03/05/2018
Take your tastebuds to the Coromandel at the Auckland Food Show
Homegrown Coromandel food producers will return to the Food Show in Auckland in July, showcasing the quality and
diversity of artisan food products made right here on the Coromandel.
Our Council is right behind our producers again this year, creating the Coromandel Food Collective exhibition space
within the show's 'Artisan Village' for handmade, high-quality goods.
The five exhibitors representing the Coromandel Food Collective network are: 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.
The Food Show runs over four days from July 26 to 29 at the Auckland Show Grounds, where more than 35,000 people are expected to
visit to keep up with the latest trends in food, stock up on premium, innovative ingredients and to learn to cook like a
celebrity chef at home.
Our economic development and communications group manager Laurna White says food is becoming more and more important for
tourism across the district.
"We are excited to be back at the Food Show giving people a chance to taste and buy what's on offer in the Coromandel,
and to have Mercury Bay Creamery join us with its range of premium cheeses this year," Mrs White says.
"The show is a wonderful opportunity for local producers to get their products known further afield and in front of
chefs and media buyers, and to raise Coromandel's profile as the pantry of artisan and locally-grown organic produce."
Our council created the Coromandel Food Collective network of niche food producers on the Coromandel and supports the
collective at the Food Show as part of our economic development strategy.
Find out more about the work of the Coromandel Food Collective in our Coromandel Food Trail Guide - one of the most popular downloaded items from our website.
You can read more about the fine foods from the land and sea, which put the Coromandel on the map, at the Eat New
Zealand website here
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
About the Food Show
The Food Show in Auckland is on from Thursday July 26 to Sunday July 29.
Early-bird tickets start at $20 for adults, $15 for children ages 6-12, and children under 5 are free. Check. Tickets
are on sale now so book early online at www.foodshow.co.nz
ends