Business Perspective: Gourmet Night Market in Mount Maunganui
The Gourmet Night Market in Mt Maunganui is a community hotspot all summer long on Friday nights in idyllic Coronation Park. With weekly live music and more than 50 gourmet food stalls, a boutique farmers market and dessert aisle, there’s enough variety to satisfy even the most discerning taste buds.This year 14 local businesses have joined the line-up including restaurants Elizabeth Café & Larder and Satori Lounge as well as local roastery Excelso coffee and the newly opened Farm Gate Deli.The gourmet food includes classic kiwi favourites like woodfired pizza and gourmet burgers as well as Caribbean, Italian, Spanish, French, Dutch, Thai, Japanese, South-east Asian, South American and Mexican food. Last summer more than 45,000 people visited the market over the summer, travelling from Katikati, Whakatane, Rotorua, Hamilton, Huntly and even as far as Auckland to experience the atmosphere and community spirit.This year the Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Love NZ have supported the waste minimisation initiatives which include a custom designed waste station set up and information about the region’s local waste stream. Market Manager Kim Renshaw says that sustainability is a cornerstone value of the market and is committed to being leader in the “markets” industry. “We have a lot of markets in New Zealand, which are creating a lot of landfill waste, this could be improved as a whole.” Last year the Gourmet Night Market diverted 93.84% of its waste away from the landfill and this year the target is 99%.But it’s not all just food and sustainability, live music is a key ingredient to the atmosphere and Gourmet Night Market has partnered up with the Mauao Performing Arts Centre who are also clients of Legacy. This year the night market kicks off with singer songwriter Pete Fountain on December the 5th. Over the rest of the summer you’ll hear from a wide range of music including local world music duo Aaron & Alicesea, Jamie Fitzgerald from Taupo and legendary Auckland DJ Dylan C as well as a number of groups for the special Christmas event on Friday the 19th December: ‘Gourmet Night Market presents A Community Christmas.’A Community Christmas is a grass roots community event bringing together the public to celebrate Christmas in a relaxed setting. There will be a candlelit performance from the Tauranga Civic Choir, carols from the Homeschool Inspire Kid’s Choir, performances from teen Mount band Joe’s Van and Aaron & Alicesea. A kids market is also taking place and of course a huge range of food and drink.This year Legacy Accounting are supporting the Gourmet Night Market with accounting advice and services. Legacy love the community spirit and energy of the markets and are proud to be sponsors for the season.For more information check out www.gourmetnightmarket.co.nz or just come along on a Friday 5-9pm from December 5th till the end of February at Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui.