Award-Winning Food, Drink &
Hospitality Experiences
From large-scale food festivals to influencer activations, PR stunts to immersive brand worlds, each project is crafted to be memorable, sharable and measurable.
CHECK OUT THE HIGHLIGHTS REEL
Hawke's Bay Tourism Scoop Up Summer
Scoop Up Summer turned Hawke’s Bay’s food story into four bespoke ice cream flavours, from lamb fat fudge to snapper-eye with edible sand. The campaign cut through post-cyclone noise with national TV and media coverage, achieving $1.05M PR value, 3.6M reach, 135K social reach, and a 21:1 ROI — proving the power of bold, food-led storytelling.
Whittakers Coconut Mango Launch
Whittaker’s brought “A Taste of Paradise” to life with the launch of its Mango & Coconut block. Secret Sauce curated a tropical-themed influencer event in Wellington, complete with message-in-a-bottle invites, mango colada cocktails, and paradise-inspired canapés. Sixteen influencers recreated a bespoke recipe — Mango Coconut Melting Moments by pâtissier Maxine Scheckter — amplifying the launch through vibrant content, storytelling, and social reach.
Bay Venues Retail & Cafe Proposition
Secret Sauce developed a unified food identity for Bay Venues’ 29 cafés and event sites, transforming “missable canteens” into convenience destinations. Rooted in local flavour and community values, the scalable concept balances healthier handheld food, sustainability, and commercial efficiency. Approved unanimously by the Board, the strategy is set to launch its first site in 2026 — creating a model designed for repeat visits, stronger community connection, and sustainable revenue growth.
Flavours Of Plenty Regional Food Festival
Flavours of Plenty Festival united the Bay of Plenty’s food community into a regional celebration of people, places, and plates. Since launching in 2021, the festival has grown to 5,000+ attendees, $1.3M+ in media value, and 2.5M+ reach — winning NZ Event Awards for Best Local Government Event and Best Lifestyle Event.
Kitchen Takeover Taiao Food Of The Gods
Partnering with celebrity chefs Kasey & Karena Bird, we created Taiao: Food of the Gods - a pop-up fine dining series telling the story of Māori deities through food, ingredients, and sensory design. The pop-up sold out 1,500 seats, featured across NZ Media, and delivered a 29.3% profit margin. Recognised as Best Arts & Culture Event at the NZ Event Awards, it proved the power of immersive, culturally authentic dining to build loyal audiences.
Four Square 100 Year Celebration
For their 100-year celebration conference, Four Square — New Zealand’s longest-standing neighbourhood grocery brand — wanted more than a dinner. They sought an experience that honoured their history and inspired pride in the next century. Collaborating with Spur and Black Pineapple, Secret Sauce designed a culinary journey through time: canapés tied to milestones, food stations showcasing suppliers, and a playful nod to Four Square tea, reimagined as dry-ice cocktails in a hidden speakeasy.
The Secret Sauce
You don’t need the biggest budget to win attention - you need the biggest ideas. The Secret SAUCE framework reveals five ingredients that make experiences memorable, shareable, and measurable.
Shareable
PR hooks, social moments, and buzz-worthy content that travels far beyond the event.
Authentic
Rooted in your origin story, creating an emotional connection that feels real.
Unique
Scarcity, surprise, and one-of-a-kind ideas that make your brand stand out from the rest, using creative ingenuity.
Community
Interactive, participatory, and human. Designed to connect people in a memorable way - not just entertain them..
Evidence
Clear KPIs from the get go and detailed reporting that gives leadership the confidence to keep investing.
Brands We’ve Cooked Up Magic With
Let's Cook Up Some Creativity
Every delicious experience starts with a conversation. Book a complimentary 30-minute discovery call to explore how we can bring your brand to life.
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