Important announcement from the Restaurant Association and Hospitality New Zealand.

Hospitality NZ and the Restaurant Association are investigating the feasibility of amalgamating into one unified national hospitality body.

Both organisations already represent businesses that share many of the same opportunities and challenges. We engage with the same government agencies and decisionmakers, advocate on many of the same issues and provide a range of similar services to our members.

The opportunity is bigger than simply bringing two organisations together; it is about asking whether we can build something stronger for you and our combined memberships.

Our goal is to explore a model that continues to focus on what members value most and builds on that, creating an organisation with the scale, capability and influence to serve members well into the future. In other words, creating a win for members and a win for hospitality.

Both Associations believe this is the right time to explore the benefits and opportunities of amalgamation, and whether bringing our strengths together could create better long-term outcomes for members and help support a stronger long-term future for our and industry.

The exploration has the support of MBIE, reflecting the importance of having strong, effective and sustainable industry representation.

Why are we looking into this, and what could it deliver?

We believe that now is a good time to investigate an amalgamated RA/HNZ, and that combining our strengths could:

• Deliver greater value to you
• Provide a stronger, clearer, unified industry voice, greater influence and advocacy with Government, regulators and other stakeholders
• Make better use of resources, reducing duplication in systems, and putting a focus into delivering more member services and industry support
• Create stronger training and workforce pathways to support the future of our industry
• Create a more connected industry, bringing together restaurants, cafés, bars, accommodation providers and the wider hospitality sector.
• Future proof our sector, by evolving industry representation to better respond to the rapidly changing operating environment for hospitality
• Achieve greater financial sustainability, and industry representation, supporting members over the long term.

Is amalgamation a done deal?

No.  We are in the early stages of investigating to see if amalgamation stacks up. A joint steering group has been appointed by the Management Committees of each association, to examine the benefits, risks and options of coming together. What we do know is that continuing to operate as two separate organisations is becoming increasingly challenging and unsustainable over the long term. We expect to have the feasibility work completed by mid-2027.

The steering group includes Tony Adcock, David Meagher, Garth Solly, John Hellebrekers, Nick Keene and Tim Gibson (Independent Chair).

As members, your engagement is critical to this process. The steering group is following a process, with decision points along the way. It is important that we share our thinking early in this process so that both you and your staff understand the challenges and opportunities we are considering and can ask questions.

How can you get involved?

As the feasibility work progresses, we are committed to keeping members informed, listening to different perspectives and providing opportunities for members to have their say. There will be questions, ideas and different points of view along the way. That is an important part of getting this right.

What happens next?

While we explore a possible amalgamation, it is business as usual for both associations. Nothing changes. Your services and support will continue as normal. Whatever the outcome, our commitment to supporting your business and representing your views and priorities will remain at the heart of what we do.

More information will be shared with you  as the joint steering group works through the process. Be assured that no sectors or regions will be left behind; amalgamation is being explored to improve service to all members for the overall benefit of our whole industry.

If you have any immediate questions, check out the Question and Answer document here with this email and on our website, or please contact the Association at [email protected].

Ngā mihi

Restaurant Association of New Zealand Management Committee

Two organisations. One industry. An opportunity to be stronger together.

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More information

• Member Questions and Answers document

As we’re aware, tapping a card or paying by phone has become second nature for many customers. These options make paying easy, but the shift in payment habits also has implications for business costs.

The Commerce Commission’s June 2026 payments snapshot shows Visa and Mastercard account for 74% of payments across the networks it monitors, up from 43% in 2019. New Zealand businesses collectively pay around $1 billion each year to accept Visa and Mastercard payments. As more customers choose contactless and digital payments, a greater proportion of transactions can attract these fees—even when a business’s fee rates haven’t changed.

However, there are more emerging “pay by bank” options, which allow customers to pay directly from their bank accounts, potentially offering lower-cost alternatives, although ease of use and integration with existing systems will be important.

For hospitality businesses, it’s a useful reminder to review your merchant statements reviewing your payment mix and whether it has continued to change. Understanding what makes up your bill is a good starting point and the Restaurant Association can also get you in touch with partner, Westpac, if you’d like to have a conversation about your options.

Read the Commerce Commission’s payments snapshot here.

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Find out more:

• Restaurant Association partner, Westpac

When the margins are tight, we look closely at what we’re buying, what we’re charging and what each dish contributes to the business. But the other part of the equation is the food we pay for that never reaches a customer, or comes back on their plate.

