Coromandel Food Collective open for business at the Food Show

The Coromandel Food Collective is open for business at the Auckland Food Show, showcasing the quality and diversity of artisan food products made right here on the Coromandel.

Up to 4000 people came through the doors at the ASB Auckland Showgrounds at yesterday's VIP preview day, which gave five home grown food producers a chance to showcase their products to trade buyers, chefs and media.
Today, the show begins in earnest, with more 30,000 people expected to attend over the next three days.

This year, the Coromandel Food Collective is represented by: Thames Valley Bacon, Omahu Valley Citrus Products, Mercury Bay Creamery, Chocolates Are Us and Castle Rock Café. You can read more about each exhibitor below.
Our Council supports the Food Collective at the show - the biggest food show in the country - creating the exhibition space within the show's 'Artisan Village' as part of our economic development strategy.

This year our stand, in hall one, has a coastal theme with toi tois, wood, greenery and rustic, natural items that tie in with the theme of the businesses exhibiting with us.

Mercury Bay Creamery has joined the collective at the show for the first time this year, and owner Carl Storey says the feedback on his premium cheeses was fantastic.

"It's good to get our name out there and it helps people recognise our label and our name," Carl says.

Carl says he believes the show provides opportunities to explore new markets for his Whitianga-made cheeses.

Our council's economic development and communications group manager Laurna White says bringing homegrown food producers to the Food Show has also proven to be a great way to promote the Coromandel as a food destination.

"Food is becoming more and more important for tourism across our district. Increasingly, as people learn about the great, homegrown, fresh artisan products produced right here, it's becoming another strong reason for people to visit us," Laurna says.

The Coromandel Food Collective
This year's Coromandel Food Collective exhibitors come from across the Coromandel. They are:

Omahu Valley Citrus Products
Omahu Valley Citrus is an artisan maker of award-winning citrus products, marmalades, chutneys, cordials and more. Recently, a jar of Omahu Valley's lemon and ginger marmelade was included in the gift hamper sent to the Queen by Prime Minsiter Jacinda Adern. All products are preservative-free and made from citrus fruit grown in their own orchards near Puriri. You'll also find Omahu Valley Citrus at the Thames Market in Grahamstown on a Saturday morning and the products in several other outlets around New Zealand.
www.omahuvalleycitrus.co.nz
Thames Valley Bacon
Thames Valley Bacon specialises in Manuka-smoked bacons, hams, salamis and their own shop recipe sausages with gluten free options, as well as Christmas hams cured, smoked and cooked to perfection. The Matatoki-based business was the overall winner of the 2016 NZ Bacon awards.
www.thamesvalleybacon.co.nz

Mercury Bay Creamery
Mercury Bay Creamery hand-crafts its organic, artisan cheeses from its own milk supply. Visit the shop, just 1km from the Whitianga township, and you can look through a large viewing window to see the cheeses being made, including camembert, brie, merlot's, manchegos, feta and butter kaze. Cheese tastings are available Thursday to Sunday.
www.mercurybaycreamery.co.nz

Castle Rock Café
Down the road from Whangapoua and the famous New Chums Beach, Castle Rock produces an assortment of dressings and chutneys all made with New Zealand fruit. Try their new tamarillo and cinnamon dressing that's being launched at the show, or their hot chilli lime chutney is a particular favourite and, just like all of Castle Rock Cafe products, is packed with flavour, is gluten and preservative-free.
www.castlerockcafe.co.nz
Chocolates Are Us
Whitianga-based Chocolates Are Us specialises in hand-made chocolates customised with messages or logos for promotions or events. At the show this year the team will be showcasing its small-batch confectionary range, including the best-selling cashew nut brittle with sea salt and the classic coconut rough. See the full range of memorable chocolates created by the Chocolates Are Us at the website below:
www.chocolatesareus.co.nz

Win a 'food for your soul' weekend on the Coromandel
We're offering food lovers the chance to win a dream food tour of The Coromandel, taking in some of our finest foods from the land and sea over a custom-made weekend.
To enter, simply sign up to Destination Coromandel's online newsletter, which you can do here: The competition closes at midnight on Sunday, July 29.

© Scoop Media