Long Flat Bacon News
Cuisine Magazine May 2005: The Kai in Kaipara
(Cuisine Country, Lauraine Jacobs pp187-192)
‘Turn left here for the Kauri Coast’ - proclaims
a sign on a huge cut-out for a kauri tree alongside Highway
1, just where the Brynderwyn hill climbs north away from
Kaiwaka. Motorists and tourists who heed this sign can
sit back and relax for they will find no traffic lights,
no fast-food outlets and no bright city lights. Reminiscent
of a bygone age, this is a community that takes food seriously.
The Kaipara region extends from Mangawhai in the east
across to the northern Kaipara Harbour, and on past the
pounding surf of the west-coast beaches to the start of
the magnificent Waipoua kauri forest.
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Long Flat Bacon ... fast developing a reputation
for fine foods well beyond this district,"
Lauraine Jacobs, Cuisine Magazine
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The district council has a mere 17,000 ratepayers, a handful
of towns and boasts the lowest unemployment rate in the country.
Where the kauri tree once grew in numbers, vast herds of dairy
cows graze, supplying milk to a huge Fonterra plant in Maungaturoto.
On the flat rich silt plains along the banks of the ‘upside
down’ northern Wairoa River (always a muddy brown, thanks to
that same silt), New Zealand’s main kumara crop thrives. And
throughout the region small farmers, producers and growers get
on with what they are good at – the quiet business of growing
and harvesting avocados, feijoas, heirloom plants, pork venison
and fresh fish, eels and shellfish.
Paparoa: The village butchery, Kaipara Meats and Deli,
is owned by local pig farmer Graham Taylor and his wife Sally.
Not only does Graham farm the pigs; he has also developed a
small operation in the neighbouring town of Ruawai where he
produces bacon, pork sausages and a range of tasty small goods
under the Long Flat Bacon brand, which is fast developing a
reputation for fine foods well beyond the district.
National Radio: Country Life (7am National Radio, 5 March
2005)
Producing top quality bacon, ham, sausages, and salami, as
well as a formidable range of other specialty pork products
is no easy task. Controlling the entire production process,
literally from paddock to plate is how the Long Flat Bacon
Company have established a winning brand in a very competitive
market.
Country Life speaks to Graham Taylor of Long Flat Bacon Company
in Ruawai.
"From the paddock to the plate" (Kaipara Lifestyler - Rae
Roadley, May 2005)
Produce a quality product, add value to it, create a stylish
and clever brand, take advantage of every marketing opportunity
that comes your way and work hard. That's the approach Graham
and Sally Taylor have taken with Ariel Farm, Kaipara Meats
& Deli and Long Flat Bacon Company which collectively cover
the growing, retail and manufacturing of all their bacon and
pork products.
Their businesses have recently featured in the New Zealand
Herald (and many other publications), on Radio New Zealand
and in the iconic food magazine, Cuisine.
The Taylors, who won the Pig Farmer of the Year Competition
in 1999, first pushed the boundaries when they built innovative
pig housing using sawdust flooring and poly-houses. They adapted
a system they'd seen in Australia and which is now being used
by a number of New Zealand pig farmers.
They also began 'following their product further down the
value chain' by establishing their own pork brand. The Taylor's
next move was to open a butchery and deli in Paparoa and,
finally, they established Long Flat Bacon Company. This gives
them influence and control over their product and enables
them to make profits beyond the farm gate.
"We firmly believe we are in the food business. We're not
just producing pigs that are leaving on a truck, we're producing
food," says Graham.
The Taylor's' businesses were featured in a Herald series
about Christmas foods, recognising them as a boutique pork
producer.
"It's involved a lot more work and a lot more responsibility,"
says Graham. "But there's a lot of satisfaction in doing a
good job and getting positive feedback from people."
"Field Days Winner" (Northland Agricultural Field Days,
March 2005)
Congratulations to Marlaine Nelson of Dargaville, winner of
the Long Flat Bacon Company gourmet hamper at the Northland
Agricultural Field Days.
Marlaine's hamper contained a Long Flat Bacon Company tea-towel
set, branded polo shirt, apron, chef's chopping board seasoned
with grape oil and a selection of gourmet preserves and condiments.
"Growing the Kai in Kaipara strategy wins best theme" (Northland
Agricultural Field Days, March 2005)
Long Flat Bacon Company was proud to be part of the launch
of the "Growing the Kai in Kaipara" economic development strategy
at the 2005 Northland Agricultural Field Days in Dargaville.
The strategy developed by the Kaipara Development Agency (KDA)
aims to increase the quality and diversity of food production
in the district.
To mark the event, Long Flat Bacon Company added their new
European-style Kransky sausage to their range of salamis,
bacon and sausages available throughout the field days. The
combination proved popular with the judges too, and the KDA
marquee was awarded 'Best Themed Site' of the Field Days.
"Champagne Hams for Christmas" (June 2005)
Regular customers are being urged to order early for Christmas,
when it comes to the Champagne Hams from Long Flat Bacon Company.
The experience from Christmas 2004, was that sales of whole
and half hams cooked on the bone (COB) as well as the easy-carve
(bone drawn) Champagne Hams were brisk, making for a hectic
delivery schedule. This year the company is already making
preparations for the 'frantic fortnight before Christmas'
and is hoping that regular customers will be placing orders
early.
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