FMCG August 2018

fmcgbusiness.co.nz

L E A D I N G

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

August 2018 – Volume 5 – No 7

Getting recycling on a roll.

Recycled paper, recyclable packaging, recycled core...

Grow your share of the green segment PLUS! NEW PRODUCTS n FROZEN FOOD TRENDS n NZ EVENTS n NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AUDIENCE

contents

August 2018

Up Front

Events

4

Editor’s note

6

Industry news

31 The hunt for NZ’s tastiest sausage is on!

31

10 Gear New technology for work, rest and play

32 Foodtech Packtech Adding value to NZ’s food chain

Category Insights 16

Rice & Pasta

20

International Flavours

33 Get ready for the NZ Chocolate Awards!

35 Social Sphere Industry members spotted out and about

Regulars 12 Digi Trends Is it the end of shopping as we know it? eBay’s Amit Menipaz explains.

The Shout

16

14 Q&A NZ King Salmon CEO Grant Rosewarne on the future of aquaculture 19

What’s Hot New products in store

4

Industry news and insights

11 He’ll be the judge

Q&A with New World Wine Awards international judge, Ying Hsien Tan MW

Best In Season Fresh produce

15

Industry news

27 Cover story New EarthSmart – 100% Recycled 27

Editor’s note

9 Bringing back a classic

Q&A with two Kiwi Vermouth producers - Anna from Mount Edward and Stephen Menzies from Karven

Good Business 26

3

8 The Book of Vermouth Find out about the global spread of this classic aperitif

22 Feature

The Big Chill – Frozen Food trends and product launches 25

Events Calendar

BioGro marks 35 years

12

15 Take your pick

This month’s must-try classics and new releases 16

28 Buy NZ Made

How smart Kiwi producers can leverage international NZ perception

Red blends Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS

New Zealand’s most unusual beers Neil Miller’s top five strange Kiwi beers

29 Export

80’s child now on trend 30 FGC Top presentations and workshops planned for FGC conference

33

See new products and the latest gear in this issue.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

3

[ editorial ]

EXCITING EVENTS

T

his year is full of fantastic opportunities to network and find out what’s new in the industry.

Our team feels honoured and privileged to be involved as the official trade media partner at The Outstanding Producers Awards, Fine Food NZ and the upcoming NZ Food Awards in association with Massey University.

More events are on the horizon and you can see all the details in this issue, including Foodtech Packtech, the FGC Conference, and The NZ Chocolate Awards. The Chocolate & Coffee Show is back too and we have the inside scoop on these delicious, unmissable events (which involve some of my favourite treats). We hope to see you there - let’s catch up over a coffee or hot chocolate soon! For dates to note in your diary see page 31.

Send us your favourite snaps from events you or your team have been involved in and you’ll go in the draw to win one of our monthly prizes - more on this on page 35.

You can also check out new products, trends and category insights – from frozen foods to international flavours – in this issue.

Please contact our friendly team to share your product launches and company news - we’re here to help! You can also join our conversations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to our weekly e-news via www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz.

Talk soon,

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 NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Joel Bremner jbremner@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 370 065 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

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

Le t’s catch up at the Ch oc olate & C of fe e Sh ow !

THE SHOUT SALES MANAGER Sam Wood swood@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 256 6351 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

fmcgbusiness.co.nz

L E A D I N G

I N D U S T R Y

N E W S

August 2018 – Volume 5 – No 7

Getting recycling on a roll.

ON THE COVER To ensure retailers can grow their share of the green segment, EarthSmart Recycled toilet tissue has launched in New Zealand. See the full story on page 27.

Recycled paper, recyclable packaging, recycled core...

Grow your share of the green segment PLUS! NEW PRODUCTS n FROZEN FOOD TRENDS n NZ EVENTS n NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST FMCG AUDIENCE

FMCG BUSINESS IS PROUDLY ASSOCIATED WITH

4

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

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.

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GAME

TIME

READY?

[ news ]

Nestlé NZ confirms exit from sugar confectionery Nestlé New Zealand has confirmed that it will proceed with the sale of local confectionery brands to RJ’s.

Completion of the sale is expected to occur on 31 August, with RJ’s in New Zealand purchasing the Mackintosh’s, Heards, Oddfellows, Black Knight and Fabulicious Red Licorice brands from Nestlé. Where possible, RJ’s intends to continue the manufacture of these brands in New Zealand, with plans to be finalised in the coming weeks. Nestlé will also sell the Life Savers brand to Darrell Lea in Australia.

The sale of these Nestlé confectionery brands will result in up to 55 roles being made redundant from the Nestlé factory in Wiri. Employees will be offered voluntary redundancies in the first instance, with all affected staff offered redundancy packages and access to outplacement services. Nestlé is also working with RJ’s to identify opportunities for people to join RJ’s factory in Levin.

The sale follows a review of Nestlé’s confectionery business in Australia and New Zealand, which in New Zealand, will see Nestlé focus on its chocolate, baking and medicated lozenge brands.

Nestlé will continue to manufacture culinary products at its Wiri factory, including Maggi soups, recipe mixes and a wide range of products for professional food service, sold in New Zealand and exported globally.

NZ’s first ever gold medal at World Steak Challenge

Innovative New Zealand meat company First Light has won the country’s first ever gold medal at the World Steak Challenge in London.

Now in its fourth year, the World Steak Challenge is designed to benchmark the quality of beef production against international competitors and establish a quality mark that is globally trusted.

The gold medal steak, First Light’s Grass-Fed Wagyu Rib Eye, was judged against entries from 22 countries and 35 different breeds by a judging panel consisting of top butchers, food journalists, industry experts and meat scientists.

Steaks were judged against comprehensive international criteria, including technical testing of both the raw and cooked meat, appearance, aroma, colour, marbling and consistency of fat trim.

Once cooked, the judges sampled each steak for tenderness, flavour and succulence.

First Light Director Jason Ross says: “We are delighted with the gold medal for our Grass-fed Wagyu beef and to see it acknowledged as a world-winning steak. It confirms what we already know; that Grassfed Wagyu is the king of beef. It’s juicy, tender and healthy. And we raised it right here on New Zealand grass. Kiwis should be very proud of that.”

The award comes hot on the hooves of First Light’s recent ‘Best of Brand’ win at the 2018 PGG Wrightson Steak of Origin competition at New Zealand’s National Fieldays.

First Light Grass-Fed Wagyu is available at selected supermarkets and gourmet food stores.

Industry giants form Sustainability Alliance Nestle USA, Mars Inc., Danone North America, and Unilever USA have founded the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance, which will focus on public policies that shape what people eat and how it impacts their health, communities and the planet. The companies will prioritise U.S. public policy advocacy and action in five areas: consumer transparency, the environment, food safety, nutrition, and people and communities.

The alliance supports a definition of terms such as “healthy,” and how the terms should be used on food packages and in marketing.

Improving the quality and accessibility of information available to consumers will be the main focus of the transparency objective.

The alliance will also work to advance climate policies while accounting for specific business imperatives of supply chains, including farmers and other producers. Efforts will include urging U.S. policymakers to ensure that farm policies address water quality and water conservation issues, soil health and renewable energy. The alliance will advocate for “smart, comprehensive” energy and environmental policies at the state, national and international levels. The policies include The Paris Agreement on climate change, the Clean Power Plan and other commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

CHECK OUT WWW.FMCGBUSINESS.CO.NZ

J OIN THE JAZZâ„¢ SENSATION

jazzapple.com

#jazzsensation

[ news ]

60 leading NZ businesses address climate change

Countdown’s General Manager Corporate Affairs, Kiri Hannifin

Countdown is one of 60 leading New Zealand businesses who have joined forces to tackle climate change. Countdown’s General Manager Corporate Affairs, Kiri Hannifin, says Countdown is proud to be part of such a concerted commitment by the local business community. The businesses, from a range of industries, make up nearly 50% of New Zealand’s emissions.

“While action on climate change is something everyone has a role in, seeing a number of businesses come together for a common purpose is really heartening due the scale of impact we can have,” says Hannifin.

“Our collective goal is to help New Zealand transition to a low emissions economy and, in doing so, create a positive future for New Zealanders, business, and the economy,” she says.

“While Countdown has measured and reported our carbon emissions for a number of years, by signing the Climate Change Statement we’re committing to continue to do this and to work with suppliers to reduce emissions with the aim of helping to keep global warming within two degrees, as specified in the Paris Agreement.”

Last year, Countdown set out 20 Corporate Social Responsibility commitments out to 2020, two of which relate directly to climate change. The company has a goal to reduce carbon emissions to 10% below 2015 levels, and to innovate with natural refrigerants and reduce refrigerant leakage in stores by 15% of CO2 equivalent below 2015 levels.

Other businesses looking to play their part in the transition to a low emissions economy can find out more at www.climateleaderscoalition.org.nz .

Plant-based innovation is flourishing Growing consumer interest in health, sustainability and ethics is driving the popularity of plant-derived ingredients and products.

Innova Market Insights reports that plant-based product claims increased by 62% globally (CAGR, 2013-2017) with growth occurring on platforms such as plant proteins, active botanicals, sweeteners, herbs & seasonings and colouring foodstuffs.

“The dairy alternatives market has been a particular beneficiary of this trend,” says Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. “With the growing availability and promotion of plant-based options to traditional dairy lines, specifically milk beverages, and cultured products such as yogurt, frozen desserts and ice cream.”

Global sales of dairy alternative drinks are set to reach US$16.3bn in 2018 and they accounted for over 8% of global dairy launches recorded by Innova Market Insights in 2017, up from 7% over 2016. Actual global launches have more than doubled over a fiveyear period.

Spoonable non-dairy yogurt has also seen strongly rising levels of interest, but from a smaller base, with a 48% CAGR for the 2013-2017 period taking its share of dairy launches from less than 0.5% in 2012 to 1.5% in 2017. According to Innova Market Insights’ consumer research, one in three US consumers have increased their consumption of plant-based milk/yogurt in the two years to the end of 2017.

“In the move to offer something new, we are starting to see an increasing variety of non-soy plant-based ingredients, including cereals such as rice, oats and barley,” notes Williams. “We also noticed an increase in nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts and macadamias, as well as coconut and more unusual options such as lupin, hemp and flaxseed.”

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FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

Interest in plant-based eating is clearly seen in the meat substitutes market, where global sales are set to grow to US$4.2bn by 2022. The ingredients used for meat substitutes include vegetables and grains, as well as traditional sources such as soy and specialist manufactured brands such as Quorn and Valess.

Gravitation towards plant-based diets, along with interest in vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyles and concerns over animal welfare, have together served to increase interest and NPD has subsequently seen an 11% CAGR for the 2013-2017 period. Research indicates that four in ten US consumers increased their consumption of meat substitutes/alternatives during 2017.

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[ gear ]

Huawei Nova 3e

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

Huawei has come out of nowhere to become one of the world’s top three smartphone makers.

Their latest mid-range phone has the look, feel and features of a high-end flagship smartphone but costs around 1/3 of the high-end Huawei P20 Pro. Crafted out of glass and sporting dual rear cameras, the Nova 3e delivers serious bang for buck value. $499 https://consumer.huawei.com/nz/phones/nova-3e/

Cat S60 Rugged Smartphone Smartphones and tradies are not a good mix. Building sites can be pretty tough on smartphones, and few will survive a drop or dunking, but the S60 is crafted to take falls from up to 1.2 metres and will come back for more. It’s also waterproof in up to 5 metres of water and has an infra-red thermal imaging camera, which is dead useful for testing insulation. Add to the mix an Appstore with apps aimed at the trades, and there’s enough to keep Bob the builder happy for ages. $999 https://www. catphones.com/ en_gb/cat-s60smartphone.html

3SixT SoundBlock speaker Fancy some music while away from home? Headphones might do the job, but not if you want to share some tunes with friends.

3SixT have the answer in the form of the SoundBlock, a petite Bluetooth speaker that’s small enough to pack quickly, but big enough at 5w of audio output to add some poolside sounds while on vacation. Its IPX6 rating also means that it can handle the elements, and will continue to belt out tunes in rain, hail or snow. $59.95 https://www.3sixtgear.com/product/audio/soundblock/

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FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

[ gear ]

Sony Earbuds Wireless earbuds are great as there are no cables to snag and tangle. If there’s a downside though, it's this – they often sound terrible, lacking anything resembling bass.

Sony’s WF-SP700N are capable of cranking out head-rattling bass, and they also have noise cancelling built in. Best of all, they’re a comfy fit. $349.95 https://www.sony.co.nz/electronics/truly-wireless/ wf-sp700n

Samsung DexPad You could lug a laptop about, just remember to schedule regular chiropractor visits! There is a better way. Samsung’s DexPad is a docking cradle for the Samsung Galaxy S9 that connects to a PC screen, keyboard and mouse to transform it into a pocket-sized computing powerhouse that is a fraction of the weight of a laptop. If you’re hotdesking or working on the move, it’s an ideal solution. $169.99 https://www.samsung.com/nz/smartphones/galaxy-s9/ accessories/

OLED65C8 TV LG has been leading the charge with OLED TV technology for some time. OLED screens deliver deeper contrast levels, crisper brightness and smooth on-screen motion that traditional LCD TVs just can’t match. Not happy with providing a superior peeper pleasing TV, LG also added a tonne of smarts which are all accessible using a clever smart remote, which can be driven using your voice. $8,050 https://www.lg.com

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

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[ digi trends ]

END OF SHOPPING AS WE KNOW IT?

