Coromandel food producers, businesses meet for Food Forum

Coromandel food producers and businesses are invited to join their peers at the Coromandel Food Forum on December 3.

The 2019 Coromandel Food Trail Guide will be launched at the event, where the burgeoning food industry will gather to network, hear from guest speakers and be inspired by opportunities to promote the Coromandel brand around food.

This year’s forum is being hosted by the Pepper Tree Restaurant and Bar in Coromandel Town and is being organised by Thames Coromandel District Council as part of the Coromandel Food Collective initiative.

“Local and homegrown food is an important part of the Coromandel economy, with mussel farms, organic grower and artisan producers among those helping to establish our district as the pantry of artisan and locally-grown food products,” says Council’s economic development and communications group manager Laurna White.

“There’s a huge amount of value in sharing ideas on common issues that our food businesses face. This event allows our producers to get together and discuss some of their success stories and challenges, and share knowledge and ideas,” Laurna says.

Guest speakers include:

• Jan Bilton - Former editor of The Foodtown Magazine, newspaper food colunnist and author of 27 cookbooks. Jan's most recent book, Taste Waikato, sees her well versed in Coromandel fare and she will talk about what we're good at and what we can do better as an industry. 
• Rebecca Lyon - Ministry for Primary Industries regional economic development manager.  Rebecca will explain the Ministry's new Sustainable Food and Fibres Fund set up to support projects that will create more value from those industries. She will also talk about food health and safety and how to meet compliance and regulation processes. 
• Julian Acraman - Coromandel area advisor for industry training organisation Service IQ. Julian will talk about how to deal with seasonality when hiring hospitality staff, along with the avenues for training to be a great chef, bar manager, barista, waiter or maitre d'.

Council staff and food and hospitality industry experts will also be on hand to provide advice and guidance on a range of issues such as health, safety and compliance.

The first Coromandel Food Forum was held in Tairua last year and was attended by more than 60 food producers, café and restaurant owners, craft beer brewers, winemakers and industry experts.

If you are interested in attending the Food Forum on Monday, December 3 please email marlene.perry@tcdc.govt.nz/

New-look Coromandel Food Trail Guide for 2019

Forum guests will be the first to receive the 2019 edition of the Coromandel Food Collective’s Food Trail guide.

The guide showcases the Coromandel’s appeal as a destination for lovers of artisan beer, homegrown seafood, tantalising condiments and specialty food. The guide will be available for visitors to pick up from I-sites, information centres and Council offices, and for download at www.tcdc.govt.nz/foodtrail

"Food is becoming more and more important for tourism across our district", Laurna says.

“As food lovers learn about the great, home-grown, fresh, artisan products produced right here, it’s becoming another reason for people to visit us."

Thames Coromandel District Council created the Coromandel Food Collective network of niche food producers and supports the collective at the annual Food Show in Auckland as part of our economic development strategy.

The five members representing the collective at this year's Food Show, showcasing the quality of artisan food products made here on the Coromandel were: Thames Valley Bacon, Omahu Valley Citrus Products, Mercury Bay Creamery, Castle Rock Café and Chocolates are Us.