Thursday 1 December 2011

ITS XMAS PIE TIME!

NEW PIES.
  MIKE’S CHILLI BEEF WAS LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER AND HAS BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS WITH CONSUMERS WHO JUST LOVE THAT INTENSE AND SMOKY CHILLI KICK COMBINED WITH THE CREAMY TEXTURE OF BUTTER BEANS  --  A WINNER.
AFTER SOME FINE-TUNING , WE’VE NOW RELEASED THE VEGETARIAN PIE WITH LAYERS OF SWEET POTATO , SPINACH , GOATS CHEESE AND TOPPED OFF WITH SWEET CARAMELISED SHALLOTS.  IT TAKES LONGER TO DESCRIBE THE PIE THAN TO EAT IT !  IT HAS A NICE BLEND OF QUITE SUBTLE FLAVOURS AND THIS PIE COMPLETES THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN  --  OUR RANGE OF 7 GOURMET PIES.
BUT THERE’S MORE……..WE’RE ALSO RELEASING OUR FIRST SEASONAL GUEST PIE CALLED THE XMAS PIE , ONLY FOR SALE IN DECEMBER.  IT’S A TRADITIONAL OFFERING OF TENDER TURKEY MEAT IN A RICH GRAVY WITH CRANBERRIES AND MIXED ROOT VEGETABLE MASH ON TOP , UNDER A PASTRY LID.  GET YOUR ORDERS IN NOW  --  IT’S A GREAT IDEA FOR PARTIES , BUFFETS , XMAS EVE SUPPER OR BOXING DAY LUNCH AFTER THE PUB.

LIVING NORTH.
WE ATTENDED THE LIVING NORTH XMAS FAIR IN NEWCASTLE AND HAD A GREAT 3 DAYS FLOGGING OUR PIES TO A HUNGRY PUBLIC. THE EVENT GAVE US GREAT VISIBILITY AS A LOCAL PRODUCER OF NEW ZEALAND – INSPIRED GOURMET PIES. WE WERE PLEASED TO SELL OUT MID-AFTERNOON OF THE FINAL  DAY.  A GREAT SUCCESS.
FOLLOWING THIS  , WE QUICKLY DECIDED TO TAKE A STAND AT  THE YORKSHIRE LIVING NORTH XMAS FAIR AT HAREWOOD HOUSE NEAR HARROGATE.  AS WELL AS  SATISFYING YORKSHIRE’S APPETITE FOR PROPER  PIES , WE HOPE WE HAVE SPREAD THE STORY OF NZGP MORE WIDELY , OUTSIDE OUR HOME PATCH OF NEWCASTLE  , TYNESIDE AND NORTHUMBERLAND.
MORE EVENTS , FAIRS AND FESTIVALS ARE BEING PLANNED.  THE PIES HAVE ARRIVED !!

NEW ZEALAND XMAS FAIR.
OUR RESIDENT KIWI ( JON) PACKED  A  VAN WITH PIES AND HEADED SOUTH TO THE CAPITAL , HAVING BEEN INVITED TO A KIWI TAKE ON A TRADITIONAL  XMAS  MARKET , HOSTED AT NEW ZEALAND  HOUSE ON THE CORNER OF HAYMARKET AND PALL  MALL  --  VERY POSH.  AGAIN , OUR PIES GRABBED THE HEADLINES AND A WHOLE HEAP WERE CONSUMED AS WELL AS  PURCHASED TO TAKE HOME.

ON-LINE SHOP.
OUR ON-LINE SHOP HAS BEEN UP-AND-RUNNING FOR MANY WEEKS NOW , AND OUR  CUSTOMERS SEEM TO LIKE RECEIVING FRESH PIES DELIVERED ON A FRIDAY MORNING BY OUR CARRIER.  WE’VE ALSO INTRODUCED GIFT VOUCHERS WHICH ARE REDEEMABLE AGAINST  NZGP ON-LINE PURCHASES.  WHAT A GREAT GIFT IDEA FOR THAT SPECIAL  PIE-LOVER IN YOUR LIFE !

TASTE NORTH EAST.
AS A NEWLY-FORMED LOCAL FOOD PRODUCER , WE JUST HAD TO BECOME PART OF THE TASTE NORTH EAST FAMILY AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP.  WE HAVE ALREADY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT OUR BUSINESS PLAN TO WAITROSE AT THE TNE MEET THE SUPPLIER EVENT IN NOVEMBER.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING
-- FIRST SALES AT SHEARER’S BAR FOR THE CHELSEA MATCH THIS WEEKEND
--  PROMISING SALES OF FROZEN PIES AT THE MEAT MERCHANT  IN JESMOND
--  SAMPLING AND PROMOTION AT THE MEN’S BAR , NEWCASTLE STUDENTS UNION