Latest News

See us at Fine Food 2010, Auckland Showgrounds

April 30th, 2010

We’re looking for our biggest fan to help us present MyRecipes at Fine Food this year!

We’ll be presenting some pretty ground breaking new features which will truly make MyRecipes the easiest and faster ever way to cost a recipe! Drop me a line if you’re interested!

Look out for the gluten free section at the show also! Companies exhibiting include Ceres Organics, Golden Goose Foods Ltd, Aitken Products, Spiral Foods, and Matakana Superfoods.

Latest fruit and vegetable market trends

April 30th, 2010

It definitely feels like winter is not far away with the finish of the stone fruit season!

Kiwifruit - greater volume available. Price dropping as a result.
Tamarillos – price easing as they come into season.
Feijoas – now plentiful in supply and price easing
NZ garlic – significant increase in price due to weather
Satsuma mandarins – North Island supply coming into season
Cherry tomatoes on vine – coming into season now
Rock and honeydew melons – end of the local season

Food prices increase 0.3%

April 30th, 2010

From March 2009 to March 2010 food prices increased 0.3%, the lowest annual increase since the year to July 2004, when prices fell 0.1%. Although food prices are now 0.3% higher than a year ago, they are 9% higher than two years ago.

Meat, poultry, and fish prices increase 1%

April 30th, 2010

Prices for meat, poultry, and fish increased 1% in March 2010, following a decrease of 2% in February 2010 and an increase of 3% in January 2010.

The most significant increases came from porterhouse/sirloin steak (up 17%) and fresh chicken (up 5%). Porterhouse/sirloin steak prices rebounded from February when extensive discounting led to a 17% fall. However, porterhouse/sirloin steak prices are still down 3% from their January 2010 levels, a key contributor to the increase in the food price index for March 2010.

Fruit and vegetables prices fall 2%

April 30th, 2010

Prices for fruit and vegetables fell 2% in March 2010, following a decrease of 3.5% in February 2010 and an increase of 5% in January 2010. In March 2010, vegetable prices fell 2%, while fruit prices fell 1.6%.

The most significant decreases came from lower prices for apples (down 20%), kumara (down 21%), and grapes (down 26%). Apple prices typically fall by about 20% in February (27% in February 2010) and by a further 20% in March, as the new season’s crop becomes more widely available.

The most significant increases came from higher prices for lettuce (up 21%) and broccoli (up 30%).

Potential food labelling requirements for restaurants

April 30th, 2010

As you may already be aware, this is being considered by the NZ Food Regulation Ministerial Council.

The council notes an interest from consumers wanting the availability of ingredients and nutrition information in regard to food allergies and special diets. If you currently use MyRecipes, you will have noticed our nutrition labels we launched a few months ago.

While these are handy if you’re packaging products for sale, how would you feel about offering them to diners on request? Have your say by speaking to the NZ Food Regulation Ministerial Council before 14 May.

How to cater for gluten free diets

April 30th, 2010

I’ve just got back from the Fine Food Queensland show and was horrified at one of the seminars I attended. The question was asked what these well known restaurants/ clubs have on their menus to cater for gluten free diners. The first response was that every gluten free item had been removed as they weren’t being ordered frequently enough. “We weren’t making enough money from them and food was being thrown out”. The second response was the same.

I could not believe I was hearing this! Do we look upon gluten free diets in the same way in NZ? I believe that the market is not big enough to segregate such a large proportion like this and that everyone should be catered for.

What is gluten free?

Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley, oats, rye and triticale. Wheat is the most commonly used gluten containing grain in New Zealand, but wheat has separate proteins of its own that may cause allergy.

Coeliac disease (gluten intolerance) is a condition where the absorptive surface of the gut is damaged by a component of gluten. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder, and occurs where there is a genetic susceptibility. Treatment of coeliac disease involves the life long removal of all gluten from the diet.

MyRecipes displays gluten free icons alongside every item which fits this criteria making it easy to cater for this intolerance. The gluten free label indicates that no gluten is contained in any of the ingredients in the product/s indicated. Feel free to use these labels on your menus.

Retail sales up, food prices down

March 26th, 2010

The news is good for food service in NZ! Statistics NZ have just confirmed that retail sales rose 0.8% in January ($42 million) and that food prices decreased 1%. With the Rugby world cup just around the corner things are looking better by the day.

In February 2010 compared with January 2010:

* Fruit and vegetable prices fell 3.5%
* Meat, poultry, and fish prices fell 2.4%
* Dry good prices fell 0.8%
* Non-alcoholic beverage prices fell 1.9%
* Restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food prices remained unchanged

Fruit and vegetables prices fall

March 26th, 2010

Prices for fruit and vegetable fell 3.5% in February 2010, following increases of 5% and 2% in January 2010 and December 2009, respectively. In February 2010, fruit prices fell 4%, while vegetable prices fell 3%.

The most significant decreases came from apples (down 27%) and potatoes (down 11%). Apple prices typically fall by at least 20% in the month of February, as the new season’s crop becomes more widely available. The most significant increases came from tomatoes (up 12%) and strawberries (up 36%).

For the year to February 2010, fruit and vegetable prices decreased 2%. Annual falls for fruit and vegetable prices have been recorded for the past seven months. The most significant decreases came from lower prices for potatoes (down 20%) and kiwifruit (down 31%). These decreases were partly offset by higher prices for tomatoes (up 31%).

Now In Season:

March 26th, 2010

Feijoas are finally here!
Quince
Best Buys:
Oranges, apples – pacific beauty, cucumber, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, onions
Rock melon is now being imported as local supply is finished
Imported new season asparagus now available
Last of the season spring carrots
Broad leaf rocket is becoming scarce