Succulent beef, flavourful cold-water lobster and irresistible ice cream are just some of the high quality ingredients coming straight from the shores of New Zealand direct to the UAE’s hotels, retail outlets and restaurants. 

To celebrate New Zealand’s wealth of first-class ingredients and growing presence in the UAE professional food industry, an exclusive event, ‘Taste New Zealand’ is being held on Wednesday, 23 February at The Address Downtown Dubai. Organized by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), the New Zealand Government's economic development agency, the initiative sees New Zealand companies showcasing their finest food and drink to the region’s food and beverage (F&B) decision makers from leading hotels, airlines, restaurants and catering companies.

“New Zealand is famous for its green farmland, fresh-water lakes and abundant coastline, which allow us to cultivate arguably the widest variety and highest quality ingredients anywhere in the world,” says Wayne Mikkelsen, Consul General and New Zealand Trade Commissioner. “As a nation we export more than half our total food production so our food and beverage producers understand the high standards expected by discerning buyers in this region.”

Recent trade figures indicate that there has been more than 50 per cent growth in F&B exports from New Zealand to the UAE during 2009/2010, with the sector now accounting for 80 per cent of New Zealand’s total exports to the UAE.  Based on this increased demand for New Zealand ingredients there are now more than 75 New Zealand food & beverage (F&B) companies doing business with clients in the UAE. 

More than 20 of these companies are participating in Taste NZ, including Sealord, a global seafood enterprise, which has led the way with sustainable management of fish harvesting. The company has been present in the region for eight years and is famous for its Greenshell™ Mussels, also known as green-lipped mussels, and unique to New Zealand’s coastal waters.

ANZCO Foods, best known for its lamb and beef and its customer-driven ethos which has resulted in the company becoming one of New Zealand’s largest exporters, is also participating. Its new Angel Bay product line of gourmet burgers has recently launched into the hotel and catering sector.

New Zealand is also renowned as one of world’s best dairy producing nations and Killinchy Gold’s premium ice cream is one of three dairy businesses taking part in Taste NZ. The company is committed to all natural ingredients and their products are being scooped up across the Gulf in numerous top hotels and restaurants at a rapid pace.

Absolute Foods’ Kaipara Oysters™ come from the untouched, nutrient-rich waters of the Kaipara Harbour in the North Island of New Zealand. The company has been supplying this first-class ingredient to a number of the top hotels in the UAE since 2003. The chefs from The Address will be using a range of ingredients to bring out the best in these world-class oysters at the event on Wednesday.

The Fiordland Lobster Company will also be providing guests with the chance to taste the famous Fiordland Lobster - a cold water fish considered the most sweet tasting and favourful rock lobster available. The privately owned company is primarily made up of fisherman shareholders who have grown the business to one of the market leaders in the industry.

Other participants include Sea Products Limited, New Zealand King Salmon, Talley’s, Highford Marketing, Fonterra, Cowells Genuine Pavlova, Canary Butter, Organics Foods & Café, Antipodes and a number of other New Zeland beverage companies.
 
This is the third Taste NZ event to be hosted by NZTE. The first two events were held in Dubai in 2005 and 2008 with eight companies participating. This year 21 New Zealand companies are participating in Taste New Zealand.