Fickle Weather Upsets Menus

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30738, 30 April 1965, Page 16

Fickle Weather Upsets Menus

(Bp Our Grocery Reporter!

Changeable weather during the few days has made planning meals a little difficult for a housewife, but it seems winter menus are with us again.

Grocers say trade has been quiet since Easter, but business is usually brisker during the winter.

Trading also seems steadier now there are fewer price changes. This is giving grocers a rest from altering price tags. Now the import licensing period is almost to an end few shipments are coming to hand.

Pineapple and salmon are both needed by merchants at present, but a shipment of pineapple is expected to arrive next week.

Canned Peachej.— The new season’s New Zealand pack of canned peaches appears to have been a good one. In most cases the larger sizes are readily available and many merchants have fully supplied orders. The lloz size, however, could be a little difficult because this has not been a particularly good pack. A number of 30oz chunk peaches will be available this year and again there will be no shortage. N.Z. Canned Soups.—A North Island canner who has been extending his range of canned foods in the last few years, is now releasing further lines. These include eel soup (16oz at a suggested retail price of 2s 9d); oyster bisque flSoz at 4s Id); rock lobster bisque (16oz at 4s Id): shell fish (16oz at 2s 9d); and venison (l«oz at 2s 9d). Two other items of interest are smoked eel In 16oz and Soz cans retailing at 4s lid and 3s 3d respectively. These foods, being produced under the New Zealand brand, have apparently met

with reasonable success on overseas markets.

Cheese Prices Up.— As Is usual at this time of the year, New Zealand cheeses will rise in price. From May 1, all rindless cheese will advance by Id a pound. Green Beans.— T. J. Edmonds, Ltd., Christchurch, are now marketing their second freeze-dry product manufactured by one of their subsidiaries. This is a sliced green bean called Edmonds Sweet Seven. The seven is the number of minutes it takes to cook. Packets weigh a net loz and serve four helpings. The suggested retail price is 2s Sd a pack. Several weeks ago a similar line was released for sale, named Surprise. This appears to be popular. American Rice. Shipping problems on the East Coast of America have held up orders for long-grain rice, but the Forrest Bank is due to sail this month. However, it appears that a number of orders have been shut out and this could cause a shortage of this rice here.

New Sauce. — The New Zealand Apple and Pear Marketing Board are now introducing, under the Fresh Up brand, a pear sauce made from William Bon Chretien pears, with sugar added. Its suggested use js with breakfast cereals, sundaes, sweets, and meat dishes, or it can be eaten straight from the can. It is available in a 16oz can and should sell at 2s 3d.

Ceylon Tea.— After a period of increased prices for all types of Ceylon tea, sales this week showed a sharp decline. In some cases, various types of tea have dropped by 4d a pound. This could help hold the level of tea prices in New Zealand, which have been stable for the last year.