D

igital technologies will transform retailing so no-one actually “goes shopping” anymore. Retailers will, instead, come to you with personalised offers based on your past purchases or your analysed preferences for the future, says Amit Menipaz, eBAY’s Vice-President, Vertical Experiences & Platforms.

Menipaz was here recently for GS1 New Zealand’s Connect 2018 Online Marketplace Summit. His message: Tomorrow’s winners will be businesses that capture and share digital information on everything in order to create the best possible consumer experiences, especially for younger generations who are already immersed in the online world.

“No one is going to go shopping anymore … no-one is going to go searching for stuff on particular sites. Everyone is going to be shopping all the time whether they know it or not, and businesses are just going to have to be where people are (online) in order to interact with them,” Menipaz told the summit in Auckland.

Today, at least 50% of consumers’ purchase decisions in the US are made with some form of digital assistance. Menipaz predicts that will be 100% globally in the next 10 years as business models are transformed to fit younger consumers’ online existence and their vastly different attitudes to owning, sharing and trading goods. eBAY is at the forefront of using computer algorithms to instantly sort items according to buyer and seller preference, and of creating digital representation of people and their interests. “It all begins with value propositions of use to each consumer … there’s no limit to the number of ways you can put things together if you think beyond your particular product and your particular company.” eBAY now has 171 million buyers in almost 200 countries, and its platforms host 1 billion offers at any one time. Globally, a watch is sold on eBAY every 2 seconds and a pair of shoes, every 3 seconds. Menipaz explained how his team is now building systems to anticipate consumer interest in 12

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

different goods, and to expand choice and convenience whenever people are online, where they are consciously shopping or not.

Rapidly expanding Internet of Things Other digital technologies are just as important to the transformation: Spatial computing where shoppers can have a virtual

Amit Menipaz, eBAY’s Vice-President, Vertical Experiences & Platforms

reality experience of whatever they might buy, and the Internet of Things with its rapidly expanding ecosystem of connected devices and objects (20 billion worldwide at last count!).

Menipaz foresees spatial computing - for example, the consumer's ability to view an on-screen image of a particular item of furniture placed in their home before any purchase decision - becoming an integral part of every shopping experience, online or physical. “Whenever you walk into a store you will not buy without interacting with some digital enabler that helps you become more comfortable in making your decision.”

Likewise, he sees huge take-up of the Internet of Things where every device in use has sensors and connectivity capable of gathering and sharing digital information in ways valuable to the individual user.

“Everything you interact with can influence your choices and become part of a feedback system that helps you make choices and control your life.”

For businesses that keep up, the transformation will be from satisfying customers transaction-by-transaction to having sustained customer relationship that are “far deeper and more profitable”.

Are you switched on?

73% of Kiwis use contactless payments*

Contactless technology makes processing transactions nice and easy, letting us focus on our customers.

Cookie Bar, Queenstown

Keep up with tomorrow.

Switch on today. www.switchonNZ.co.nz *Mastercard commissioned survey of 1,007 New Zealanders, Perceptive Omnibus, January 2018 Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated

T

Exciting future for NZ King Salmon

he Marlborough Sounds are home to the world’s leading King salmon farmer, with potential for further growth.

We caught up with New Zealand King Salmon CEO Grant Rosewarne to find out more.

How significant is the salmon industry for New Zealand?

With our retail brand Regal, we plan to continue to lead the category with innovation and by offering a more premium, local, King salmon option to discerning New Zealanders.

Can you tell us more about your operation?

We are proud to be a Kiwi company headquartered in Nelson and contributing As a part of New Zealand’s economy, the significantly to the local economy. We salmon industry is still developing and has are also proud to be succeeding in an huge potential for growth. Just 80 surface incredibly competitive global market, hectares of farming space – roughly the exporting our premium New Zealand size of a small land farm and around produce to over 18 nations. three times the size of today’s salmon We specialise in King salmon (also NZ King Salmon CEO Grant Rosewarne industry in New Zealand – is enough known as Chinook), the largest species to completely eliminate New Zealand’s of the Pacific salmon family. The species annual $2.8 billion trade deficit. That’s an exciting prospect and is heralded as the very best species in terms of taste, texture and something New Zealand King Salmon is working hard to achieve. nutritional quality.

Salmon farming is already one of the most efficient forms of animal Our team consists of around 500 people and we support food production in the world and our current farms operate on thousands more jobs through our supply chain. In 2017, we a very low environmental footprint. NZKS is actually one of the harvested close to 7,500 tonnes of fish from only 17 hectares of farm most sustainable salmon companies in the world. We have made space in the cool waters of the Marlborough Sounds. We operate an ongoing commitment to sustainable and environmentally sound under our four key brands: Õra King, Regal, Southern Ocean, and farming practices. We have committed to the UN Sustainable Omega Plus, as well as the New Zealand King Salmon label.

Development Goals along with our own sustainability goals. We have been awarded 4 stars by the Best Aquaculture Practices Are there any new products on the horizon? certification from the Global Aquaculture Alliance. In addition, We are always looking to innovate and keep up with changing the New Zealand King salmon industry received the Monterey Bay consumer trends. Due to surging demand for salmon, we have Aquarium Seafood Watch “Green/Best Choice” rating in 2015, the started selling imported Atlantic salmon alongside our locally farmed first marine-farmed salmon to achieve this rating.

King salmon. This gives our consumers another option, at a different price point and with a different taste, when they’re shopping for What will your focus at NZ King Salmon be in seafood. We launched the Regal Manuka Smoked range last year the coming years? which has been very successful. Our marketing team are always New Zealand King Salmon is the world’s largest farmer of the King looking at ways to keep the salmon category fresh and exciting! salmon species, supplying more than 50% of the world’s farmed Watch this space. production. However, only 0.7% of the world’s salmon is King salmon, making it a premium, high value species with immense What are your predictions for the aquaculture potential for growth. We want to see that market expand. One of the industry in the near future? ways we’ll achieve this is by moving towards farming offshore using In short - huge growth. Global demand for protein is expected to some really exciting new technology, like submersible pens that can double by 2050 and salmon farming is one of the most sustainable withstand extreme wave and weather conditions. ways to produce protein. Supported by the right policies from 14

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

[ Q&A ]

Government, New Zealand King Salmon will be well positioned to continue to be a leader in the growth of aquaculture.

Do you see any challenges or fresh opportunities for NZ King Salmon?

Our main challenge is keeping up with demand, not just from everyday consumers but our premium restaurant customers too. More and more people want to eat high-quality, nutritious and tasty seafood as a regular part of their diet.

Salmon is the predominant source of oily fish in New Zealand, and for a healthy diet, at least two servings of oily fish are recommended per week.

This would mean the local industry would need to triple in size to support a healthier national diet.

Sustainable growth for the industry is a significant challenge, but we believe we are developing the right pathway. Our short term challenge to achieve even better environmental, social and economic outcomes is to locate our current 17 surface hectares in the most optimal waters available. We are working on this with Government to relocate some of our farms to higher flow waters. In the longer term we are looking at incorporating off-shore farms.

Our vision for future farming will contribute to a sustainable food future for New Zealand, but to deliver on this growth opportunity, we need to be prepared to innovate as an industry, and as a nation.

King salmon is also an excellent source of highquality protein and contains vitamins A, B12 and D, as well as niacin and thiamine, for overall good health. Fresh King salmon is also a natural source of selenium and iodine, which are important trace elements that are often lacking in diets.

Regal makes it easy to get your recommended intake of oily fish by providing a good variety of products, such as cold smoked, wood roasted, Salmon & Potato Cakes and fresh salmon.

Of course, these are just the health benefits! It tastes SO good. The King salmon species has the highest oil content of all salmon, meaning it has a wonderful rich flavour and delicate texture.

What is your top tip for achieving a healthy work-life balance?

GLOBAL DEMAND FOR PROTEIN IS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE BY 2050 AND SALMON FARMING IS ONE OF THE MOST SUSTAINABLE WAYS TO PRODUCE PROTEIN.”

I have a wonderful wife and excellent Executive Assistant who both ensure that my personal family time and my work diary are superbly managed, ensuring I spend regular quality time with my wife and three amazing children and my EA ensures that I, efficiently and seamlessly, use each and every hour of the working day to my best advantage.

What are some of the benefits of including salmon in our diet?

Our King salmon is a rich source of healthy, long chain Omega-3s, which have widely documented health benefits such as aiding heart and joint health. They are also important for a healthy mind at all life stages, especially in young children where Omega-3s are vital for development of the brain and eyes. Compared to other salmon and seafood species, King salmon consistently contains some of the highest levels per serving of healthy, long-chain Omega-3 oils.

One pan Paprika Regal Salmon with melted Mozzarella.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

15

PASTA & RICE TRENDS Popular pantry items get a make-over.

W

ilson Consumer Products markets the Diamond brand, which continues to perform very well, growing at 11.2% (versus category unit growth of 4.2%)*, says Susan Harvey, Marketing and Business Development Manager. She adds: “Diamond is pleased to announce major changes to our pasta range – which is now made in Italy!”

“Diamond has combined the best of Kiwi ingenuity and Italian pasta to give New Zealanders the best of both worlds.

The new range will be supported by an extensive marketing and support campaign with over $1M spend.

“Our market research found that customers were very surprised to find out that some brands which sounded Italian were in fact not from Italy. Diamond is one of the most trusted and familiar brands in the category,” says Harvey.

“We saw a very strong opportunity for the Diamond brand to combine the best of Italian made pasta and the strength of Diamond, the oldest and trusted pasta brand in New Zealand. We wanted to give the range a touch of Kiwi practicality and ingenuity at the same time, not just to offer Italian made pasta. Our new range has a 16

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

number of key features – portion markings, recloseable packs, stand up bags as well as display ready cartons,” says Harvey.

“Due to the different size of pasta shapes, most Kiwis struggle with cooking just the right amount. Our new portion markings on the pack give a visual portion guide for each person, taking the guess work out of how much to cook. Most Kiwis said that they usually cooked too much pasta and then threw out the left overs. We hope that this initiative will help shoppers understand portion sizes across pasta sizes and minimise food wastage. This will help customers save money by only cooking what they need, as well as ensure the perfect sauce to pasta ratio.”

Harvey adds: “Most of the packs in the range are recloseable so that once opened they can be stored in their packaging. With 60% of Kiwis not using a complete pack of pasta in one sitting, recloseable packaging made sense, removing the need to transfer to another container. In addition, the majority of packs are in compact bags, which take up less space in your cupboard as well as in transportation to supermarkets.”

The new Diamond range will be appearing in store over the next month. Watch this space for further innovation to come! *IRI Aztec data Units TKA Quarter to 3/6/18 versus prior period

NEW

DIAMOND PASTA

IS NOW MADE

IN ITALY Diamond pasta is now made in Italy with a few great clever Kiwi features like portion markings and recloseable packs.

WILSON CONSUMER PRODUCTS

$1M SUPPORT PACKAGE

[ category insights ] Instant Rice & Superfoods Foodstuffs offers shoppers great value for money with Pams Instant Rice - nutritious and delicious rice ready in 90 seconds in Basmati, Jasmine and Long Grain.

The Pams range also features Superfoods Instant Rice. Ready in 90 seconds, these rice pouches provide a quick and easy way to eat healthier.

Variations available are: Instant Brown Rice with Chia Seeds; Instant Brown Rice with Red Quinoa; Instant Black Rice and Instant Brown Rice with six ancient grains.

Pams Finest Pasta selection

texture and flavour, we then add authentic Italian fillings, creating the finest of filled pastas.

Responding to customers’ desire for quick meal solutions, this convenient gourmet dried filled pasta is a stand-by in the pantry and is unique to Pams Finest. Delicious flavours are: Tortellini with Mortadella & Prosciutto; Tricolour Tortellini with Mortadella & Prosciutto; Ravioletti with Three Cheeses and Tortellini with Ricotta & Mushroom.”

Countdown's new Pasta and sauces Looking for a quick pasta dinner during your busy week that’s always a hit with the kids? Countdown can help with that.

Pams Finest dry filled pasta selection comes from a third-generation Italian family-owned business that has been producing and perfecting original family recipes since the 1920's.

A spokesperson explains: “Using premium durum wheat combined with egg to create a pasta that holds consistency, NIELSEN DATA Total Supermarkets - MAT to 17/06/2018 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Total Rice

68,782,181

5.8%

Instant

25,494,709

12.7%

Medium/Short Grain

14,729,091

3.3%

Basmati

9,504,714

-1.5%

Jasmine

8,319,029

7.5%

Long Grain

7,050,835

-1.4%

All Other

3,683,803

2.5%

Total Pasta

43,811,944

3.8%

Short Goods

16,271,223

3.5%

Long Goods

10,884,588

7.2%

Lasag/Cannel

4,611,026

-2.9%

Gluten Free

3,518,524

-0.8%

Couscous

3,138,896

-5.8%

Quinoa

1,514,958

21.1%

Flavoured

1,219,305

-15.9%

Organic

902,949

26.9%

Buckwheat

642,314

25.2%

Egg Pasta

398,010

-16.0%

Gnocchi

361,868

26.3%

Fresh Pasta

19,485,489

-1.0%

Cup/Bag Noodles

50,245,418

10.8%

Bag Noodles

37,086,817

9.1%

Cup Noodles

13,158,601

15.9%

Countdown has just launched a new range of its extremely popular fresh pasta and fresh filled pasta, as well as ready-made sauces to finish off the dish.

