Gift idea's in Japan? - cheese instead of flowers

As food innovation in NZ receives well deserved funding, a New Zealand company based in Japan has combined a form of hand-made slow food with high-speed mobile technology to appeal to a new market 

Perhaps because the Japanese are tired of ‘instant everything’ that the workshops on preparing organic cheese, toasting herb and char-grilling capsicums to create a personalised healthy marinated cheese gift is becoming popular hobby. 
At the workshops beginners are given organic cheese, olive oil and a selection of herbs, spices and various shaped glass preserving jars to make a eye catching, healthy and personalised gift for friends.

Specialty cheese, oils, semi dried tomato’s plus other deli items are still unfamiliar to the average consumer in a shop and is quite intimidating for dinners when these products are served in cafes. A bread dipping olive oil at a café can go untouched because people simply people do not know what to do with it.

The 2 hour workshops hosted by Gallerie a specialty importer and retailer in Japan of NZ products provides an educational facet for mainly housewives who immediately gain confidence as they begin to handle and prepare the products.
By the end of the workshop and after the antipasto, fresh ground coffee & NZ wine, they have the developed skills and knowledge to make the cheese marinates at home and willingness to experiment with these new and exciting foods types, going on to teach their own friends 

Workshops are also scheduled for young japanese men wishing to impress their girlfriends with a goat’s feta cheese in a fresh herb infused olive oil.

But no product in Japan would be complete without some technology input; the marinated cheese gift comes complete with a QR Code on the jar tag which when scanned using a mobile phone links to a website to display a personal message.

New Zealand products currently include
• Hemga3 Hempseed Oil
• Staete Landt wines

Organic cheese, olive oil, herbs & coffee from Australia