Taking homegrown Coromandel to the Food Show

Taking homegrown Coromandel to the Food Show

The front yard of an iconic Coromandel bach will set the scene for our artisan food producers when the Coromandel Food Collective takes its stand again at the Auckland Food Show from 28 July.

The Auckland Food Show is the highlight on any foodie’s calendar as the jam-packed four days fromJuly 28-31 and provides the best opportunity to stock up on premium ingredients and equipment, keep up with the latest trends in food and learn to cook like a star at home.

"As part of the event our Council has updated its "Coromandel Food Trail Guide," which will be handed out at the show. There is an expected audience of 35,000 people over the four days including international and national media, the food, beverage and hospitality industry and the general public," says Laurna White, Council's Communications and Marketing Manager.

Six local food producers have contributed financially to the promotion and marketing material and to be part of the stand, which is subsidised by our Council as part of its Economic Development strategy. They are:

Hot Water Brewing Co.
Coromandel Flavour (Deb Hide-Bayne)
Omahu Valley Citrus
Wilderland Trust
Blackbeard Smokehouse
Castle Rock Café

The stand will feature a bach scene as the backdrop for these six exhibitors selling craft beer, marinated Coromandel mussels and chowder, award winning marmalade, chutneys, dressings and more. The idea is that visitors will get the sense of walking into the front yard of a bach, and be able to talk to exhibitors, taste and buy their wares, and pick up a copy of the TCDC Food Trail Guide from Council staff who will be on-hand to promote the district as a foodie destination.

"The Food Show is a fantastic way to showcase our local homegrown businesses and so if you're planning a trip to Auckland over those four days, come and visit us," says Mrs White.

With only a month to go before the show, Coromandel Food Collective exhibitors Hot Water Brewing Co. and Omahu Valley Citrus both recently won international awards for their products, which will be on sale and available for tastings at the Q5 stand as part of the Artisan Village in Hall 1.

“We are thrilled about this year’s awards from The Worlds Original Marmalade competition, with a Silver award for our Lime Marmalade and a Bronze for our Lemon and Ginger Marmalade,” says Caroline Marriott who will be selling her range produced from homegrown citrus on their orchard near Puriri. “We are currently working on a few new products, trialling an exciting variation of Mandarin Marmalade and creating a Feijoa and Citrus Jam. Our label is also having a gentle modernisation. So there is plenty to look out for in the near future.”

Hot Water Brewing Co. brewery in Whenuakite was among gold-winning breweries at the 2016 Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne, the world’s largest annual beer competition for packaged and draft beer with a record 1793 beers from 326 breweries across 36 countries entered in this year’s event.

“Hot Water Brewing Co has consistently won medals over the three years of being in the business, so we are happy to maintain a standard of great quality beer,” says Manager Jen Walker. “We also won silver for both the Barley Wine and Porter.”

Meanwhile the show has come at a great time for Blackbeard Smokehouse owner Renee Brown Douglas, who is expanding and growing her company’s Auckland market with her range of delectable marinated Coromandel mussels.

“We have more and more shops and supermarket chains that are creating upmarket outlets in certain areas where people can afford to buy nice quality artisan food. The trend toward healthier food and healthier eating and the whole shopping experience is changing,” says Renee. “Instead of having that big supermarket with wide aisles, there is a trend toward smaller market style shops with well-presented, quality food from artisan producers like us.”

Renee will be selling her Blackbeard mussels as well as launching a yummy gluten and dairy free smoked mussel chowder that will be available for sale on a first-in, first-served basis at the show.

www.foodshow.co.nz

© Scoop Media