Choose from Alfredo, Carbonara, or Bolognaise as well as Creamy Tomato and Caramelised Onion.

All Countdown’s new pastas and sauces are locally made here in New Zealand, with no artificial colours and flavours. Plus the range is affordable at $3.90.

The fresh pasta range includes: spaghetti, egg fettuccine, tricolour fettuccine, egg lasagne, beef ravioli, spinach and cheese tortellini, chicken, bacon, and mozzarella tortellini, pumpkin, feta and roasted garlic tortellini as well as spicy chicken tortellini.

New microwave rice cups Love rice, but struggle to find the best way to cook it? Countdown has a new range of microwave rice cups and rice pouches, which can be easily cooked in 40 seconds. They are naturally gluten free, have no artificial flavours or colours, and a great source of fibre.

Microwave cups are $2 and available in white and brown rice.

Rice pouches are $1.80 and available in long grain, basmati, jasmine and brown rice.

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest Nielsen data available at time of print. If you wish to showcase your products in upcoming category reports, please email jbremner@intermedianz.co.nz .

18

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

[ what’s hot ] Glow Lab - natural skincare that works

NEW Reach Floss Picks If you’ve ever had food stuck in your teeth, you’ll know the appeal of a convenient way to clean them while you’re on the move. New Reach Floss Picks tap into that need, to develop the on-the-go oral care segment. They work three ways: by removing left-over food with the pick, by flossing away plaque and by scraping your tongue.

Talk to your PAVÉ Ltd. sales rep or call 09 302 1190.

Glow Lab natural skincare blends natural botanicals with scientifically-proven cosmeceuticals to create natural skincare that’s effective too. The Facial Serum features four clinically-tested cosmeceuticals, including Matrixyl® synthé 6™ which may reduce the appearance of wrinkles by up to 100% within 2 months. A newly-released face mask range includes a potent Rejuvenating Clay Mask with antioxidants to slow skin ageing. orders@earthwise.co.nz

NEW Herbert Adams Gourmet Pies Herbert Adams has been crafting delicious gourmet pies and pastries for over 100 years, combining quality ingredients with our famous flaky pastry. Increase your frozen department sales today with our NEW slow cooked wine infused pie range; • Slow-Cooked Beef with Caramelised Onion & Cabernet Sauvignon Pie • Slow-Cooked Beef with Shiraz & Cracked Pepper Pie Herbert Adams is proudly represented by Leader. Contact your Leader Rep for more info about the range – food@leadernz.co.nz

New Dole Fruit & Coconut Water New Red Rock Deli Nuts Feed your curiosity with a delicious range of premium roasted and coated peanuts created by selecting only the finest quality ingredients to deliver a unique taste sensation.

Available in Sweet Honey & Sea Salt, Red Pepper & Roast Garlic, and Sweet Chilli & Basil.

Dole has launched fruit bowls containing delicious diced Dole Fruit & Coconut Water.

Consumers are looking for healthier snacking options, so they’re bound to fly off the shelves. Flavours available are Peach and Fruit Trio, which contains Peach, Pineapple and Mango, in 4x113g packs.

For information on Dole Packaged Foods talk to your PAVÉ Ltd. sales rep or call 09 302 1190.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

19

[ category insights ]

L

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOURS

ook around our restaurant scene or scroll through Instagram, and it’s clear that Mexican is a growing trend that is here to stay as Kiwi consumers continue to crave convenience, flavour and variety in their meal choices.

“In supermarkets, Farrah’s have shaken up the Mexican category since launching their standout range of proudly New Zealand made Tortillas and Spice Mixes in 2016, and more recently their Mexican Meal Kits in September 2017,” says Marketing Manager Jana Macky.

“Farrah’s offers a fresh and modern approach to Mexican that has helped to ignite category growth +6.6% value, with Farrah’s growing at +111.9% and adding an incremental $3.7M to the category (IRI scan data, Total Supermarkets, Mexican Food, MAT ending 17/06/18).

“In fact, Farrah’s have the highest average category expenditure per buyer (Nielsen Homescan Panel data, Mexican Food, MAT ending 20/05/18). This comes as no surprise given their high-quality product offering that doesn’t just meet, but exceeds expectations.

Their authentic, flame baked flour Tortillas come with a ‘won’t crack, won’t split’ promise and the Meal Kits and Spice Mixes are mild, with tasty sauces and spices that

NIELSEN DATA Total Supermarkets - MAT to 17/06/2018 Val Sales

Val % Chg YA

Total Mexican Foods

34,476,871

5.5%

Carriers

15,983,220

4.0%

Ingredients

9,283,594

9.5%

Kits

9,210,056

4.1%

Total Cooking And Simmer Sauces

81,472,439

1.5%

Pasta Simmer Sauce

32,463,031

1.9%

Asian Simmer Sauce

24,974,344

2.3%

show off the natural pieces and real ingredients, so that the whole family can enjoy them.

“Farrah’s is a company that understands the realities of feeding the family every night (you’ll probably already be familiar with their range of delicious Wraps).

Owners Farrah and Jovan Canak have two young children of their own and work long hours every day in their Upper Hutt food business Owners Farrah and Jovan Čanak that they started from scratch.

“They’ve done the hard yards for you with their Mexican range – quick, tasty and real solutions to any dinner challenge,” says Macky.

Find out more about Farrah’s, including inspiring, easy-to-make recipes here: http://www.farrahs.co.nz/

Italian treats Foodstuffs’ own brand Pams is offering shoppers great value for money, including authentic Italian pizzas, as well as indulgent desserts.

A spokesperson told FMCG Business: “Our new frozen pizzas are Made in Italy, traditionally proven over 24 hours and then wood-fired stone baked for THE authentic experience at home. Flavours include Ham & Mushroom; Mozzarella & Basil Pesto; Grilled Vegetable and Pepperoni & Capsicum.

“Pams Indulgent mousse desserts are perfect served at dinner parties, or for a bit of indulgence at home. They come in a four-pack in the following indulgent flavours: Chocolate Orange (chocolate mousse dessert with orange sauce and chocolate brownie pieces), Mulled Wine (mascarpone mousse dessert with orange fruit pieces and topped with mulled wine flavour sauce), Tiramisu (mascarpone mousse dessert with biscuit pieces and milk chocolate sauce) and Crème Brulee (mascarpone mousse dessert with caramel sauce topped with caramel pieces).”

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest Nielsen data available at time of print. If you wish to showcase your products in upcoming category reports, please email jbremner@intermedianz.co.nz .

20

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

MEXICAN RANGE Farrah’s modern Mexican range of Meal Kits, Spice Mixes and Tortilla’s makes dinner fresh, delicious and easy!

Talk to your Twin Agencies representative for more information.

THE BIG CHILL New trends and product launches in frozen food.

A

ncient Chinese, Greek, Roman, and Persian civilisations all had methods of harvesting and storing winter ice to preserve food, a long time before modern household freezers were a twinkle in our eyes. Fast forward to 2018 and almost every food known to man is available in convenient, frozen format - from veges to ready meals, Dumplings and more.

James Crisp Ltd distributes the KUNGFOOD brand in selected Countdown, New World and Pak’n Save stores. Melanie Taylor, Marketing Manager – Own Brands says: “KUNGFOOD is a range of authentic, delicious, frozen, Asian fusion food, made right here in Godzone.

KUNGFOOD Dumplings, Steam Buns and ready to fill Bao 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, with quick and easy to prepare cooking instructions.”

Taylor explains: “The KUNGFOOD range includes: Dumplings Restaurant quality, Asian fusion Dumplings that will transport you to your happy place, whilst giving your taste buds a good ol’ karate-kick! Our generous sized Dumplings provide more of our perfect filling to pastry ratio, because big IS good.

• Lemongrass Chicken Dumplings 288g • Thai Green Chicken Dumplings 288g • Hoisin Pork & Cabbage Dumplings 288g • Garlic Pork & Prawn Dumplings 288g • Vegetable Medley Dumplings 288g Steam Buns Restaurant quality Steam Buns that are light, fluffy, bread pillows of deliciousness with a hot, slow-cooked BBQ meat filling that will warm the cockles of your heart.

• BBQ Pork Steam Buns 400g • BBQ Chicken Steam Buns 400g 22

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

KUNGFOOD falls into the intersection of two major trends in New Zealand grocery: • F rozen Finger Foods ($19.2M) is a fast-growing segment within Total Frozen Foods (+50.1% value growth vs. MAT YA)2 • T he Total Frozen Asian Foods segment ($16.1M) is in significant growth (+64.4% value growth vs. MAT YA)2 .”

1. IRI MarketEdge Data, T. Frozen Finger Foods, T. NZ Grocery, Value, latest 4 weeks to 03/06/18 2. IRI MarketEdge Data, T. Frozen Finger Foods, T. NZ Grocery, Value, MAT to 03/06/18 3. IRI MarketEdge Data, T. Frozen Finger Foods, NWNI, Value, latest 4 weeks to 03/06/18

Simplot’s Frozen Brands

Ready to Fill Bao Buns Restaurant quality Bao Buns are light, fluffy bread pockets of deliciousness that are ready to fill with your favourite fusion fillings.

• Bao Buns (Ready to Fill) 360g Taylor adds: “Having launched in late 2017, KUNGFOOD is driving incremental category growth and is already the no. 2 Frozen Finger Food brand in New Zealand grocery1 with 18% value share.

“KUNGFOOD has contributed over $2M to the entire Frozen Finger Food category since launch.2 KUNGFOOD is also the leading Frozen Finger Food brand in New World North Island (33% value share), with four products ranking in the top five products.3

Simplot participates in Frozen Vegetables, Frozen Potato & 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 grew by 2.8% over the latest MAT, down from 7.4% growth a year ago,” explains Julian Ng - Group Brand Manager Simplot New Zealand Ltd. “The Frozen Vegetable segment grew by +1.1% over the MAT.” He adds: “Birds Eye value-added frozen vegetables including Birds Eye SteamFresh and Birds Eye Seasoned Sides contributed $1.4M to the frozen vegetables segment over MAT, and $746K dollars category growth over the same period. The total Steam segment has grown 14.5% over the MAT, contributing 7.2% share of total frozen vegetables, up from 6.4% share YA.

[ frozen food ]

OUR OOB CREW IS 100% COMMITTED TO ORGANIC FROM START TO FINISH, BEGINNING WITH SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES, HONEST INGREDIENTS AND AN ORGANIC CERTIFICATION.” SHANNON AUTON, FOUNDER

24

“The Frozen Potato category is valued at $72.4M and grew by $3.39m or +4.9% over the same period. “Within Frozen Potato, Premium Chips is one of the fastest growing segments, growing by $967K or +9.8%. It now commands 14.9% share of total Frozen Potato.

Simplot’s own Birds Eye Deli Seasoned Chips and Golden Crunch battered chips ranges have contributed a massive $520K to category growth, which accounts for 54% of total Premium Chips value growth over MAT. “The Frozen Fish category is valued at $38.6m over MAT, a decline of -2.4%.

This category is dominated by the Fillets Segment which accounts for 70% share, and is in slight decline -0.9%. Birds Eye has a 23.7% value share of Frozen Fish and is bucking the trend, growing at +6.5%,” says Ng. In September 2017, Golden Crunch was relaunched with new packaging design, a new crunchier batter formulation and TV advertising.

“This resulted in Golden Crunch growing +10.7% YTD and a massive 21.8% over latest Qtr, contributing $227K in additional category sales to frozen potato,” says Ng. He says: “Premiumisation continues to be a core food trend and category driver with consumers who are wanting more indulgent experiences from their everyday food purchases. This is evidenced in the growth of the Premium Potato segment at 9.8%, which is double the category growth rate.

“In Frozen Vegetables, the growth of Steam at 14.5% vs Total Vegetables at 1.1% also demonstrates that convenience and premium quality are becoming increasingly important to shoppers in this category.

“This will help to drive higher dollar per unit sales for retailers, and hence accelerate category value growth.” *All data IRI Scan MAT to 17/6/18

Organic fruit available year-round In 2001 oob organic sold its first punnet of blueberries from its Omaha orchard. Fast-forward to 2018, the company now produces a range of frozen foods consisting of organic fruit, smoothie mixes, ice cream and ice blocks distributed both locally and offshore.

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

“Our oob crew is 100% committed to organic from start to finish, beginning with sustainable farming practices, honest ingredients and an organic certification,” says Shannon Auton, who founded oob organic with her husband, Robert.

A trend towards wellness and people wanting to purchase products that are portion controlled, environmentally friendly and that deliver on ease has had great impact for companies like oob organic.

“Fresh seasonal fruit isn’t always an option for New Zealand. We will continue to provide consumers with only the best certified organic fruit and vegetables to be enjoyed year-round, whether that’s grown and sourced locally or globally,” adds Auton.

Building on their frozen fruit range, they recently introduced new vegetable and fruit smoothies.

With 100% organic ingredients, no hidden additives, artificial colours or flavours, these new Smoothie Mixes offer a nutritious and convenient breakfast or snack option that fits into a busy lifestyle. Each mix is a thoughtful combination of vegetables, fresh fruit and zingy herbs and spices that taste amazing when blended together.

