Fourteen new snacks will be served to passengers on Air New Zealand’s future flights after the airline overhauled the in-flight snack menu.
Dubbed the Great Kiwi Snack Off, the national carrier undertook a nationwide search to find the best new snacks to introduce to its services. The airline then called for ‘snacksperts’ among the New Zealand public to taste test the shortlisted products, and five people ranging in age from 10 to 81 were chosen and brought to Auckland for the tests. Air Fittings
Among the winning snacks are chocolate covered pretzels, pea puffs, salt and vinegar chips, cinnamon glazed macadamias and gourmet popcorn treats in lemon meringue pie and feijoa cider flavours.
Not all 14 snacks will be available on every route - some will be domestic, others for long-haul travel and premium cabins.
As well as the new snacks, some of the classics are here to stay - although potentially with a new twist. The Cookie Time chocolate chip cookie is safe, but in the future there might be some new flavours, including pavlova, lolly cake, and ‘chocolate fish and chip’, said Air NZ. Finns Fudge, Proper Crisps and the Loaf bliss bites will also stay.
All the new snacks are from NZ producers, hailing from regions around the country including Canterbury, Nelson, Hawke’s Bay to the Eastern Bay of Plenty and Waikato.
Air NZ chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said there’ll be plenty of choice for customers onboard.
“Throughout this whole process, we’ve been amazed by the quality and calibre of suppliers, whether they’re a social enterprise wanting to help a worthy cause, or a family run business trying to highlight the best local produce – we’ve been extremely impressed and making a decision hasn’t been easy,” she said.
“We want to give our customers a fantastic experience from the moment they are welcomed aboard our aircraft, and that includes having a variety of snacks to satisfy a sweet tooth and savoury lovers alike.”
Geraghty said they had tried to mix up flavours and textures, from freeze-dried cheese, to lemon, white chocolate and popcorn combinations.
“We’re really excited by the snacks we’ve selected, and we hope our customers love them as much as we do.”
Nelson marine engineer Graham Manson’s company QB Crunchy Cheese is one of the new suppliers. The keto-friendly snack is made of puffed-up cheese cubes, made from 100% cheese cubes. It’s low carb, gluten-free with zero sugar.
Manson, an aviation enthusiast, said they’re excited to offer a product that is “only 100% New Zealand cheese, which can be fun, functional and fancy all at the same time.”
“We are so excited and cannot wait. It’s a feel-good, uncomplicated snack. Whenever. Wherever. Let’s go!”
One of the other new suppliers is family-run Dr Bugs in Christchurch, where the Posthuma family makes gourmet popcorn treats made from NZ-grown non-GE popping corn.
Sales and marketing manager Reuben Posthuma said their little brand had been working hard to reimagine classic Kiwi desserts as indulgent popcorn flavours.
“Popcorn has traditionally been a beige and boring kid’s snack, but we’ve made it our mission to make choc-coated, indulgent popcorn with bold, inventive flavours inspired by classic kiwi tastes,” he said.
The popcorn treats, which will be available onboard from March 2024, will come in lemon meringue pie and feijoa cider flavours. The brand currently produces berry sorbet, mint choc and coconut ice as part of its “Kiwi-Inspired” flavours.
The first of the new snacks to hit the sky will be the dipped almonds, and will be onboard domestic flights from December, with the cheesy pea puffs next off the line in January 2024.
GRAZE Skinny dipped almonds and Kinda-Like-A nut and chocolate blends
Serious Pea puffs real cheese
Project Be Kind Choc Wafers and Trail Mix
Snack change Vinegar & Salt Chips
Dr Bugs Lemon Meringue Pie and Feijoa Cider Gourmet Popcorn Treats
Aotearoa Chocolate milk chocolate coated pretzels
Tasti Oat-Baked Squares in choc chip, chocolate brownie, raspberry white chocolate and salted caramel flavours
Trade Aid Rich Chocolate Treat
Molly Woppy White Choc Coated ginger biscuit
Chantal Organics - Corn Puffs Churro or Bang Bang Chicken Flavour
pneumatic valve What are your thoughts on the new snack options? Would you like to see anything different? Let us know in the comments.