Scheduled bumper agenda for Fine Food New Zealand –
The country’s premiere event for the hospitality, food retail and food service industries is making a record return in June 2023. Fine Food New Zealand has attracted more than 250 exhibitors, converging at the Auckland Showgrounds to share the latest flavours, trends, equipment, ingredients and beverages, contributing to quintessentially Kiwi experiences across the country. A packed agenda includes training and education, demonstrations, the NZ Chefs Championships and Global Chefs Challenge, the introduction of the Restaurant Association’s ‘Hospo Hui’, and much more. The strictly trade-only event takes place from June 25-27. “We’re thrilled to have the biggest event ever planned for…
Do you make the best pies in NZ? –
Entries are now open at pieawards.nz for the Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards with plans underway for a huge celebration to mark their 25thth anniversary. NZ Bakels managing director, Brent Kersel says: “Yes, that’s right! We had to postpone the 25th anniversary a couple of times due to Covid, but now we can’t wait to celebrate this milestone.” “And for our 25th anniversary, we’ve asked Al Brown, one of New Zealand’s most recognized chefs, to help us judge the pies. We couldn’t have chosen a better person to be our celebrity chef judge. Al won’t hold back on any aspect…
Looming $160m excise tax hard to absorb says NZABC –
The year has just got more challenging for producers, hospitality businesses and consumers of beer, wines and spirits with the announcement that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is 6.7%. “The 6.7% rise in the CPI is used as a benchmark to increase the excise tax on beer, wines and spirits. The excise tax was $1.24 billion in June 2022 and is forecast to be $1.4 billion the following year[1]. This will mean an extra $160 million in new taxes which are paid by producers and ultimately consumers. In this time of rapid inflation and a cost of living crisis, extra…
Hospitality Excellence Awards open for entries –
Entries are open for the 25thth Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence. The 2023 awards are steeped in history, recognizing businesses and people across the hospitality and accommodation sectors, celebrating industry success and excellence. The Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence are the longest running, national awards that honor the achievements of the hardworking and talented people who make the hospitality and accommodation industries exceptional. Entries are now open to the public, closing on April 14. There are 25 categories to apply for, spanning hospitality, accommodation, gaming and more, with the overall Supreme Winner Award to be selected from the…
First Table serves new reservation system –
Foodie tech company First Table is changing the way people book dining experiences with the launch of its latest product, Regular Table. The new product simplifies the reservation process by offering real-time availability for all participating restaurants, making it easier for diners to find and book a table, all in one place, without the First Table offer. With Regular Tables, there’s no longer a need to search multiple websites for restaurants open in a city or call around to find a restaurant that can accommodate large parties. The platform seamlessly checks live availability and inserts bookings directly into the restaurant’s…
Montana Group appoints Mark Wylie as new CEO –
Montana Group has announced the appointment of Mark Wylie as its Chief Executive Officer, effective from 23 February 2023. The new position was established to lead the company into its next phase of growth and development as the Montana Group looks to meet the growing needs of its customers and stakeholders. Announcing the move, directors and shareholders, Dallas Fisher and Troy Reid said they are thrilled with the appointment and are confident that Mark’s leadership and vision will help Montana Group to achieve its strategic goals and lead them into the next chapter of its growth and success. “We believe…
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…