Every year The Chip Group aims to train 240 food service providers, with the goal of reducing fat/oil content, salt content and serving size.
These desired outcomes have 2-fold benefit; to improve the health profile of our biggest processing product and improve business profitability for the end user of the product.
Past research by co-funder of the training programme, Ministry of Health, has indicated that hot chips in New Zealand can contain up to 22% fat! Food Service Operators who have taken our training and had their chips tested have found this can be reduced to around 9% fat.
Currently 2 major frozen processed potato companies, Talleys & Mr Chips, sit on the Chip Group Advisory Panel, alongside PNZ staff and a board representative.
2019-2020 will end with a review of the Chip Group’s work to date and consider how we move forward in the best interests of what is essentially grower levy investment in the processing sector. Processed frozen potatoes account for 55% of our 1 billion dollar potato industry.
The 2019 Chip Group Industry Awards were presented by Bidfood representatives and Potatoes New Zealand staff at a gala dinner event, in The Limes Room, at the newly refurbished Christchurch Town Hall. This was the culmination of our Biennial Conference.
The Judges’ Supreme Award involved 2 rounds of Mystery Shopper Evaluations in May and June 2019, followed by fat-testing of sampled chips, sent in by the Mystery Shoppers. This award is only presented biennially and involves strict evaluation standards. Results indicated that The Chip Group’s training is producing high quality hot chips amongst those who have completed our online training.
The National Winners of the Judges’ Supreme Award 2019 were: Graham and Karen Chard from Okato Takeaways. They received glowing evaluations from our Mystery Shoppers and a healthy 7.2% fat in their fries. This is a shining example of the success achieved through utilising our Ministry of Health advised Best Fry Practice Online Training.
The second category presented this year is the Bidfood People’s Choice Awards. They are a popularity contest and have huge public appeal. 2018 saw votes cast by around 3300 chip fans. 2019 customer engagement in voting more than doubled with a whopping 7791 votes counted.
The winners for the 2019 Chip Group Industry Awards were:
Regional Finalists for People’s Choice 2019:
Gourmet Seafoods QE11, Christchurch
Calypso Takeaway, Kerikeri
Oceanz Seafood, Botany
The Naked Chip, Waimate
Oppies Takeaway, Rotorua
Winner of Bidfood People’s Choice 2019: Steve and Monica Fair from Mr Chips Masterton, for the 3rd year running, most popular Chip Shop in New Zealand with 26.2% of the votes.
