Sugar and spice and all things nice will be tantalising taste buds at Womad Aotearoa this March.

From honey to hot sauce, some of the region’s finest foods will be served up at the Taste of Taranaki Pop-Up at Womad.

Mushroom jerky, award-winning sparkling drinks and zesty lime creations are among the products that will feature on the menu for this year’s Pop-Up.

The popular foodie hotspot first appeared at Womad Aotearoa in 2024 and proved to be a recipe for success, with more than 40,000 festivalgoers having the chance to taste test delicious creations, talk with producers and celebrate the region’s vibrant food and beverage scene.  

This year the Pop-Up will showcase eight Taranaki producers and provide them with a platform to connect with new customers from across Aotearoa.

An initiative by regional development agency Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, the Pop-Up harnesses the magnetic pull of Womad and uses it to showcase the strength of the food and beverage industry and share the region’s unique food story.

Stacey Hitchcock, the General Manager of Investment at Venture Taranaki says the region is increasingly recognised for its dynamic food scene and supporting producers is a key part of the regional strategy, Tapuae Roa.

“Smaller, high-value food and beverage producers are starting to play a larger role in our regional economy, and we see huge potential for emerging food and beverage producers to progress from boutique operators to wide-scale distributors,” she says.

“With more than 70 per cent of Womad attendees coming from outside the region, this is the perfect stage to celebrate and share our brightest up-and-coming businesses.”

Womad event director Suzanne Porter says the Pop-Up was a fantastic addition to the festival in 2024 and she received great feedback from both festivalgoers and vendors.

“The face-to-face interactions with locals promoting their passion, combined with the ability to taste products, proved to be a huge hit with our attendees last year,” she says.

“So, we’re thrilled to have the Taste of Taranaki Pop-Up return to Womad Aotearoa.”

This year the Pop-Up features four local businesses providing tastings and selling products on Saturday, with another four on Sunday.

It showcases local food and beverage producers Planta, Kahu Glen, Fire Down Below, Blue Petal, Fine Lime Co, Bee and Flow Honey, Fundamentally Fungi, and MK Spice.

Taste of Taranaki Pop-Up at Womad in 2024

The details

WOMAD NZ 2024: Friday March 14 to Sunday March 16, at Brooklands Park and the Bowl of Brooklands in Ngāmotu / New Plymouth. Tickets are on sale now from www.womad.co.nz.

The vendors | Taste of Taranaki Pop-Up at Womad:

Saturday

• Planta: Refreshing sparkling drinks powered by the key ingredient Yerba Mate, a magical South American leaf which is naturally caffeinated.
• Kahu Glen fruit juice: Kahu Glen combines 60 per cent locally grown and organic feijoa juice with 40 per cent apple juice for a unique and refreshing flavour.
• Fire Down Below: Founded by local culinary creatives and inspired by their Trinidadian heritage, Fire Down Below is a hot pepper sauce that celebrates the culture, food, and spirit of the Caribbean.
• Blue Petal: Using home-grown medicinal herbs just a few kilometers from Te Papakura o Taranaki and inspired by Eastern European concoctions, mixtures, elixirs, and tonics, Blue Petal produces a range of culinary and medicinal herbal products.

Sunday

• Fine Lime Co: A delightful range of lime-infused products that will elevate your culinary creations and refresh your senses. The Fine Lime Company is a family-run business based on a 110-year-old homestead in Hawera, South Taranaki.
• Bee and Flow Honey: Located in the rugged and remote eastern Taranaki, Bee & Flow is a family-owned Mānuka honey enterprise born from a deep passion for bees, a love for the land, and a commitment to preserving both for future generations.
• Fundamentally Fungi: Winners of the 2024 Taranaki Regional title in The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme, Fundamentally Fungi is student-led business that’s redefining snacking with its innovative mushroom jerky.
• MK Spice: Award-winning spices and oils inspired by international cuisine and a passion for food.