Supercharge is a refreshing blend of kale, kiwifruit, apple and mint and Revitalise is the perfect combination of beetroot, blueberry, blackberry and ginger for those looking for a boost.

“It would be great if everyone could fit more fruit and veges into their diet, and even better if they could be organic,” says Auton. oob organic are about to Supercharge and Revitalise New Zealand with the launch of two new vegetable and fruit frozen Smoothie Mixes that take all the hard work out of prepping and creating a perfect nutritious smoothie.

Just add liquid, blend and enjoy. With 100% certified organic ingredients and no hidden additives, artificial colours or flavours, these new oob organic Smoothie Mixes offer a nutritious and convenient breakfast or snack option that fits into a busy lifestyle. The ingredients are snap frozen when they’re perfectly ripe, cut and packaged, ready to blend. The zip lock packaging also avoids wastage. Use as much as you need, reseal and simply put the rest back in the freezer.

The new oob organic Smoothie Mixes are packed with fibre and vitamin C. To check out oob organic’s full product range, visit www.oob.organic.

[ fresh produce ]

Best in season

A

ugust will see both Green and Gold kiwifruit in full supply with sub-tropicals such as persimmons and tamarillos still available but starting to dwindle.

The official New Zealand avocado season will kick off and supply will be steady for the coming months.

Bananas, which are imported year-round with a consistent supply will increase in demand due to a limited amount of other fruit available. Volume and price is dependent on the market demand.

Kumara is out of the ground and in storage, however crop is still around 30% down across the three main varieties – Orange (Beauregard), Red (Owairaka) and Gold (Toka Toka). A new variety to hunt out and stock is Purple Dawn – bred by Plant & Food NZ. Brassicas are currently available and are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and are often referred to as superfoods.

The whole plant including leaves, flowers, stems, and roots can be eaten.

Some of the most common brassicas include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, swedes, and also kale.

Kale Kale is available all year round and is popular in salad bag mixes.

There are multiple varieties of kale, they can grow short and tall and range from green to pink, red and purple.

Storage/handling: Store in the refrigerator. Handle all fresh produce with care.

What to look for: Choose smallerleaved kale for tenderness and mild flavour. Coarse, oversized leaves are tough. Look for moist, crisp, unwilted kale, unblemished by tiny holes, which indicate insect damage. The leaves should not be yellowed or brown.

Kiwifruit The Green kiwifruit export season runs from April to late November/December and the Gold kiwifruit export season runs from Late March to October.

The Green domestic season runs from April until December and the domestic Gold season from March until November.

Storage/handling: After harvest, the crop is picked and some is packed and placed into conventional

storage, or into controlled atmosphere storage. Controlled atmosphere stored fruit is exported from late July onwards to complement the conventionally stored fruit which is exported for the duration of the season.

Kiwifruit sold in the domestic market is released throughout the year by suppliers. Ripen kiwifruit at room temperature, then store in the refrigerator.

What to look for: Choose fruit that is semi-firm to touch, with no soft, bruised spots or wrinkled skin. There are now five Zespri varieties to choose from – Green, Organic, Sweet Green, SunGold and SunGold Organic.

Avocados Varieties of avocados are harvested in New Zealand at different times of the year making them available all year round, however the main season runs from August to March. Varieties grown include the most popular – Hass, as well as Reed, Fuerte and Carmen.

Storage/handling: Ripen at room temperature and then store in the refrigerator.

Avoid squeezing avocados as they bruise easily.

Choose Hass avocados based on colour – bright green are not ripe, olive green will be ripe in 2-3 days, brown green are firm ripe and purple brown are soft ripe.

What to look for: Bright green avocados should not be displayed until they are olive green. Less than 20% of your display should be olive green with 80%-90% of your display being brown/green to purple/brown. Do not display black avocados as they are overripe.

KALE IS AVAILABLE ALL YEAR ROUND AND IS POPULAR IN SALAD BAG MIXES.”

United Fresh has over 27 years’ experience supporting and promoting the fresh produce industry in New Zealand and providing leadership on pan produce issues. For further information or to become a member of United Fresh, visit www.unitedfresh.co.nz FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

25

[ good business ]

Countdown continues to reduce plastic bag use Countdown will phase out single-use plastic carrier bags at a further 42 stores from 13 August, resulting in more than 2 million less bags entering New Zealand’s waste stream each week. This move means that nearly a third of all Countdown supermarkets across the country will have made the change to reusable bags, including all stores in Dunedin, Invercargill, Nelson and Blenheim.

Countdown was the first New Zealand supermarket to announce it would phase out single-use plastic bags at its checkouts and online shopping service, and is continuing to lead the charge by building on its initial 10 store roll-out launched in May. Already 4.2 million singleuse plastic bags have been removed from circulation as a result of these first ten stores.

Removing single-use plastic carrier bags is just one way Countdown is working to reduce unnecessary plastic across its business and contribute to a circular economy by improving the recyclability of their own brand packaging.

They have removed plastic packaging from bananas, will be removing single-use plastic straws by 1 October, and committed

to moving in-store bakery products into New Zealand-made rPET sourced from onshore domestic plastic waste.

Countdown’s first preference is that customers bring their own bags when they do their shopping. However, to make the transition as easy and affordable as possible for customers, there will be a range of alternatives available for purchase in store, including the $1 Bag for Good that can be replaced in store for free when it wears out.

Stands and partnerships

NOW AVAILABLE don’t miss out this year!

Over

7,000

visitors lov ed the show in 2017

6&7 r 2018, Octobe d, The Clou d Aucklan

www.chocolatecoffeeshow.co.nz Contact: Sam swood@intermedianz.co.nz | Heather hlowrie@intermedianz.co.nz

[ cover story ]

T

New EarthSmart – 100% Recycled

o ensure retailers can grow their share of the green segment with the current trends towards “Green” and “Eco” products, EarthSmart Recycled toilet tissue has launched in New Zealand as of July. The new EarthSmart toilet paper is manufactured from 100% waste paper.

“We are taking unwanted office paper that would otherwise go to the landfill and recycle it to help consumers make a difference,” says Head of Sales and Marketing, Joe Bolton.

It is made in New Zealand from local and imported materials. Not only is the paper 100% recycled, the core is 100% recycled and the packaging is recyclable as part of the New Zealand soft plastics recycling scheme (www.recycling.kiwi.nz/softplastic) of which CottonSofts Limited, who manufacture EarthSmart, are a foundation member.

EarthSmart Recycled toilet paper • • • • •

is soft and absorbent is not bleached with chlorine during recycling has no added dyes and fragrances is biodegradable and safe in septic tanks is de-inked enabling a wider range of papers to be recycled (such as photocopy paper and glossy paper like magazines) • the recycled paper supplier is FSC certified.

Bolton explains: “The launch is based on the growing “green trends” we are seeing both locally and globally. New Zealand research in November 2016 showed that more than 60% of Kiwis think recycling is very important and 34% think it is somewhat important*. Additionally, 2017 research shows that 83% of New Zealanders worry about the future and whether we’re doing enough to keep New Zealand a safe and healthy place to live**.”

“The launch will be supported with targeted print media and digital ATL. EarthSmart also want to ensure we help where we can in New Zealand to maintain our environment,” says Bolton.

“We are therefore supporting the EarthSmart Wetland restoration project – Parihauhau Station. EarthSmart is a key sponsor of the wetland restoration on Parihauhau Station in Whanganui. There is 200+ hectares of mature native bush on the property that offers habitat to native plants and birds. This year in late July we planted 1000 additional native trees, flaxes and Manuka and plan to carry this on over time. We are also helping with the pest control on top of the wetland rehabilitation. The project will literally grow with the brand”. www.EarthSmart.co.nz * 2016 BB Omnibus ** 2017 IRI state of the nation

Biogro marks 35 years BioGro, the country's largest and best-known certifier for organic produce and products, is marking its 35th anniversary by launching a campaign to combat misleading organic labelling in New Zealand.

The 'World of Good,' campaign ran for the first time in 2017 and BioGro is hoping that it will be even more successful this year. The aim is to educate consumers about the importance of choosing certified organic products, and to get them into the habit of looking for the BioGro organic certification logo.

To celebrate the anniversary, BioGro has also created special Gold and Silver logos for the companies and brands that have been certified for 25+ years and 15+ years. A full list of the licensees can be found at biogro.co.nz/ organic-products.

Over the past 35 years, the BioGro logo has become the most recognised organic logo in New Zealand. BioGro now certifies and accredits over 750 producers, farmers and manufacturers across New Zealand and the Pacific.

More information on BioGro can be found at biogro.co.nz.

Photo credit: NZ Free Range Egg Co

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

27

[ Buy NZ Made ]

Maximise your brand opportunity

How smart Kiwi producers can leverage international NZ perception.

Ryan Jennings Executive Director Buy New Zealand Made www.buynz.org.nz

1. Country of Origin branding

4. The brand opportunity

The difference between a New Zealand grown apple and a 'New Zealand Grown' branded apple can mean hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost value-add. Why? Because the addition of those three words, New Zealand grown, means something to the international consumer.

In a recent study by Lincoln University agrifood expert Dr Nic Lees said: "Unfortunately we are missing out on this premium because many overseas consumers are unaware their food originates in New Zealand."

There is an opportunity for New Zealand growers and harvesters of what is technically referred to as 'single origin components' such as apples, figs or feijoas to brand their commodity and build a better story based on the provenance of being New Zealand Grown.

2. Product marketing Marketing your products as 'New Zealand Grown' through effective product labelling means consumers can easily identify in the aisle where products are from and that is shown to influence their buying decision. Where we grow, harvest, produce or make New Zealand products we should also brand those products as New Zealand made, to capture a larger slice of the premium marketplace.

This extends to earlier touch-points in the customer buying cycle than simply product marketing at the point of purchase. The cost barriers of influencing global product consumers with a product provenance story have dropped considerably in the age of the scrolling news-feeds. Any approved 'New Zealand Grown' license holder can apply the trademark to digital content and gain market origin influence before a consumer even reaches the store.

3. New Zealand wine leads the way The story of New Zealand wine is intertwined with our landscape, our growers, and our makers. The wine industry have been early adopters of communication technology that helps share their narrative, with many winemakers as adept at storytelling as winemaking knowing the value that the combination brings in the eyes and taste buds of the consumer.

28

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

5. Reaching a million eyes and ears in-market Effective storytelling to remote markets is best done by getting in-market and face to face with potential buyers. However, that comes with resource and cost constraints. The next best thing is videostorytelling direct to consumers in the cities you have a foothold in. It can cost as little as $1,000 for a million video views into developing Asian countries like Malaysia and Vietnam who are also signatories to CPTPP.

6. The 'New Zealand Grown' Trademark asset available to NZ growers The Buy New Zealand Made campaign provides a license of use to companies wishing to label their products as 'New Zealand Grown'. That license entitles the organisation to label millions of single component products as 'New Zealand Grown'.

This license also enables companies to include the trademark in video content produced to tell the story with global consumers.

7. The NZStory Video Footage Archive The government-funded organisation NZStory have amassed a wealth of high production value video footage that can be downloaded and edited into a final cut by the video agencies of New Zealand producers. There is also a Fernmark that is available to New Zealand exporters with 12 months or more experience.

What New Zealand growers and producers can do next.

1. Talk to your in-market buyers about their product labelling needs.

2. Talk to the Buy New Zealand Made campaign team about the best options for your produce.

3. View the government funded NZStory video archive for footage relevant to your region in New Zealand.

[ export ]

80’s child now on trend

M

ost Kiwis will be familiar with Alison’s Pantry bulk foods found in the handy scoop bins at your local supermarket.

Named after one of the nation’s best loved cooks – Alison Holst – the nuts, seeds, grains and dried fruits represent good honest Kiwi wholesomeness.

So it may surprise you to know that this Kiwi product is also proving to be a hit overseas, in very different markets.

Prolife Foods was born in 1984 in the garage of Bernie and Kaye Crosby’s rented Hamilton home.

In its infancy, dried fruit and nuts were delivered to health food shops in the boot of the Crosbys’ Triumph 2000.

Jump forward over three decades, and with a turnover of over $300 million, this innovative food business has grown to include several brands as well as Alison’s Pantry – including: Mother Earth, Haddrell’s of Cambridge and Donovans Chocolates.

Mike Sheeran, GM International of Prolife Foods, explains why the Alison’s Pantry product was chosen to take to export markets.

“The self-selection category is really on-trend with health and wellbeing globally, not just in New Zealand,” says Sheeran. “Plus it’s our core competency. We’ve done it for a long time in NZ, and have a great relationship with Foodstuffs here.

Australia was the most obvious test market, and developing a successful relationship with Coles there gave us the confidence and impetus to go further afield.”

So after just a couple of years in the international playing field beyond Australia, what has Sheeran learnt to share?

“After the success of Alison’s Pantry in NZ and self-selection in Australia, we’re focusing on setting up our South East Asia strategy and have found success in Singapore. We’ve started a partnership there with Hong Kong Dairy Farms, which owns a lot of supermarkets throughout South East Asia. It’s a category that really differentiates retailers’ fresh food proposition, it’s innovative and stands out.

“One of the key learnings for me is that you have to have a very strong domestic business before you move to exporting. You need a lot of capability in your infrastructure – from manufacturing supply chains to brand marketing, finance support and HR. With our self-selection model, we employ people in overseas markets that we have to train, and there can be language and cultural barriers.”

Sheeran says: “I think if you have a strong consumer proposition with globally understood products, you can be strong anywhere. The real

learning that you need to get right is taking that consumer proposition from being successful in one country, and adapting that commercial model to suit other countries’ infrastructure and retail. The Singapore market for example has a very different retail footprint – the stores are a lot smaller and it’s a lot more fragmented.”

One of the keys to Prolife Foods’ international success, according to Sheeran, is that they like to trial things, then redefine the consumer proposition over time to suit the local market.

This worked very well with Alison’s Pantry in Cold Storage supermarkets in Singapore, where Prolife Foods was operating a store within a store.

As for the future, Prolife Foods has ambitious growth aspirations, and strategic retailer partnerships will be a key vehicle.

“We’ve been in this market a long time and have plenty of experience and passion for it. Also, we invest heavily in understanding how to grow and develop this category, and we always continue to innovate. I believe we can really lead the market globally.”

Top tips To develop a strong export business, make sure your company… a) is committed to the long-term journey, understanding it’s a slow burn b) has a strong domestic base, infrastructure and capability c) is committed from an investment and a resourcing perspective d) has strong leadership across the business developing the ‘new’ in unchartered waters.

Catherine Beard is Executive Director of ExportNZ, which serves its members via regional offices throughout the country.

To find your nearest office go to www.exportnz.org.nz

WITH A TURNOVER OF OVER $300 MILLION, THIS INNOVATIVE FOOD BUSINESS HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE SEVERAL BRANDS.”

Prolife Foods Founders Bernie and Kaye Crosby

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

29

[ FGC ]

Top presentations and workshops

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

hief among the benefits that companies get from belonging to the Food and Grocery Council is exclusive access to information, seminars and networking events. These cover anything from export, health & safety, and sales strategies, to retail data and insights, high-quality speakers, and the opportunity to rub shoulders with managing directors and peers from our biggest suppliers and our main retailers, as well as country managers of some of the biggest FMCG companies in the world.

It’s hard to put any one event above the others because members seek different things from membership, depending on their size, need, and targets.

But one we have been able to confirm recently is likely to prove to be the highlight of the year: it’s an address by Greg Foran, the President and CEO of US retail giant Walmart.

Greg is a proud Kiwi, and our most successful retail and FMCG leader, and I’ve been keen to get him to speak to members for some time.

But as you can imagine he’s extremely busy, being responsible for the strategic direction and performance of 4600 stores and more than 1 million staff. Last year, Walmart US was serving more than 140 million customers a week and had revenues of $307 billion.

This event is designed for leaders to bring their teams and to inspire current and future Kiwi FMCG leaders, as I’m sure Greg will share some rare insights into the grocery trade in the world’s biggest market. The event will be at Villa Maria, South Auckland, on November 7 and we’ll be releasing registration details soon.

Foodstuffs’ Chief Executives, Steve Anderson and Chris Quin with FGC Chief Executive Katherine Rich at the 2017 conference.

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FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

This event is a forerunner to our annual conference, which kicks off later that day in Brisbane. It’s tight timing but we didn’t want members to miss out on this opportunity, and I believe it’ll be well worth it.

We’re expecting another 300-delegate sell-out at the conference.

They’re great opportunities for manufacturers and marketers to hear what’s on retailers’ agendas and get an update on a range of issues facing our fast-changing industry.

We always put a lot of time into the retailer side of things, and this year we’re delighted that Scott Davidson, the GM of Buying and Merchandise for Countdown, will be there with some of his team. By the time of the conference, he will have had nearly a year in the role, so he’ll no doubt have some excellent insights on his time in the New Zealand market.

Both Foodstuffs’ Chief Executives, Steve Anderson and Chris Quin, will again present their take on how their businesses are travelling and where they see shopping trends. They usually also spend time mingling with delegates, and that’s always appreciated by members.

Another annual highlight is the presentation of the Nielsen Barometer – the results from the supplier survey on how the industry and retailers are tracking.

The retailing angle will be completed by Vicki Herring, from retail marketing specialists IRI, who will present a major piece of analysis by her company.

Many members sell into Australia and as such have a close affinity with their industry, so an overview by Tanya Barden, the Chief Executive of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, on how their Grocery Code is tracking will be particularly informative.

Fiona Kingsford, CEO of Competenz, will give a presentation on the future of work, and Molly Harris Olsen, CEO of Fairtrade Australia New Zealand, will chair a workshop on maintaining supply chain integrity.

We’ll be announcing other presentations and workshops soon, but if you would like to see the full programme, you’re welcome to contact the FGC office.

Above all, the conference is a great forum for food and grocery manufacturers and marketers to catch up with one another and talk about the challenges and opportunities in the local market, as well as globally.

The hunt for NZ’s tastiest sausage is on!

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utchers across the country are fine-tuning their best sausage recipes in the hopes of winning the Devro Great New Zealand Sausage Competition.

The search for New Zealand’s tastiest snarler involves a panel of 32 judges, made up of foodies, butchers and industry experts, sampling and examining all competition entries over a two-day period. From here, the top sausages, one from each category, then go on to a final taste test where the Supreme Award sausage is determined.

Sausages are judged prior to cooking on their inner and outer visual appearance then once cooked, on appearance, aroma, texture, composition and taste.

Last year, the competition attracted 512 entries among 12 categories. In addressing consumer demand, competition organisers, Retail Meat New Zealand, have introduced an innovation category, which aims to acknowledge diversity amongst consumer needs in an ever-changing environment.

Brendan Foster from Akaroa Butchery & Deli took out the competition in 2017 with his ‘Boudin Noir’ black pudding sausage.

“Winning this award has had a huge impact on our business. In the first few months we struggled to keep up with demand, and even now we’re producing much more than expected. Just as exciting as the win itself was the discovery of black pudding enthusiasts across the country - we sent our Boudin Noir far and wide. This win was also a real thrill for our existing customers and the Akaroa community,” says Brendan.

Entries into the 2018 competition close on Friday August 17. The winning sausage will be announced at an Awards Dinner on Thursday 18 October, in good time for Kiwis to celebrate National Sausage Day on Friday 19 October.

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Events 2018 AUGUST 15-16 C&I EXPO Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Melbourne, Australia https://www.candiexpo.com. au/

SEPTEMBER 18-20 FOODTECH PACKTECH ASB Showgrounds Auckland, New Zealand www.foodtechpacktech.co.nz

OCTOBER 6-7 THE CHOCOLATE & COFFEE SHOW The Cloud Auckland, NZ https://chocolatecoffeeshow. co.nz

18 DEVRO GREAT NEW ZEALAND SAUSAGE Competition Auckland, NZ https://www. greatnzsausagecomp.co.nz/

NOVEMBER 1-4 TASTE AUCKLAND Queens Wharf, Auckland, NZ https://www.tasteofauckland. co.nz/ 7-9 FGC CONFERENCE Brisbane, Australia https://www.nzfgcconference.com/ 18 TOAST MARTINBOROUGH Martinborough, NZ https://toastmartinborough. co.nz/

17 NZ FOOD AWARDS Powered by Massey University Auckland, NZ www.foodawards.co.nz.

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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.

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[ events ]

ADDING VALUE TO OUR FOOD CHAIN NZ’s largest food manufacturing, technology and logistics expo

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ore than 4,500 visiting industry professionals from New Zealand and around the world will converge in Auckland to attend the sector’s largest (and FREE TO ATTEND) combined trade-only industry event - Foodtech Packtech (FTPT) and the Materials Handling & Logistics Expo (MHL).

This year’s event will be the largest show in decades - it’s certainly a must-attend event for anyone in the food & beverage manufacturing and packaging, or transport and logistics industries!

“FTPT and the MHL Expo are arguably the most important national sector events in this country,” says Tony Waite Sales & Events Director of XPO Exhibitions, owners and organisers of FTPT & MHL. “No matter what stage your business is at, there is something for all food manufacturers to gain. For those looking to grow and expand FTPT is the best place to make connections, learn new techniques and understand the latest in food manufacturing innovation.”

Across the halls you will experience some 240+ exhibiting suppliers covering important capability issues – everything from food safety, processing and security technology through to industrial packaging and preservation solutions, and specialist product handling and logistics.

Food safety All food manufacturers irrespective of size have a responsibility to deliver a safe end product. Ngaio Diagnostics deliver the tools

and accreditation, ultimately improving their entire food safety programme.

Integrated Packaging Integrated Packaging, a returning exhibitor in 2018, will tell you that “FTPT is the perfect platform to interact with groups of people from a variety of companies and be able to demonstrate first-hand what your company’s capabilities are.”

At the 2016 show, Integrated Packaging connected with a vast number of companies, saving one of them over $20,000 p.a. by improving their manufacturing processes.

This year Integrated Packaging will be showcasing a range of new solutions that are unique to this market. This will be of great appeal to companies including meat, poultry and small goods.

Sustainability

used to minimise any chance of microbial or allergen contamination. Their range offers simple, cost-effective solutions suitable for companies of all sizes.

At FTPT 2016, Ngaio Diagnostics connected with a major NZ company that saved them over 10% on their gluten testing costs. In addition to this, Ngaio were able implement a test with superior ease of use

With sustainability being such a hot topic, SMC Pneumatics will be one to watch, their theme this year being “More Green in 2018”.

Air use in factories contributes to approximately 20% of the overall energy costs, so it is in the best interest of every manufacturer to stay on top of air leaks and choose the right product for the application to minimise air loss. SMC can help with this.

They will also be demonstrating how they incorporate Industry 4.0.

There will be a huge range of seminars, workshops and one-on-one training opportunities and NZ culinary legend Simon Gault will be sharing how he has successfully managed to commercialise his brand in this industry.

Register for free FTPT and the MHL Expo run from Tuesday 18 to Thursday 20 September at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland.

A full schedule of what’s on can be found at www.foodtechpacktech.co.nz and www.mhlexpo.co.nz with all visitors able to register to attend for free at these sites.

The halls at the ASB Showgrounds will be packed with a showcase of the sector’s very latest innovations and technologies, three days of industry-lead seminars, special features, the innovation quarter, business growth hub and major visitor prizes. Not to mention exclusive VIP networking events. FTPT and the MHL Expo 2018 are guaranteed to inform, educate and inspire all those who visit.

For more information contact Jodine Banks jodine@xpo.co.nz 021 399 974 32

FMCG BUSINESS - AUGUST 2018

[ events ]

The Chocolate & Coffee Show will be held at The Cloud, 6-7 October.

Elle Crocker, Head Judge of the NZ Chocolate Awards 2018

GET READY FOR THE NZ CHOCOLATE AWARDS!

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fter judging more than 120 New Zealand made chocolate bars, bonbons and truffles last year, the NZ Chocolate Awards is back for 2018, bigger and better than ever.

The NZ Chocolate Awards 2018 will be judged on Wednesday 12 September at Auckland’s Fresh Factory, with the results to be announced during NZ Chocolate Week, on the eve of the NZ Chocolate and Coffee Show at The Cloud on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October.

As well as aligning the announcement of NZ’s finest chocolate makers with NZ Chocolate Week, the organisers have appointed Elle Crocker (aka Elle Coco) as head judge. Elle will be supported by an independent judging panel of food experts. This year the only chocolatiers in the judging panel will be those without products in the competition.

Elle Coco is an experienced chocolate judge at the British Academy of Chocolate and the International Chocolate Awards. She recently moved to Wellington from London taking the long route and starting in Mexico, before covering off all of Central America and the western countries of South America, to visit cacao plantations, meeting growers and tasting chocolate along the way.

In London, Elle ran chocolate making workshops and classes for British chocolatiers, department stores and global companies, including William Curley Patissier, Harrods and PWC. In addition to running workshops, Elle has worked with new and established chocolate makers, including Damson Chocolate (UK), Tri Island Chocolate (Grenada, Caribbean) and Stamba Chocolatier (Georgia, Caucasus). Elle has hosted education and tasting sessions at London’s ‘The Chocolate Show’ and ‘The Grenada Chocolate Festival’ in the Caribbean.

Organisers of the NZ Chocolate Awards, Intermedia NZ and Marvellous Marketing, welcomed Elle to the team saying she would add a new level of experience to the judging, which would in turn help the country’s burgeoning chocolate industry.

With Elle’s guidance the categories for 2018 have been refined. One chocolate product will be named Supreme Champion from the Best in Class winners across categories, which are: bean-to-bar chocolate bars; flavoured bars; filled chocolates including ganache and bonbons; bark, brittle, dipped fruit and nuts; best NZ made product using chocolate; drinking chocolate; best children’s chocolate; and best packaging.

HOW TO ENTER

NZ chocolatiers have until Friday 31 August 2018 to enter online at https:// www.nzchocolateawards. co.nz.

Judging samples must arrive in Auckland between Monday 3 September and Tuesday 11 September. Judging will take place on Wednesday 12 September at Fresh Factory, Auckland.

Results will be sent to entrants via email on Monday 17 September with Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners made public on Tuesday 18 September.

Best in Class winners, including the Supreme Champion will be announced on Friday 5 October 2018.

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New Zealand Chocolate week is coming!

Welcome to New Zealand’s national celebration of all things chocolate!

