Grocers Stocking Overseas Foods

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30822, 6 August 1965, Page 15

Grocers Stocking Overseas Foods

(By Our Grocery Reporter.)

After a quiet July, the outlook for grocers is better. The weather should improve and overseas foods are now arriving.

Grocers will be buying for the Christmas holiday season which is still almost four-and-a-half months away. Most New Zealand foods such as canned fruit, are readily available and there should be no shortage later this year. Salmon.—Fishing is well under way in America and there have been large catches of Alaskan red salmon, according to latest reports. So far. Sockeye is below average and pink—the largest seller at present In New Zealand—has been disappointing. Cheaper grades of Chum and Ketas are about the same as last year and are reasonably plentiful. There are still no firm prices for Canadian salmon and no clear indication about Japanese salmon packs. However, most agents are offering pink at firm prices and point out that there is a likelihood of a shortage in this grade. They advise importers to place orders because the market is likely to firm.

New Canned Fend.—Crest Is introducing a sausage snack, expected to sell about 2s lid a 16oz can. Already a success elsewhere, the snack contains .sausages, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions and peas and is easily prepared. Cake Mixes. After a chequered career, cake mixes are now beginning to make headway. T. J. Edmonds has brought out three varieties—gingerbread, chocolate and

golden yellow—each weighing 14oz and selling about 2s Ud each. A recipe for gingerbreadmen will add to the appeal of the gingerbread variety, the only cakemix of its kind on the market. Processed Cheese.—Chesdale cheese now has a larger pack in its wide range. It is a family 16oz pack and should sell at 3s Ud against 2s for the Soz pack. Shrimps.—Shrimp catches at New Orleans are still light and prices continue to be firm, according to latest reports. The season began several weeks ago and canners have not yet been able to quote all sizes. Coconut.—For some time the market for desiccated coconut has been precarious but after record high prices, recent quotations from the Philippines show that the market Is easing. No new prices have been quoted for Tongan coconut where most of New Zealand’s supplies have come from recently but these prices could also ease. Lower prices will be welcomed. At present they are about 40s cwt above normal. Honey.—The 11b glass honey Jar. which is dearer by id, Is the only popular honey pack which has altered in price with the releasing of price control. Prices for the popular lib and 21b cartons are unchanged.