Investor takes chunk of craft brewer

Tuatara Brewing, the Wellington region craft brewer has a new investor. Investment company, Rangatira has purchased a 35% stake in Tuatara for an undisclosed price.

Dairy prices rise again

Prices at the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction held by Fonterra overnight, rose for the first time in four auctions, up 1.1% to US$4598/tonne over the previous event two weeks ago.

Online wine buyers spend more

Delegates at Vinexpo 2013, which opened in Bordeaux France last weekend, have been told of research that finds online wine buyers are prepared to spend €14 more per bottle than shoppers at regular retail outlets. The data was released at “The Future of Online Sales” seminar held on Tuesday morning (June 18).

Kiwi lemons making a mark in USA

US produce distributor, Giumarra is confident that the high quality of the latest Meyer lemon crop in New Zealand will continue its success in the American market.

Judges for Nestlé Toque d’Or announced

The judges have been announced for this year’s top student culinary competition – Nestlé Toque d’Or – and the line-up includes some impressive new faces plus returning personalities.

Keith’s Take: Fish for the future

I had a disagreement with the chef of a leading Auckland seafood restaurant recently, over the now headline matter of the state of the snapper resource. In spite of being listed by both Greenpeace and the Forest and Bird Society as a ‘Red List’ species, the chef argued that his fishing industry contacts claimed that they had never caught so much snapper, so there was no problem with the species.

Water quality significantly reduced by pesticides

Widely used pesticides have been identified in a new study as a serious challenge to water quality and biodiversity of aquatic environments. Data from research in Germany, France and Australia shows a reduction of biodiversity of as much as 42% in trial environments.

Foley bullish over US wine market

Foley Family Wines head, Bill Foley, who has become a major participant in the New Zealand wine market with his purchases of wineries and vineyards in Martinborough and Marlborough, has expressed his faith in the US market for sales of high-end wine brands.

Consolidation pressuring small growers

Horticulture New Zealand has noted that the focus of lowest cost production across the pip fruit and kiwifruit sectors is pressuring small orchardists. The situation was highlighted by the recently released Coriolis Research report on the fresh food sector, which identified rising costs for orchardists and a decline in the number of growers.

Cork launches screwcap alternative

The two global leaders in wine packaging, Amorim and O-I, today announced at Vinexpo in Bordeaux the launch of HELIX, an innovative cork-glass wine packaging solution for the popular premium, fast turnaround still wine segment.

Pizza and vino on the menu at Takapuna’s Blunderbuss

A new Takapuna eatery is serving up a little slice of Italy.

Food prices fell slightly in May year

New Zealand’s retail food price index fell 0.1% in the 12 months to the end of May. This follows a monthly increase of 0.3% according to Statistics New Zealand.