The inaugural NZ Chocolate Week is designed to highlight the phenomenal talent we have in New Zealand who create with chocolate, make chocolate or just have a love affair with chocolate products.

New Zealand has a strong emerging chocolate industry with bean-to-bar producers and chocolatiers through to those creating amazing desserts, milks, hot drinks, beers, ice cream and much more!

NZ Chocolate Week is here to encourage Kiwis to support these businesses, those in big cities through to producers doing great things in the regions.

You can get involved‌ register an event today!

Chocolatiers, Chocolate Makers, Restaurants, Cafes, Schools, Bars, Bakeries and others can get involved by listing an event, sell tickets, sell product, receive social media promotion and educate on your involvement with this exciting new national event!

Just head to www.nzchocolateweek.co.nz to list your event for as little as $29.95

FOUNDATION PARTNERS

www.nzchocolateweek.co.nz @nzchocolateweek

[ social sphere ]

Out & About

Duncan and Gretchen Hawkesby at the Clicquot Chalet event in Auckland.

gh, Chrystelle Baran, (L to R) Nick Ferneyhou oke Howard-Smith at Bro and s Amber Peeble nt in Auckland. eve let Cha the Clicquot

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited the Zealong Tea team at Fieldays in the Waikato.

SNAP & WIN!

I Love Food Co-founders Maree Glading and Jessie Stanley with sons Louie Glading and Bruno Stanley launch new Cookies variants at Eden Park.

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 Winter Warmer hamper from Hansells All Natural Soups. Valued at over $50, the winter supply is boasting with flavours that will have your taste buds singing for more.

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

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www.theshout.co.nz August 2018

PLUS VERMOUTH n INDUSTRY INSIGHTS n RED BLENDS NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIQUOR AUDIENCE

[ editorial ]

Not your usual tipple

CONTENTS August 2018 4

Industry news and insights

8 The Book of Vermouth Book extract about the global spread of this classic aperitif 9 Bringing back a classic Q&A with two Kiwi vermouth producers Anna Riederer from Mount Edward and Stephen Menzies from Karven

The Shout Editor Charlotte Cowan

IT’S JUST a given that the dreary days and cold nights of winter can be a bit of a drag, so this month we’re determined to spice up your winter nights with something a little different.

While we all know that vermouth is a staple in a martini, you probably won’t find a bottle stashed in many people’s fridges. But why not?

This fortified wine is making a big comeback internationally, and we even have a few talented vermouth producers right here in our fair land.

Take a look at pgs 8-10 and by the end, you might just be ready to crack a vermouth over ice tonight.

But if a cheeky red in front of the fire is more your thing, then we also have a few different offerings for you. Cameron Douglas MS shares his insights into red blends and tastes some of our delicious local drops on pgs 12-13.

And finally, we haven’t forgotten you, beer lovers. Neil Miller takes us through his top five most unusual Kiwi beers on pgs 16-17. From Manuka, to Yuzu, to Earl Grey tea - you may not like ’em all, but you should definitely try them.

So there you have it, something a bit left-of-field for you to try this August. For more from us, don’t forget to like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @theshoutnz and sign up to our eNewsletter at www.theshout.co.nz if you haven’t already! Proost!

www.theshout.co.nz August 2018

PLUS VERMOUTH n INDUSTRY INSIGHTS n RED BLENDS NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST LIQUOR AUDIENCE

11 He’ll be the judge Q&A with New World Wine Awards international judge, Ying Hsien Tan MW 12 Red blends Tasting notes from Cameron Douglas MS 15 Take your pick This month’s must-try classics and new releases 16 New Zealand’s most unusual beers Neil Miller’s top five strange Kiwi beers

On the cover: McLeod’s Brewery Paradise Pale Ale Winner of a Gold Medal at the 2017 Brewers Guild of NZ Awards, Paradise Pale Ale from McLeod’s Brewery in Northland is laden with a blend of New Zealand hops. Star fruit, oranges, limes, and papaya fill the palate, along with enough light malt to keep it dry and refreshing.

For sales, contact geoff@mcleodsbrewery.co.nz or visit www.mcleodsbrewery.co.nz.

Editor’s picks

Karven Rosso Vermouth Sweeter than your average vermouth, Karven Rosso Vermouth is made from New Zealand Malbec and an eclectic combo of botanicals including feijoa flowers and native Koromiko. Amber red, crisp and spicy, this vermouth is the perfect addition to a Negroni. For more on the resurgence of vermouth, head to pgs 8-10.

Tribute Hawke’s Bay Merlot/Malbec 2016 From Soljans Estate, this elegant Merlot/Malbec blend shows a core of ripe red fruits and hints of toasty spiciness. A great accompaniment to beef, lamb or venison, it’s just one of the distinctive red blends tasted by Cameron Douglas MS this month. For more, check out pgs 12-13.

Juno Four Seasons In One Box Is gin typically your summer drink? Oh no, friends, this delicious drop can be enjoyed all year round.

Juno’s Four Seasons In One Box includes their four most-recent seasons gins (200ml each) so you have one to enjoy in winter, spring, summer and autumn - if you can wait that long to crack them, that is. For more new releases and classics to pick from this month, take a look at pg 15.

MANAGING DIRECTOR-PUBLISHER Dale Spencer dspencer@intermedianz.co.nz PUBLISHED BY The Intermedia Group Ltd 505 Rosebank Road, Avondale Auckland, 1026, New Zealand ph: 021 361 136

EDITOR Charlotte Cowan ccowan@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 774 080 SALES MANAGER Sam Wood swood@intermedianz.co.nz ph: 021 256 6351

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - AUGUST 2018

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[ news]

Garage Project releases limited edition ‘Chocolate Beer’ WELLINGTON BREWERY Garage Project has announced a limited edition collaboration beer with New Zealand Chocolate makers Whittaker’s.

‘Chocolate Beer’ is brewed with a range of dark and chocolate malts, lactose, vanilla and Whittaker’s Cocoa Nibs, and is 4.7% ABV. Each ‘Chocolate Beer’ can has been spiked with a shot of liquid nitrogen so that it pours a thick creamy head and has a smoother and even more delicious taste.

The two independent and Wellington region-based companies have long admired each other’s work and relished the chance to collaborate.

“When we set out to create the most decadent Chocolate Beer, we had to use the best ingredients, and that’s Whittaker’s,” says Garage Project cofounder and brewer, Pete Gillespie. “As a full ‘beans to bar’ producer, and being local, we know their quality and freshness is unmatched.”

After a long series of discussions and trial brews, a final recipe was settled on that called for the use of a significant amount of Whittaker’s Cocoa Nib. Batch roasted from ethically sourced suppliers, the nib lends an intense aroma and flavour to the beer.

‘Chocolate Beer’ is available for a limited time from New World supermarkets or Liquorland stores nationwide.

Penfolds adds to its portfolio PENFOLDS, THE flagship brand of Australian wine giant Treasure Wine Estates, has announced it will be adding Champagne, Napa wines and a Chinese Baijiuinfused Shiraz to its portfolio.

Starting from the 2018 California harvest, the Penfolds winemaking team will produce a new range using Napa Valley grapes.

“Our Penfolds House Style certainly allows and embraces the freedom to explore premium viticultural regions across the world,” says Penfolds Chief Winemaker, Peter Gago. “We are striving to add outstanding Californian-sourced wines to our offering by fiscal 2022.”

Continuing with Penfolds’ experimentation, Penfolds has also announced a range of Special Bottlings. They include Lot. 1990 – a Pot Distilled 28-year-old Single Batch Brandy; Lot. 518 – a premium fortified Barossa Shiraz infused with Baijiu (scheduled for release in September); and a Champagne, expected to be released in 2019, in time to celebrate of Penfolds’ 175th anniversary.

What’s on August 10-11 Beervana Westpac Stadium, Wellington www.beervana.co.nz

August 18-20 Wine & Food Celebration The New Zealand School of Food and Wine, Auckland www.event.foodandwine.co.nz August 22-23 Hawke’s Bay Wine Celebration Generator @ GridAKL, Auckland and Mac’s Function Centre, Wellington www.hawkesbaywine.co.nz September 8 Pinot Palooza Shed 10, Auckland www.pinotpalooza.com.au

September 14 BMW Oktoberfest Shed 10, Auckland www.neuseeland.ahk.de September 15 BGNZ NZ Beer Awards Gala Dinner Trafalgar Centre, Christchurch www.brewersguild.org.nz

FOR MORE INDUSTRY NEWS FOLLOW US ON 4

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - AUGUST 2018

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[ industry insights ]

WHAT AWARDS WILL YOU BE TAKING AWAY THIS YEAR? ENTRY TO the Brewers Guild awards 2018 is open and I’m thrilled to tell you about what changes we’ve made this year. For those of you I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, my name is Sabrina Kunz and I’m the relatively new Executive Director for the Brewers Guild of New Zealand. Our awards week is the pinnacle of beer awards in New Zealand and as my first year being involved with the planning, I can absolutely see why.

Aside from the heart and soul our team has put into organising this hugely talked about week of events, I’m proud to confirm that Cryer Malt has come on board as Principal Sponsor for the next three years. Working with Dave Cryer’s support and all our other sponsors means there’s even more chance for our members to earn recognition for their beers and breweries with our new additions of New Zealand Champion level awards.

Yes, we’ve upped the ante a little and our members can now win from an added pool of awards; Champion NZ Exhibitor sponsored by Gladfield Malt, Champion Small New Zealand Brewery sponsored by Kegstar, Champion Medium New Zealand Brewery sponsored by Enpac, Champion Large New Zealand Brewery sponsored by NZ Hops, and Champion New Zealand Beer sponsored by Cryer Malt.

Some things of course will stay the same. We encourage all those writers out there who love our members’ beers and support them through the year with reviews and stories to enter our Beer Writer of the Year Award, and the Morton Coutts Trophy will be awarded to the individual or group that has demonstrated innovation or achievement in our industry of New Zealand.

Speaking of innovation, we have been working on building a new awards-focused website for our members to easily engage with and find the information they need. It’s now live 6

FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - AUGUST 2018

and we’d love to know what you think of it, go check it out – www.brewersguild.org.nz One thing you’ll find on our new website is the ability to register online for all our events during awards week. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, starting with Mashing In on Thursday 13th September, followed by our trade show conference on Friday 15th, brewery tours on Saturday 16th all topped off by our awards gala drinks and dinner where we’ll celebrate our award winners and our industry as a whole with MC’s Mike Lane and Matt Heath of Radio Hauraki fame – it’s set to be a fantastic night and one you don’t want to miss.

Our awards week events promote the best networking opportunities, updates on the latest trends and of course socialising with your industry mates, in the country. Space is limited for these events, so hop to it and reserve your spot for the week. I can’t wait to meet you all over a beer or two!

Last year’s Champion Brewery award winner, Garage Project

Sabrina Kunz Executive Director, Brewers Guild of New Zealand

[ industry insights ]

New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards THE BEST of New Zealand wine will be discovered at New Zealand Winegrowers’ refreshed wine competition later this year.

The New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards is the official national wine competition of the New Zealand wine industry, replacing the Air New Zealand Wine Awards and the Bragato Wine Awards, two of the industry’s major wine competitions.

The New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards will combine the very best components of the previous competitions, with a focus on rewarding the grape grower and their single vineyard wines, as well as championing New Zealand wine excellence on a larger.

After 31 years of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, it’s a fresh approach to celebrating excellence in New Zealand wine and the opportunity to recognise the achievements of our grape growers and winemakers in one competition is exciting.

Judging of the wines will take place in the first week of October in Auckland. Highly regarded Hawke’s Bay winemaker and Chair of the Air New Zealand Wine Awards, Warren Gibson, will lead as Chair of Judges, with Marlborough winemaker and Chair of the Bragato Wine Awards, Ben Glover, alongside him as Deputy Chair.

Entries for the New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards open on 1 August, with the winners celebrated at the New Zealand Wine Awards on Saturday, 3 November in Wellington.

More information on the New Zealand Wine of the Year™ Awards can be found at www.nzwine.com/events.

Angela Willis New Zealand Winegrowers Global Events Manager

A lesson in how to feed beer lovers THIS YEAR’S Beervana continues to show us how to not only appreciate fantastic beer, but how to enhance those beers by matching them with some iconic New Zealand foods.

At the time of writing this, nearly 60 breweries and 16-or-so food vendors are set to be crammed into the Westpac Stadium’s concrete tunnel of taste. The sheer variety of foods on offer highlight the versatility that beer has when matched with food.

Which beer goes well with what food is something most beer lovers know, but often those who are less familiar find themselves having to make educated guesses when dining out. I’ll get to that shortly.

Beervana itself has strived to match brewers with food vendors. Organisers encourage those breweries attending to match their beers with the food on offer, so we get awesome combos like: Pravda Café’s Emerson’s London Porter Glazed Pork Ribs, and Pie Hard’s half dozen pies each containing a different beer. Wellington success stories Black Dog Brewing and House of Dumplings offer up delicious matches like Shanghai Pork and Savoy Cabbage dumplings with a full-bodied IPA. We at the Brewers Association have got together with our members and some guest breweries to give punters a flight of beers matched with an array of Mexican tasters including: Ceviche matched with a refreshing lager, Pork Pibil Tacos with several IPAs and Chicken Mole and Porter. A big shout out to Mesita Bar of Martinborough for the amazing food lined up.

