses at a time they were still recovering from the shocks of recent years, so they need all the help they can get as quickly as we can get it to them.”
RC Show 2023 returns with Heart & Hustle to Toronto –
Canada’s leading hospitality and foodservice expo returns as the year’s most anticipated foodservice trade event.
RC Show 2023 returns to Toronto’s Energy Center at Exhibition Place, combining the best of the hospitality and food service industry – a dynamic in-person trade show, with conferences, competitions and events.
- The looming recession – From inflation significantly affecting grocery prices to supply chain costs, what can we do to mitigate these challenges?
- Labor issues & mental health – Find solutions to help support staff and the consumer experience.
- What’s Trending? Hear about the hottest new and noteworthy trends shaping how we live in 2023, as well as emerging talent and more.
- circular economy – Learn about upcycling, waste prevention and more and how to minimize their environmental impact and please changing customer desires.
- Tipping – Since the pandemic began, suggested gratuities at restaurants have continued to climb becoming a hot-button issue – what does this mean for your customers.
The show is ready to display its HEART & HUSTLE, a theme that highlights an industry that has been challenged, survived, revived itself, and is now looking ahead to the future.
Over three days, learn how to increase your bottom line, get inspired by local and global thought leaders who are changing the game, learn about the latest innovations and trends, and connect with suppliers and brands who are ready to help you grow your business.
What to expect at RC Show 2023
- World-class panels across multiple stages, immersive workshops, informative panel discussions, and fireside chats with leaders who will explore all topics that matter most to operators including mental health, new revenue generation, debt management, labor shortages and more.
- A newly designed, interactive and fully functional pop-up restaurant that will activate brands, equipment, and technologies offering new experiences while showcasing the latest culinary advancements to help generate revenue.
- The return of RC Show’s signature events including the Opening Night Reception, Breakfast With Champions and Industry Night Out.
New and returning competitions in every sector, including mixology, barista and culinary, such as the world-renowned Bocuse d’Or and the Garland Canada Culinary Competitions that will showcase up-and-coming talent from across Canada, as well as a new pastry chef and pizza competitions.
The RC Show is operated by Restaurants Canada, a national not-for-profit association representing Canada’s diverse and dynamic food service industry. All revenue generated goes back into supporting Canada’s food service and hospitality industry.
WHERE:
www.rcshow.com
Energycare Centre
100 Princes’ Blvd.
Toronto, ON
M6K 3C3
WHEN:
Monday, April 10, 2023 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST
Tuesday, April 11, 2023 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST
Wednesday, April 12, 2023 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST