Revealed: The snacks gaining traction in Air NZ’s search for new on-board offerings
With less than a week left of Air New Zealand’s Great Kiwi Snack Off, the airline is revealing some of the most imaginative Aotearoa-inspired snacks suggested so far.
The nationwide search for the tastiest, most satisfying Kiwi snacks to have onboard has seen a flurry of expressions of interest from passionate foodies and boutique suppliers alike.
Unfortunately for us here at Travel Weekly Australia, our suggestion of Jacinda Jelly hasn’t made the cut.
Air New Zealand Chief Customer and Sales Officer Leanne Geraghty says the response has been amazing, and the airline is thrilled to see so many local snack providers stepping up to the plate.
“We’ve been inundated with thousands of suppliers from all corners of the country visiting our EOI and more than 250 making submissions, and we’re loving the creativity, passion and diversity that’s coming through.
“It’s clear that Kiwis are serious about their snacks and are eager to see their favourite treats onboard our flights.”
“We’d love to spill the beans on the exciting snack ideas we’ve received, but we’re keeping things under wraps for now.
“What we can say is that chips in all shapes and flavours are a hot topic, along with nutty and grainy options, and products made from locally-sourced fruits and veggies.
“High protein snacks are also whetting appetites, along with a really great response from diet diverse companies, particularly plant-based food entrepreneurs, and approaches from social enterprises working with disabled New Zealanders and those reducing food waste.”
“We dish out around 15 million snacks onboard every year, but the neat thing about the Great Kiwi Snack Off is that we are looking for snacks that cater to a wide range of tastes and dietary needs – from the mainstays on our domestic network to surprise and delight.
“We’re also committed to doing the right thing by prioritising social impact and sustainability, and celebrating some of the amazing climate-friendly options Kiwis are cooking up, along with those showcasing unique flavours from indigenous ingredients and the provenance of our regions.
“We’re excited to have discovered so many new and exciting boutique-type food and snack suppliers that we might not have come across otherwise.
“It’s great to see so many small, local businesses putting their best foot forward and putting their products on the national stage.”
With expressions of interest closing on 1 May, there is still time for local snack providers to apply and get their products onboard. New Zealand food providers should enter here: https://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/snacktastic
13 most imaginative Kiwi infusions suggested to Air New Zealand so far:
Kiwi Onion Dip with Veggie Dippers – A crowd favourite, this classic Kiwi dip is made with onion soup mix and reduced cream, served with a colourful array of fresh vegetable dippers.
Sausage Sizzle Snag Roll – The time-honoured Bunnings BBQ sizzle snag rolled up in soft bread, Heinz ketchup and topped with an authentic mix of raw and burnt onions.
L&P gummies – gummy bears infused with the iconic lemon and paeroa soda flavour.
Spaghetti Toastie – Melted cheese sandwiched between two slices of toast with a hearty serving of Wattie’s spaghetti inside.
Lemon Meringue Pie flavoured popcorn –A mash up of two crowd favourites, coated in with a white chocolate drizzle.
Snifters Slice – a nostalgic chocolate and peppermint slice reminiscent of the original Kiwi candy.
Marmite and Cheese Scones – savoury scones made with classic Kiwi spread and cheddar cheese.
Hokey Pokey Popcorn – popcorn coated with honeycomb chunks, another iconic Kiwi flavour.
Māori Fry Bread – Soft, fluffy fry bread filled with a choice of flavourful fillings, such as whitebait, pāua or spiced taro.
Pavlova bites – Mini meringue bites topped with fresh kiwifruit and whipped cream.
Hangi pies – A take on the classic New Zealand pie, filled with savoury beef mince seasoned with traditional hangi spices.
Hemp Chocolate Bar – a chocolate bar infused with hemp seeds, a nod to New Zealand’s growing hemp industry.
Kai Moana Chowder – A creamy and flavourful chowder made with a variety of fresh seafood, perfect for warming up on a chilly flight.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
air new zealand in-flight food on-board serviceLatest News
ATIA applauds government’s fast-track passport announcement
Excellent news if you've ever experienced the sheer horror of realising you don't have a functioning passport.
DayAway names Aussie partners for luxury community based membership
Tired of dining with the riff raff? Get yourself a DayAway membership and slip into a life of luxury.
Silversea expands Nova Class with Silver Ray
Be prepared - this article has more silver than your local jewellers!
Tourism Tasmania CEO says a trip to Tassie could cure your Aurora Australis FOMO
With images like these - you're bound to regret being asleep during Australia's version of the northern lights.
Flight searches to Ho Chi Minh City skyrocket by 246% as city strengthens ties to Oz
We aren't endorsing ditching your work to look at flights to Ho Chi Minh but we're also not not endorsing it.
On Location: Rejoice! It’s Your Daily Wrap Of Africa’s Travel Indaba
Spare a moment to think about the cleaner who had to pick up all the confetti after this one kicked off.
Lack of budget spend will hit international visitor recovery, says Australian Tourism Industry Council
We've done the monotonous trawl through budget reports so you don't have to. You can thank us later!
On Location: Expedia CEO assures AI will not replace human roles, announces AI text assistant
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, unless its announced at a big conference, then it'll probably be reported.
