2019 Savour Northland event to explore region’s food and beverage story

Northland’s food and beverage producers and hospitality players are being invited to come together for a tasty event aimed at helping shape the region’s identity to boost marketing and business growth opportunities.

David Templeton, Growth Advisor with Northland Inc says the 2019 Savour Northland industry event at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel in Russell in April was being facilitated by the regional economic development agency in collaboration with Eat NZ, a not-for-profit linking producers with the hospitality industry.

“We hope to bring together the Northland food and beverage ecosystem to develop the food and beverage story. 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.

“When producers are looking at marketing overseas, or the rest of country, the brand as a collective will be powerful,” he said.

Mr Templeton said Northland was a burgeoning wine region with quality wines being produced from Ahipara to Mangawhai, and the climate offering an opportunity for boutique wineries.

“We have wineries, boutique breweries and distilleries, Kombucha and teas producers and a developing coffee roasting scene.”

Northland food producers included everything from fruit and vegetables to seafood and meat, with many value-adding, such as avocado ice creams and unique products like Jerky by Caveman Candy and high-end fermented black garlic from Black Garlic Man in Whangarei.

The Hokianga boasted its Fire Dragon Chillies, Whangarei was home to award-winning Grinning Gecko cheese and Kaipara produced Wild West Worchester Sauce, which was a family recipe backed with clever marketing and a unique business.

There was the seafood of Apatu Aqua at Coopers Beach distributing to Auckland restaurant market on a daily basis, while the K4 team at Haruru Falls had confidence to take big steps and had just bagged a contract to provide its Kombucha to the nationwide chain of Burger Fuel.

With Kai Ora and Mana Kai Honey’s in the Far North, Kawakawa’s Bella Vacca Jersey was producing raw milk, and Mangawhai-based olive producers Echo Valley and Olives On The Hill were also part of the food and beverage story.

The weekend will kick off at 5.30pm on April 16 with the Gala Dinner, when Cuisine NZ Chef of the Year, Giulio Strula serves up a tasty menu from locally sourced food and beverages.

Day two on April 17 will feature a workshop with Northland Inc and Eat NZ facilitating the discussion for producers and industry players, featuring success stories from across the region.

One of those stories includes the launch of 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.