ANZ and the Ministry for Primary Industries have released a report on NZ’s food and agri sector that highlights the still relatively untapped opportunities for farmers, artisan food producers and tourism operators getting together for a market keen to sample local cuisine served with a story behind it.
The report speaks of a tourist sector Italians, Spaniards and the French have long recognised.
But those established food destinations also have the benefit of many generations developing their food culture and serving a market with significantly shorter haul visitor distances to contend with.
The report highlights the potential for NZ’s 3.8 million tourists to be brand ambassadors for NZ food and beverage products.
It points to survey results showing 83% of travellers visiting NZ believe seeing the foods and drinks they consumed here on the shelf at home reminds them of their trips and prompts a purchase.
The power of good food and beverage benefiting the tourism sector is also recognised, with the same percentage agreeing a positive food and drink experience makes them more likely to recommend the destination.
Yet the report also highlights a level of disconnect between NZ’s quality food and beverage products and what visitors expect.
NZ ranks low as a food and beverage destination internationally, with more than 60% of respondents having a neutral view on our suitability for such visits.
That neutral impression is strongest among American visitors, at 62%, compared to 45% for Chinese.
Of those who do regard NZ as a food destination, 30% regard it positively and only 10% negatively.
In contrast Italy and France have only 15-20% of visitors with neutral expectations and the remaining 80% have a positive impression.
ANZ central region commercial and agri manager John Bennett said despite the neutral vacuum there is still plenty of potential.
“It is not as if we are doing anything particularly badly.
“It is just that the perception of being a destination for food and drink is not as strong as it could be and that’s the opportunity.”
Tourism Council chief executive Judy Chen said the niche of food travellers has developed rapidly in the past five years.
But she suspects part of the reason NZ still has to firm up its identity in the niche comes from this country’s cuisine being difficult to pinpoint.
“It’s not just hangi and it’s not just fish and chips.
“It is varied but we also face a balancing act between using quality ingredients but also trying to introduce the stronger flavours Asian palates, in particular, may expect. Their interpretation of salty and spicy could do with some more understanding.
“It can be a challenge though – how do you engage with over 50% of Chinese tour groups that choose to eat in a Chinese restaurant and then complain the food there is not as good as at home?”
She agrees there is plenty of room for greater collaboration between the farming and tourism sectors.
Still new to her position, she hopes to engage more with a sector that generally stands to gain a lot from incorporating tourism into its income stream.
Meantime, interest in the farming sector that produces many of the food products is very strong among tourists.
Over half Chinese tourists coming to NZ will visit a farm or orchard, enjoying the chance to engage directly with the people and places growing food they are becoming more familiar with.
“It could be there is the opportunity there for better collaboration between tourism and farming, working together for a food experience.
“What we do see is those farmers who manage to combine their farm business with tourism and food play a big part in also getting tourists off the usual busy tourist routes, offering quite a different experience.”
And the value in joining the two offers returns that can reverberate for years to come.
Over 60% of tourists buy products at home they first bought on their trip and, importantly, NZ’s three biggest tourism markets, China, the United States and Australia are also our three biggest export markets.
Almost 80% of foodie tourists like to take food and drink to enjoy at home, particularly Gen X and Millennial tourists.
“These are also the same tourists who are looking for that new-world type food experience who may also be seeking a sustainable, grass-fed type food product and are prepared to pay to come here and enjoy it.”
