Every year, tens of thousands of food lovers pour into the Auckland Food Show to taste the latest flavours, test new products and meet the faces behind some of Aotearoa’s most exciting food businesses. This year, as part of a dedicated stand made possible by The Kitchen Project five of our own alumni were showcased and their stalls were buzzing from the moment the doors opened.
“Supporting our food entrepreneurs to connect with real customers and industry contacts is at the heart of what we do, and the Auckland Food Show is an important platform for that,” says Connie Clarkson, manager of The Kitchen Project. “This year we hosted five entrepreneurs at the show and we will be doing the same again in 2025.”
“It is one thing to be a budding entrepreneur, but you need opportunities to actually sell your food, test your product and build your network. Being at the Food Show gives them that chance in a big way. It is about visibility, confidence and commercial traction. It is a powerful experience.”
From punchy sauces to beautifully crafted syrups, every business brought something unique to the table, the crowd of 48,000 people showed up hungry to learn, taste and support. For our entrepreneurs, it was a chance to connect with new customers, meet buyers and media, and share the food that fuels their purpose.
Here’s a look at the five businesses who brought their best.
UCHU Hot Sauce Made in NZ
Peruvian born Carolina Noble wowed the crowd with her small batch, citrusy, handcrafted hot sauce inspired by the flavours of the Amazon and the recipes of her childhood. UCHU is full of punchy Peruvian flavour, made using locally sourced rocoto chilli and loads of love. Carolina joined The Kitchen Project in 2021 to turn her food stall dreams into a consistent food service business, and her sauces are a crowd pleaser.
Mushroomate
Esperanza Reyes turned a school project with her daughter to grow mushrooms into a thriving business, and the Food Show crowd loved every bit of it. Mushroomate’s home grown oyster mushrooms are just the beginning. At the stand, Esperanza introduced visitors to new products Vegaoóng mushroom paste and Kabuté mushroom seasoning, two delicious Filipino inspired products made for everything from stir fries to spreads.
Ginger’s Pantry
Hyon Ju Yun, or Ginger as she is known, brought her bold and beautifully balanced kimchi to centre stage. Her authentic Korean fermented products are handcrafted with seasonal New Zealand produce and made using traditional techniques passed down from her mum. Ginger’s story of working in kitchens across Australia and Aotearoa, and then starting her own business with support from The Kitchen Project, struck a chord with many.
Long Dog Sauce Co
If the name doesn’t get you, the flavour will. Long Dog’s naturally fermented, vinegar free hot sauces are handmade by Tim Parsons and his wife Marcia. The chilli loving crowd at the show was all in. With a focus on flavour, fermentation and fun, Long Dog has grown from The Kitchen Project launchpad into a cult farmers market favourite.
Little Pips
Pip Malpas shared her range of refreshing fruit syrups, inspired by her mum’s lemon cordial recipe and made with fruit from local growers. From Strawberry and Rhubarb to Black Doris plum, her small batch syrups were a huge hit with mocktail lovers and home bakers alike.
This year’s Auckland Food Show was a proud moment for The Kitchen Project. We are committed to helping local food talent thrive, and seeing our alumni connect with customers and industry face to face is what it is all about.
Got a food business idea cooking? Apply now to join our next cohort.