VietJet walks away from Bonza investment, administrators look to maximise chance of survival
VietJet's making big plays in Australia but is drawing the line at buying a defunct airline.
Top four airports return to profit after post-Covid period comes to an end
If you feel like we just haven't spent enough of our lives talking about Covid, then boy is this the article for you!
COMO launches new family-sized farmhouse in the heart of Tuscany
COMO Hotels and Resorts has launched its new farmhouse apartments in the heart of Tuscany, just in time for Australians to escape our wet winter. And it’s also an ideal time for Aussies of Italian ancestry to explore their home country as 2024 has been declared the year of Roots and Heritage Tourism by the […]
Green light, green fuel for Townsville Airport as passenger numbers set to double to 3.7m
All things sounding positive for Townsville, apart from the fact its football team is playing like 10 year olds.
New Caledonia in lockdown and airport closed after violent riots rock Noumea
New Caledonia officials have announced a 6pm-6am curfew, a liquor ban and have closed the country’s main airport after overnight riots in which vehicles were torched and roads blocked in the wake of proposed constitutional reforms. Australian Government website Smartraveller has issued an alert informing visitors to exercise a high degree of caution in metropolitan […]
‘Appalling’: Alliance for Gambling Reform CEO describes gaming rules at sea after P&O death
Gambling reform policy makers are shocked at the news surrounding the passing of a guest onboard last week.
Sydney gets excited for Vivid at the city’s favourite entertainment venues
Get lit! Well maybe not the kiddies, but there is a heap of bright and colourful events on at Vivid Sydney 2024.
Novotel Cabramatta launch reveals the start of new hotel and F&B partnership
Brothers will offer hotels bang for their buck in Sydney's booming southwest.
Roots & Heritage Tourism in 2024 with Italian Tourist Board’s Emanuele Attanasio: Travel Weekly TV
Don't blame us if you're yearning for a carb-filled pasta lunch after watching this week's episode!
Aeronology accepted into Virtuoso network as travel-tech company continues to thrive
Aeronology's the new kid on the block making big waves and lucky for you, we're here to get you up to speed.
Qantas suspends flights to Shanghai due to low demand
Low demand prompts Qantas to drop its Sydney-Shanghai flights like a hot dumpling.
From Castle Hill to Paris, local wellness cosmetics brand makes good in world’s best hotels
The harsh glare of our monitors on the news desk have been relieved somewhat by this local brand done good...
Ponant’s $2500 flight credit reward for polar expeditions booked by ANZ travellers
Tap into your inner explorer an save a couple of $K on flights? The trade-off will be frozen fingers.
Portugal, Spain or Morocco? Here’s how to spend a European summer in 2024
Hit a festival in Spain, enjoy a Portuguese tart or take in the raw beauty of North Africa. This feature has it all!
Vietjet’s summer lucky draw event, plus business flights slashed in half
It's not even winter yet and Vietjet's already talking about summer. We certainly aren't judging them!
ERDI offers a path for hospitality leaders of the future, says hotel group CEO
Teaching the next gen in hospo how to serve drinks, take a restaurant order and hold a conversation - yep we're in!
Marketing costs double for tourism operators as Australia’s global footprint shrinks
Cost of living crisis? Forgeddaboutit! If you run a tourism business, your costs have doubled since Covid.
APT adds fourth ship to Travelmarvel fleet in Europe to meet demand
APT punches above its weight in European river cruising - let's see what its got when it comes to naming conventions.
Getting married? W Melbourne has three new packages perfect for the special day
The 'W' themed lights and settings are optional, we hope!
SKYE Suites gets behind Australian Fashion Week, partners with Shark Beauty
We were hoping to get a start at a fashion week event, but apparently our dress sense wasn't up to scratch...
Roadshow Vietnam focus on Ho Chi Minh City heads to Sydney and Melbourne
It's all happening tomorrow in Parramatta and we're sure you'll be able to find a good bahn mi somewhere.
NCL announces two new Aussie BDMs as cruising goes from strength to strength
Cruising may be getting stronger, but we want to know which new BDM is the strongest. We should arrange an arm wrestle.
Inspiring Vacations announces Josh Grocke to new partnerships role
We're sure the best partnerships come about over a long lunch, something Josh will certainly be looking forward to.
Dondra Ritzenthaler announced as Azamara’s new CEO
Dondra's got big news to celebrate, meanwhile we're celebrating a break in the rain today in Sydney.
TTC’s hosting a masterclass series for Aussie agents unlocking the secrets of its five brands
Become an agent of many hats with TTC's new masterclass series!
Dorsett Melbourne appoints new director of sales Maggie Wong
This top female team at the Dorsett Melbourne aims to take the hotel to new heights - even the lucky eighth floor.
Western Sydney Tourism unveils fresh board ahead of ’26 airport opening
'Connect-Stay-Experience', that's the Western Sydney's tourism taskforce's motto. We sort of prefer 'West Is Best'!
From Olympians to mindset coaches, Helloworld’s OMC conference wraps in style
Say hello to a good time and make sure you're at 2025's edition!