What all these fantastic combinations remind us is beer can belong with any meal, snack or even dessert. We just often don’t know how to match those flavours. Almost every restaurant and bar these days will have, at least, a reasonable range of beers to choose from. I’m sure you all know it’s hard not to come across an IPA of some variety.

What we need now is for venues to take the next step and actively promote beer and food matching either through directly matching foods with beers on their menu or ensuring staff are giving good recommendations during service. There is real opportunity for businesses to improve both their food and beverage sales if they can show customers how best to enjoy them together.

Dylan Firth Executive Director, Brewers Association of New Zealand

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[ book extract ]

THE BOOK OF VERMOUTH The Book of Vermouth by Gilles Lapalus and Shaun Byrne explores every aspect of this classic drink – from its history, to a comprehensive guide to the essentials of Vermouth, to the many different ways to serve, drink and store it.

Here we share an edited extract about the global spread of this classic aperitif…

Vermouth Around The World Antonio Benedetto Carpano is credited with the creation of the first modern vermouth – a blend of wine, sugar and alcohol infused with herbs and spices – in a little wine shop opposite the Royal Palace in Turin’s Piazza Castello in 1786.

He named his creation ‘wermut’ or ‘vermuth’, after the German word for wormwood, and it was a big hit with the burgeoning bourgeoisie in Turin.

They came for the medicinal properties of this ‘tonic wine’, and stayed for the social enjoyment. Carpano’s little shop soon thronged with eager customers, and had to start opening 24 hours a day to cater to the demand. It became the prototype for aperitivo bars across Italy and, soon, other producers jumped on the bandwagon: producers with now-famous names such as Cinzano and Martini. Turin became vermouth central, and these brands, even though production has mainly moved to other parts of Italy, still dominate the global market today.

Inspired by what was happening in Turin, the first French ‘vermouths’ were made in the first two decades of the nineteenth century by pioneering manufacturers Joseph Noilly in Lyons, and Joseph Chavasse in Chambery, just across the border from Turin in Savoie. The companies these two men founded – Noilly Prat and Dolin – are still major players in the market.

Unlike the traditional Italian style of vermouth, which is sweeter, darker and more bitter, the French style is drier, paler in appearance and relies more on its herbal characters.

The third major traditional vermouthproducing country is Spain, where the drink is known as ‘vermut’. Production, mainly centred around Catalonia, started here in the late 1800s and, by the beginning of the twentieth century, vermut culture had reached its peak.

The Café Torino, a spectacular Art Nouveau temple to the drink built in Barcelona in 1902, was designed by some of Barcelona’s leading architects of the day, including Antoni Gaudi.

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FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - AUGUST 2018

Spanish vermut tends to be richer and darker than its Italian or French counterparts, and has enjoyed a revival over the last few years. It is regularly served as an aperitif in tapas bars, over ice, with a slice of orange, an olive and a splash of soda water (club soda).

As the early Italian and French vermouth producers grew their businesses in the midnineteenth century, they started exporting, shipping to Sydney as early as the 1850s and New York in the 1860s. Americans took to vermouth enthusiastically, with bartenders latching on to its potential as a component in the newly fashionable mixed drinks called cocktails.

It’s here, in America’s bars, that vermouth cemented its place in global drinking culture as an essential component of now-classic cocktails such as the Martini (using the French dry style) and the Manhattan (using the sweeter Italian style), both created in the 1860s. Vermouth’s popularity grew, surviving Prohibition and the Great Depression, powering cocktail culture until World War II. The post-war generation, however, came to associate vermouth with their parents. Cocktails were seen as old-fogey drinks. Vermouth sales declined in the United States, and, although the category maintained steady sales in Europe – and enjoyed a burst of popularity in Australia in the 1970s – by the end of the millennium it looked as though vermouth’s star was on the wane, with only a handful of large brands surviving.

Surprisingly, considering how far the drink had fallen out of fashion in that country, it was a handful of American craft producers that kick-started the revival of interest in high-quality vermouth in the early years of the twenty-first century, when makers such as Vya, Imbue and Atsby reasserted the primacy of vermouth as a standalone drink, not just a cocktail ingredient.

In the last few years other artisan producers, from South Africa to England, from Australia to Europe, have joined the revival, launching high-quality vermouths that take the classic Italian and French styles as a starting point and add twists and layers of regional individuality.

Edited extract from The Book Of Vermouth

by Shaun Byrne & Gilles Lapalus, published by Hardie Grant Books, RRP $45.00. Photography

by Jack Hawkins.

[ Q&A ]

BRINGING BACK A CLASSIC

Vermouth may be making a comeback but here in New Zealand, there are only a handful of vermouth producers. We chat to two such producers to get some insights from both sides of the bottle - the winery and the spirits producer.

Which grapes are used in your vermouth?

Ours is based around Riesling and Chenin Blanc.

Can you tell us a bit about the use of botanicals used in vermouth and specifically your vermouth?

The name vermouth comes from the German name for wormwood (wermut), which is what gives vermouth its bitterness.

We grow this botanical at the winery and add it sparingly. However, the predominant botanical in our vermouth is elderflower, which grows like a weed on the hills of Central Otago between October and November each year. We also add thyme, which again grows wild and flowers at the same time as the elderflower.

Other than that, there is a list of 15 or so botanicals that are added to a traditional vermouth - anything from cloves to juniper berries.

Mount Edward Vermouth

The Winery

Anna Riederer is a winemaker at Mount Edward, a Central Otago winery which has been producing vermouth since 2015.

Anna Riederer

Why did you decide to produce New Zealand’s first vermouths?

After extensive taste-testing of vermouths from Australia and South Africa, we realised that it was a good way of showcasing some of the botanicals found in Central Otago. It was a fun little project to do at the time of the year [October/November] when there is not much else happening in the winery.

How is the production of vermouth different from traditional winemaking?

The base wine is made exactly the same way as our traditional wines are made, however it is then fortified with spirit that is produced from our own wine. Then a whole selection of botanicals and spices are added, to give the bitterness and flavours.

Vermouth is a typical ingredient in a martini – how else can you drink it?

We have been smashing it over summer with soda water, plenty of ice and a slice of orange peel.

Vermouth From the German word wermut (veer-moot) but pronounced ver-mooth in English. Vermouth is an aromatised, fortified wine flavoured with various botanicals.

Karven Bianco Vermouth

The spirits producer

Stephen Menzies is the director of Karven, an Aucklandbased spirits company that began producing Bianco Vermouth in 2016, followed by Rosso Vermouth in 2017.

Can you describe how your vermouth is produced and why you chose your base wine and selection of botanicals?

Our vermouth is very botanically driven, so we neutralise the wine base we use.

We are currently using a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc for our Bianco and New Zealand Malbec for the Rosso. Our batch size is small and every batch can be slightly different. We use a range of aromatic New Zealand botanicals and up to three different types of wormwood, which we grow ourselves. Our Bianco Vermouth is produced in a semi-dry style, suitable for martinis, and our Rosso is sweet.

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[ Q&A ]

Vermouth FYI • There are a number of different grapes that form

VERMOUTH CAN BE A NATURAL PROGRESSION FOR CONSUMERS ONCE THEY HAVE EXHAUSTED THEIR GIN PALATE.”

a base wine for vermouth - including Muscat, Tempranillo, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Malbec.

• Vermouth is a highly regulated wine, especially in Europe, where it must: Be at least 75% wine; use Artemisia (a genus of plants of which wormwood is

Why don’t you think many Kiwi winemakers or distillers produce vermouth?

I would guess that it is because vermouth is very much a niche product here in New Zealand and it is also quite difficult to produce, especially getting the flavours right.

Why should consumers try vermouth if they haven’t before?

Vermouth is a delicious drink and can be a natural progression for consumers once they have exhausted their gin palate! Vermouth on the rocks, with tonic or soda is refreshing and also a lower-alcohol option compared to many other drinks. It’s a great aperitif or digestif we have even converted some devout wine drinkers to our vermouths!

a member); be between 14.5% and 22% ABV; include a spirit.

• Botanicals often used in vermouth include cloves, cinnamon, quinine, citrus peel, marjoram, chamomile, coriander, juniper, hyssop and ginger.

• As vermouth is fortified, an open bottle can be kept for longer than regular wine (a month or two) but it should be kept refrigerated.

Mount Edward photography by Rachael McKenna for NZ Life & Leisure

Mount Edward Central Otago Vermouth Vermouth over ice with a cut of orange, anyone? Mount Edward Vermouth is based around Riesling and Chenin. It’s dry with the dominant aromas and botanical flavour of Elderflower, picked straight from our gardens at home on Felton Rd - plus it’s organic, so is obviously good for you as well. As an aperitif, over ice, a touch of soda, some orange peel, a Negroni or just to make that martini just a little wet… get some!

RRP $49.00 Contact Mineral Wines, orders@mineralwine.co.nz www.mountedward.co.nz Karven Bianco Vermouth and Rosso Vermouth Karven have two vermouths in their stable, both of which are deliciously bold and unique. Beautifully crafted from local botanicals and premium New Zealand wine, their complex flavour profiles are a favourite with mixologists and also chefs who are searching for flavours that are exclusively New Zealand. Served as a delicious aperitif, Karven Bianco Vermouth with its semi-dry style is also perfect in a martini, partnered with Karven Dry Gin or Grain Vodka. Or try a New Zealand Negroni with Karven’s sweeter style Rosso Vermouth, Dry Gin and Amaro.

RRP $39.95 Contact Quench Collective, (0800) 946 326 www.karven.co.nz 10

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Karven Martini •7 5ml Karven Dry Gin or Karven Grain Vodka • 15ml Karven Bianco Vermouth Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish with a chilled olive or twist of lemon.

[ Q&A ]

HE’LL BE THE JUDGE With the 2018 New World Wine Awards well under way, we chat to one of the competition’s international judges - wine educator, writer and owner of Taberna Wine Academy in Singapore, Ying Hsien Tan MW. How long have you been judging wine awards and what have been your judging highlights so far?

I first acted as a wine judge in 1999, but it wasn’t until I embarked on my Master of Wine programme [qualifying in 2015] that I began judging with frequency. The Decanter Asia Wine Awards are always a lot of fun, with the opportunity to meet and mingle with many well-known faces in wine from around Asia and the world. Perhaps the most memorable was a competition in Russia.

The awards were in a fantastic location on the edge of the Black Sea with an interesting range of Russian and international wines on offer.

What are your expectations for this year’s New World Wine Awards?

My visits to New Zealand have been rather brief in the past - my first was as a writer documenting a training visit by the Singaporean Armed Forces in Tekapo in the early ‘80s, when the wine industry here was not so developed! So I went into these awards with a very open mind. I know Chair of Judges Jim Harré from a competition we’ve judged together in Hong Kong and knew the New World Wine Awards would be a great event under his lead. With nearly 70% of the entrants from New Zealand wineries, it’s great for me to get the opportunity to taste so many local wines at once. I’ve followed the growth of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Central Otago Pinot Noir with interest over the years, and both featured heavily in the most contended classes of the competition – it will be exciting to see the results.

How does the Asian wine industry compare to that of New Zealand?

Singapore is not a big wine producer like New Zealand, but we have a growing wine market. It is small-scale, due largely to our population compared to bigger markets like Hong Kong, but quite sophisticated. A wide range of people enjoy wine - from expats who have brought their native wine culture to their new home, to an increasing number of local Singaporeans. Like me, many of them picked up their interest in wine while studying abroad. Typically, the market enjoys classic and top-end wines – French classics and some of the iconic Australian and Californian wines, but are willing to be adventurous and explore, especially if the price is right.

indigenous varieties in the traditional wine regions, such as Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo in Campania, Italy, or Mencia from Bierzo in Spain, or Grüner Veltliner in Austria.

Producers from these traditional areas have often eschewed the use the international varieties, proudly asserting regional identity with their local varieties, which is all the better for the diversity of wine available to the consumer at all quality and price points.

What varieties do you see making a resurgence and why?

Internationally speaking, the market is so vast – you get many different expressions of wine trends and really, today, all the well-known varieties (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) have a strong presence. In Europe for some time, there has been a resurgence in many of the

What is the most important thing that you think people should know about wine?

Particularly for more casual wine drinkers who enjoy it simply as a pleasure, I’d like to encourage people to use wine awards and medals as a starting point – an invitation to try a new wine and learn how a wine is a great example of its style, but don’t be afraid to form your own opinions. For real wine enthusiasts, or those on the cusp, work to understand the cultural drivers of the wines you enjoy and how they were made.

About the New World Wine Awards A panel of 17 independent judges, including wine experts, winemakers and wine scientists – all with extensive judging experience in New Zealand and overseas evaluate more than 1,400 wines across a range of varietals and styles over three days of judging. The Top 50 scoring wines earning nationwide distribution through 135 New World stores. For more information, visit www.newworld.co.nz/wine-andbeer/2018-wine-awards-competition/ FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - AUGUST 2018

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[ tasting notes ]

Red blends Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. He is a Senior Lecturer at AUT University in Auckland, local and international wine judge, wine commentator and wine educator as well as speaker and presenter in New Zealand and internationally.

Cameron is also an examiner with the Court of Master Sommeliers Worldwide. He writes the wine lists for a variety of establishments including Mekong Baby, Nanam Republic and Michelin Starred New York establishment The Musket Room.

