Grocer Spotlight

Grocer Spotlight

We are weathering the storms of recruitment. It appears to me that Scarecrow reflects the experience of many in the hospitality, agricultural and building sectors: recruitment of staff is now so difficult it’s becoming a threat to business. We are immensely grateful for the ability to welcome guests in the enviable ‘Covid free’ NZ environment, but undoubtedly we are suffering from the loss of the ‘traveller’ workforce that traditionally boosts the labour pool in our industry. Furthermore, the current Essential Skills Work Visa policy requires hospitality sector to pay a minimum hourly rate of $25.50, and this is proposed to rise to $27 very shortly. Couple this with the huge competition to attract and secure new staff, the increasing pressure on those currently working in the sector, and very tight margins; you can see how threatening the situation is. It baffles me how smaller restaurants and cafés are expected to survive in an environment of rapidly increasing costs, fluctuating and unpredictable guest numbers and staff capacity stretched to the limit.
You can help. Please show your support for the hospitality industry by signing the Restaurant Association’s petition to introduce immigration solutions to aid our critical skill shortage.

On a brighter note, it’s really exciting that our Matariki Regenerative Farming dinner is sold out! Don’t despair if you’ve missed out this time, as we have the July and August dinners still with availability of tickets – and a really great line up of food and speakers!

Lastly, I’d just like to mention the delicious deluges of rain! The water tables are being replenished and the ground is ready for tree planting soon. We hope to plant in perfect conditions in late July, many trees in this year’s forest planting have been subsidised by those who purchased gift hampers from Scarecrow; what a joy it will now be to get those trees into the ground! Thank you for choosing Scarecrow for your gift giving. Read on for a Grocer Spotlight – some of our favourite artisan NZ products lining the shelves at Scarecrow Grocer at 811 Mt Eden Road. Call in to find all of these & more!


Grinning Gecko Cheese 

 Every so often you come across something very special. Grinning Gecko is a small internationally acclaimed artisan cheese producer making some of NZ’s finest soft cheese.  Sourced from top quality, export standard certified organic milk from a local farm milking Ayrshire cows, the cheese is made on the same day it is milked. Check out this wonderful Seven Sharp segment on GG Cheese, & ask the grocer team in store all about it – you can see our Fran is a FAN!

 


Fabulous Heron’s Flight

You might have noticed, we love Heron’s Flight! Those of you coming to the now sold out Matariki Slow Winter Dinner are in for a treat, with the majority of our wine matching menu coming directly from the Heron’s Flight cellar door. Lisa, our cellar manager, is particularly excited about the latest HF offering to grace our cellar shelves. Heron’s Flight Dolcetto 2019 is a delectable red made from estate grown Dolcetto, & perfect alongside your next dinner in. We stock the full range of Heron’s Flight instore at 811 Mt Eden Road, and you can find it online too!


Real Pasta, from Tauranga

Authentic Italian-style pasta, from Tauranga. True story! Scarecrow Grocer is proud to be Auckland’s only stockist of this gorgeous wee family company’s artisan handmade pastas & sauces. Made using local free range eggs, most of the doughs are solely made from flour & egg – by not adding water to the pasta, the team has achieved a gorgeous, silky smooth pasta that is light and won’t leave you feeling groggy after polishing off a bowl. Talk to Lisa, Fran, Lidia or any of the team at Scarecrow Grocer to find out more. We bet you won’t leave without a selection of Real Pasta goodies!


Handmade NZ Gift Cards

Some of our favourite new additions to the grocer’s store shelves are our NZ made range of gift cards. Like these absolutely gorgeous ones from Hawke’s Bay artist Abbey Merson.  Abbey is a NZ artist & painter whose art is deeply inspired by nature, by people, by the wonderful world we live in & from the challenges of life itself. Equally lovely framed & on your wall, or gifted to your bestie or lover, and available as an add-on with your next Scarecrow Gift Hamper, which we’re happy to make bespoke to suit your needs. Find these in store at Scarecrow Grocer, 811 Mt Eden Road.

 


Foundry: NZ made chocolate like no other…

Mahurangi’s Dave Herrick’s passion for chocolate is unmatched. Quitting corporate life to pursue it has paid off; Foundry Chocolate is netting some big awards. Last year Dave took seven gold, five silver and the Supreme Winner title at the New Zealand Chocolate Awards; he won three silver & a bronze at the Academy of Chocolate’s global awards and two golds & a silver at the Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards. Find Foundry Chocolate on our grocery shelves & taste the difference for yourself.  Tune in to Dave’s recent Radio NZ interview, where he was kind enough to give Scarecrow a shout out. Thanks Dave, we love your work!

 


 

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