Chocolate dipped pretzels and almonds, tangy lemon meringue coated popcorn and crunchy dried cheese will be coming to a
plane near you, as Air New Zealand reveals its newest snack selection!
The airline has been on the hunt for the most mouth-watering treats to satisfy customers' cravings at 33,000 feet, with
400 passionate suppliers from around the country bringing their creations to the table.
Last month it put out a call for a group of snacksperts to help it make the final decision and five out of a staggering
9000 applicants were chosen as taste testers, with their feedback helping narrow down the list.
The 14 chosen suppliers and their snacks hail from regions around the country, from Canterbury, Nelson, Hawke’s Bay to
the Eastern Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
“Throughout this whole process, we’ve been amazed by the quality and calibre of suppliers, whether they’re a social
enterprise wanting to help a worthy cause, or a family run business trying to highlight the best local produce – we’ve
been extremely impressed and making a decision hasn’t been easy,” says Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer
Leanne Geraghty.
“We want to give our customers a fantastic experience from the moment they are welcomed aboard our aircraft, and that
includes having a variety of snacks to satisfy sweet tooths and savory lovers alike.”
The new snacks will be rolled out on a variety of different domestic and international routes, across various cabins,
with the first snack, Skinny Dipped Almonds and nut and chocolate blends, due to land on domestic flights in December.
These will be mixed in with some of the airline’s existing snacks that customers have told us they enjoy.
“Customer feedback has also told us that there are some existing snack options that are really popular and loved, so
we’ve also decided to keep them onboard for the next few years. The beloved cookie isn’t going anywhere, though
customers can expect to see them mix up their flavors from later next year, whether it’s pavlova or “chocolate fish n
chip”, there will be plenty of choice for customers onboard.”
Crisps are also staying on, so customers will have a huge range of tasty treats to choose over the coming months and
years.
“We know just how passionate New Zealanders are about all things snacks, so we’ve really tried to mix it up with some
unusual flavors and textures – from freeze dried cheese to lemon, white chocolate and popcorn flavor combinations, we
wanted to be a bit playful with some of the snack options.”
“We’re really excited by the snacks we’ve selected, and we hope our customers love them as much as we do!
Apart from bursting with flavour, the snacks that have been chosen had to meet key requirements, for example, options
that can be served without heating and are easy and light to transport.
“There’s been a huge amount of work behind the scenes, and we want to thank all the suppliers from around the country
who were part of our EOI process.”Air New Zealand’s new onboard snacks:Dipped almonds and nut and chocolate blends.Pea puffs real cheeseChoc wafers and trail MixSalt & vinegar chipsLemon meringue pie and feijoa cider gourmet popcorn treatsMilk chocolate coated pretzelsOat-baked squares in choc chip, chocolate brownie, raspberry white chocolate and salted caramel flavoursRich chocolate treatWhite choc coated ginger biscuitCinnamon glazed macadamiasOriginal butter cookie or choc chipCrunchy cheesePrimal barCorn puffs churro or bang bang chicken flavourAir New Zealand’s classics to stay onboard (but possibly with a twist!)CookieTime Cookie (in classic chocolate chip, but with pavlova, lollie cake, “chocolate fish n chip” flavours also in
the pipeline)FudgeCrisps (Apple Cider Vinegar and Sea Salt, Marlborough Sea Salt flavours)Bliss bites