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Red wine drinkers can be very particular about the variety or style they prefer. Those who like Pinot Noir, for example, have a passion for the subtle and sometimes mysterious scents of minerality, light red fruits and deep core of complexity. Others can prefer wines from a particular place, like Italy, France, Chile or Australia. There is also the group of drinkers who prefer full-bodied or oaky wines, dark red fruit flavours or peppery wines. The list can be extensive and finding the right wine for your customer is part of the challenge and enjoyment of the job we do.

Red wines are either single variety expressions or blends. The blended red wine category contains a significant number of options. Classic red blends include the wine style made famous by the Bordelais of France – referred to as the ‘Bordeaux Blend’. These are wines based around the combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc sometimes in the blend or using all these varieties.

This classic combination - the Bordeaux Blend - has been emulated around the world where

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growing conditions allow for the same varieties and wine styles to be produced. New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the Americas are well known places.

A growing number of producers do not use the phrase ‘Bordeaux Blend’ to describe their wines, preferring the term ‘red blend’ or just branding.

In New Zealand, for example, Te Mata Estate’s ‘Coleraine’ and ‘Awatea’ wines are well known red blends. Craggy Range’s ‘Sophia’ and Ata Rangi’s ‘Celebre’ are red blends as well.

Italy’s red wines are nearly always blended with Chianti, Valpollicella, Amarone and the Super Tuscan wines well known red blends. Australia and the USA too are well known for their highly sought after red blend wines.

The key characteristics of red blends often centre around a full-bodied texture with rich dark red fruit flavours, abundant textured tannins and vibrant acidity and often noticeable oak. These attributes make the wine ideal for pairing with foods rich in flavour and protein, green veges, like spinach and even olives and cream-based sauces pair well.

[ tasting notes ]

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ASKERNE RESERVE HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT/CABERNET FRANC/ CABERNET SAUVIGNON/MALBEC 2016 Quite a complex bouquet with layers of toasty oak, blackberry and baked plum, dark cherry and dark baking spices with licorice, clove, vanilla then new leather. Full-bodied, rich in fruit, oak and power. Tannins are bold, toasty and abundant. Acidity is fresh and medium+ in power. A lovely wine with a long finish. Drink now and through 2026.

Decanting recommended.

Points 94 RRP $31.90 Distributor: Co Pilot Phone: (09) 412 9137 www.askernewines.co.nz

2

MISSION ESTATE HAWKE’S BAY JEWELSTONE ANTOINE 2015 Lovely bouquet with strong messages of fruit, oak and complexity. Darker fruit flavours with blackberry, dark plum and wild forest berries, then violets and dark oak spices. Dry with fine dusty and chalky tannins, plenty of acidity and a long, complex and tasty finish. Decant for service with best drinking from 2021 through 2028.

Points 93 RRP $50.00 Distributor: Mission Estate Winery Phone: (06) 845 9350 www.missionestate.co.nz

3

TE AWA SINGLE ESTATE HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT/CABERNET SAUVIGNON Toasty, smoky and loaded with aromas of dark berries, violets and wood spices; complex and alluring. Lush and layered on the palate with dark berry and toasty oak flavours, firm abundant tannins and plenty of acidity adding texture and finesse as well as youthful charm. Lengthy finish and very well made. Decant for service. Best drinking from 2022 through 2030.

Points 92 RRP $29.99 Distributor: Villa Maria Phone: (09) 255 0697 www.teawacollection.com

4

VIDAL RESERVE HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 Intriguing, perfumed and fruity bouquet with aromas of plum, blackberry, some new leather and sweet dried herb charm. Fruity,

weighty and juicy on the palate with layers of fine tannins and fresh acid line. A lighter, smoky oak and brown wood-spice layered in.

Dry and quite lengthy on the finish, balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2026.

Points 90 RRP $24.99 Distributor: Villa Maria Phone: (09) 255 0697 www.vidal.co.nz

5

TRIBUTE HAWKE’S BAY MERLOT/ MALBEC 2016 Bright, fresh and youthful bouquet with red and dark cherry, plums and floral aroma moments. Dry, fresh, lush and fruity with flavours of plums and red berries, fine tannins and abundant acidity with a light herb and dry stone layer. Balanced and well made. Drink now and through 2022.

Points 87 RRP $40.00 Distributor: Soljans Estate Winery Phone: (09) 412 5858 www.soljans.co.nz Wines are scored out of 100 points and are listed in no particular order. Numbers are not indicative of a ranking.

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CONTACT YOUR GIESEN GROUP REPRESENTATIVE OR PHONE 03 344 6270

[ on shelf ]

TAKE YOUR PICK… This month’s must-try classics and new releases.

Juno Gin Four Seasons In One Box Juno Gin entered New Zealand’s premium gin scene in 2017 with their signature Extra Fine Gin. On top of this awardwinning gin, the Taranaki distillery also crafts a new gin every season, capturing unique aspects of that season and its locally sourced botanicals. Last spring featured limes, lemon verbena and gorse flower; summer, bergamot oranges and angelica; autumn, black fruits and thyme; and winter, chillies.

Now you can grab a year’s worth of Juno seasonals with their Four Seasons In One Box pack. Four seasons in one day anyone?

RRP $159.00 (4x200ml) Contact admin@junogin.co.nz www.junogin.co.nz

Speight’s Summit Ultra 24 Pack Speights Summer Ultra low carb lager is now available in a 24 pack. At 4.2% ABV, Ultra is brewed for longer, resulting in a full-flavoured lager with 75% less carbs.

Easy drinking and smooth, Summit Ultra has a slightly malty flavour and fruity aroma and is a great match for fresh seafood and spicy dishes.

RRP $40.00 www.speights.co.nz

Batched Cocktails Espresso Martini

JiuJiu Vodka

Handcrafted in New Zealand with organic Fairtrade coffee beans.

Carefully cold brewed over three days and rewards patience with a condensed flavour that is smooth and indulgent.

Hints of chocolate and hazelnut undertones.

A product to save time, to speak of quality and to promise satisfaction with each and every sip. The final masterpiece is in your hands shake over ice, pour and enjoy.

RRP $40.00 Contact sales@batched.nz www.batched.nz

Producing award-winning vodka in Hong Kong, San Francisco and London, Golden Bay Distillery is making a big splash in the global boutique distillery industry.

JiuJiu Blue label was the distillery’s first product and is an all-natural product made from local spring water, the clearest and most arguably best tasting spring water in the world.

The Supreme is for people preferring a stronger spirit with a more robust flavour and taste.

JiuJiu Vodka Blue 40% ABV RRP $65.00 JiuJiu Vodka Supreme 50% ABV RRP $68.00 Contact sales@kiwispirits.co.nz www.kiwispiritdistillery.co.nz

Espresso Martini

by Justin Metcalf

Gran Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva

The secret to a delicious martini lies in the ingredients and that means starting with excellent coffee.

Developed by Coffee Experts, Justin Metcalf World Barista Judge™ Espresso Martini is designed to retain a crisp and bright espresso flavour and perfectly blended with vodka and a coffee liqueur.

The base is a cold brew coffee, ground coffee steeped in chilled filtered to extract the bittersweet coffee flavours.

RRP $14.99 300ml Glass Bottle (Martini for 2) Contact luxebrewnz@gmail.com www.espressomartini.co.nz

A fresh and elegant sparkling Cava, Gran Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva is made from three traditional Spanish grape varieties from the Catalonian region in Spain and is pale yellow in colour with golden glints. Made using the traditional method with carefully selected Xarello, Parellada and Macabeo grapes, the resulting wine has complex aromas of white fruit and a round elegant palate and is perfect on its own or matched with fish, shellfish and Mediterranean-style dishes.

RRP $26.99 www.campoviejo.com FMCG BUSINESS: THE SHOUT - AUGUST 2018

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NEW ZEALAND’S MOST UNUSUAL BEERS Garage Project

Brewers are incredibly creative people and, while the vast majority of their time is spent brewing with malt, yeast and hops, sometimes they yearn to find out what a beer made with coffee, bourbon, horopito or even corn flakes tastes like.

So they make them. Beer writer Neil Miller chooses five of the strangest Kiwi beers around (plus a few honourable mentions).

Wigram Spruce Beer

Neil Miller is an awardwinning beer writer. To contact Neil regarding beer features or samples, please email him at beerlytweeting@gmail.com

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The top of my list is not some modern invention brewed with moustache wax, irony and kale. It is actually based on the recipe for the very first beer ever brewed in this country. That glorious event occurred on Saturday, 27 March, 1773 on a beach in the picturesque Dusky Sounds. We know this historical fact because the brewer, none other than Captain James Cook himself, meticulously recorded the ingredients and brewing process in his journal.

Brewing in that era was a serious business because it helped to ward off scurvy on long voyages. As such, it was often a duty for the Captain, not the cabin boy. This first brew had to be improvised using local ingredients as the now traditional hops would not reach these shores until the settlers

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later brought them their native lands. In addition to molasses for sweetness, Cook used native Manuka and Rimu tree needles and bark for flavour. The resulting brew is often referred to as a ‘Spruce Beer’.

The Wigram Spruce Beer is pretty true to the original recipe and, as such, is a shock to modern palates. It has notes of strong spice, sweet molasses and more than a hint of cheap sherry. The hops we expect these days are completely absent, so there is no bitterness. No doubt it is a polarising beer but it is a taste of history and often appeals to non-traditional beer drinkers because it is so different to modern brews.

I recommend sharing a bottle with an adventurous friend or two.

Mussel Inn Captain Cooker Amazingly, the second strange beer on my list also draws on the legacy of Captain Cook but gives it a far more modern twist.

[ beer feature ] Using Manuka tips, Mussel Inn Captain Cooker positively croons with notes of with notes of ginger, Turkish delight and rose water. It is beer crossed with dessert, and has delighted fans across New Zealand and around the world as being totally Kiwi.

When asked by international writers about what they should try when over here, Captain Cooker is always near the top of my list. It is served fresh on tap at the gorgeous and environmentally friendly Mussel Inn in Golden bay, and a contract brewed bottled version is available for those of us unfortunate enough to live in that lovely place. While often paired with perfumed puddings, chef Martin Bosley loved the beer with slow cooked lamb shoulder with pomegranate molasses.

It made quite the surprise match, which is probably why he is a superb chef and I’m a beer writer.

Garage Project Wabi Sabi Sour Third place goes to Garage Project, the mad scientists of current craft brewing.

Honestly, they could have at least 30 beers on this list as their ingredients have included (but are no means limited to) wine, chili, lemongrass, raspberry and tomato (in the same beer), cacti, mint, and cinnamon and Cascara, the dried ‘cherry’ that surrounds the coffee bean (both in the same beer again).

My vote – just barely – goes to Garage Project Wabi Sabi Sour because it taught me about a new fruit and I liked the beer. I was also a bit terrified of it. Starting with a pretty standard strong golden beer, the brewers have then soured it by adding multiple strains of semi-wild yeasts and bacteria which bring in funky, barnyard notes.

However, that is not enough for them, so the brew is then conditioned on Yuzu, an exotic Japanese citrus fruit, and honey dew

melon to round things out. Garage Project considers Yuzu to be “the world’s best citrus fruit”. Yuzu is critical to creating what they call the beer’s “flawed beauty - the way imperfection can make an object more compelling”. When I first drank this beer I didn’t know whether to kiss it or hide in the cupboard. I still don’t.

Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta Tea Leaf IPA In fourth place is a brew which established a tea beer trend in New Zealand. The Yeastie Boys, seemingly provoked by the profusion of coffee beers at the time, decided to make a beer which featured tea.

Not just any tea, of course.

They visited a Wellington boutique tea shop and tried dozens of teas before selecting Earl Grey Blue Flower for the brewing kettle.

In Yeastie Boys Gunnamatta Tea Leaf IPA there notes of tea and tannin steeped over a fruity, fat body and long, bitter finish. It was an instant cult favourite and inspired several imitations which never matched the original. For those of us who are not big fans of tea, particularly in our pints, there is a smaller, toned down version called Minimatta. For me, it is more balanced and has less tannin flavours.

Obviously then, Minimatta is not going to make this list of strange beers.

Aotearoa Breweries Mata Taniwha Finally, there is much beloved and much missed Mata Taniwha from Aotearoa Breweries. This proud provincial brewery

recently relocated to mighty Whakatane, though the beers are available nationally. Sadly, not this special smoked ale, at least for the moment.

This is an indigenous classic with a proper hangi pit used to cook malted barley, sweet kumara and potatoes which all end up in the beer. The result is savoury (bacon) and sweet (figs). Brewer Tammy Viitakangas has confirmed she plans to make this beer again soon and also exclusively revealed to us that they are working on ale which contains cola.

Sadly, it is the spice rather than the soft drink this time round.

Honourable mentions •C hallenged to make a beer with a classic Kiwi ingredient for a festival, Three Boys threw in some lollies and the famous Pineapple Lump Porter was created.

•F aced with the same criteria years later, Fork Brewery chucked in ice blocks and Farmhouse Du Fru Ju came into being.

• I was involved in the brewing of an 11% Imperial Pilsner which featured cornflakes.

Kereru AT-AT Pilsner is still commercially available years later, though I suspect it now features far less breakfast cereal.

Please note that every beer in this article really was a thing and some became very successful things – there can be beauty in strangeness.

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