We know the work that goes into ordering, preparing and serving good food. Yet in a busy kitchen, waste can become part of the daily routine without anyone having the time to step back and understand how much it is costing.

That was one of the reasons the Restaurant Association developed Kai Keepers in collaboration with our partners, Edge Impact. We wanted to help businesses understand where food waste was happening and test practical changes that could make a measurable difference.

This programme is very important work for us, so the recent announcement from Environment Minister Hon Nicola Grigg, confirming Government funding to expand Kai Keepers, is very welcome news. We appreciate the ongoing support of the Minister and the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport which gives us the opportunity to build on what we have learned so far and bring that support to more businesses across Aotearoa.

The scale of the opportunity is considerable. Our restaurants and cafes generate an estimated 24,400 tonnes of food waste each year, around 61 per cent of it avoidable. Having worked with 120 businesses through our initial pilot over the past two years, we have seen the impact Kai Keepers can have on that. Average food waste per cover fell by 16.4 per cent between the start and end stages of the programme, meaning cost savings and less waste going to landfill. Just as important was the feedback from operators whose teams came together for a common cause, whose customers responded unanimously positively, and who are continuing the changes long after their involvement in the pilot has ended.

What could Kai Keepers do for your business?

For a business taking part, the aim is straightforward: less food wasted, lower costs and practical changes your team can keep using.

Over four weeks, you’ll get an audit of your main sources of food waste, so you can see where ingredients — and money — are being lost. We’ll help your team choose and try initiatives tested in the pilot, measure the difference and work out what is worth continuing in your venue.

That could mean adjusting a side dish that regularly comes back uneaten, turning preparation offcuts into something you can sell or helping your front-of-house team promote stock before it spoils. We’ll also guide you through local diversion options for unavoidable food waste and be available to support you throughout.

Businesses in the pilot tested just one food waste reduction initiative, with estimated annual savings averaging around $5,500 per business. That gives us an encouraging starting point. Once you understand where waste is happening, you can identify further opportunities across preparation, portion sizes and stock management — and keep building on what works for your venue.

We know the commitment needs to be manageable. We’ve designed the program for all types of commercial kitchens, with minimal extra work for your team and activities that fit alongside your existing operation. You have support over the four weeks, and improvements you can carry on using afterwards.

If you’re keen to find out more, whether you’re already making changes, wondering where to begin or looking for a bit of support, we’d love to hear from you. With the busy season approaching, timing matters. Get in touch now, and we’ll help you choose a start date that suits your business, including in 2027.

Visit kaikeepers.org to complete our quick survey and register your interest.

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Find out more:

• Funding boost to cut food waste and emissions – Minister Grigg announcement
• Insights from the Kai Keepers pilot – report

If you’re looking to step into a duty manager role, you may have been told you need an LCQ. But what does the qualification involve, and what happens once you’ve completed it?

Here’s a guide to the process, whether you’re planning your next step in hospitality or arranging training for a team member.

What is the LCQ?

LCQ stands for Licence Controller Qualification. It covers the knowledge needed to understand New Zealand’s alcohol laws and the responsibilities involved in managing alcohol service at licensed premises.

The qualification includes two NZQA unit standards: 4646, covering the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 and its implications for licensed premises, and 16705, covering host responsibility requirements for duty managers.

This is relevant across hospitality, including restaurants, cafés and bars that serve alcohol.

Is an LCQ the same as a Manager’s Certificate?

No. This is one of the most common points of confusion.

The LCQ is the qualification you need as part of applying for a Manager’s Certificate. The Manager’s Certificate is issued through a separate application process with the relevant licensing authority. Completing an LCQ course does not, by itself, mean you can start working as a certified duty manager.

If you’re preparing to take on the role, it’s useful to check your local council’s Manager’s Certificate application requirements as well as arranging your LCQ training.

Can you do your LCQ online?

Yes. Restaurant Association members and industry employees can complete our online LCQ course through a series of video training modules. Learners can work through the training at a pace that fits around their shifts, rather than attending a scheduled classroom course.

That flexibility can also make it easier for businesses to prepare several team members for future duty manager responsibilities without taking them all away from service at the same time.

How do you get started?

Each learner registers individually through the online training portal. The portal uses a separate account from your Restaurant Association membership login.

The member price is $180 + GST per learner. Members can access a coupon code to apply that rate during registration.

If you’re ready to begin, visit our online LCQ course page for the registration link, member coupon and course details.

Planning ahead for your team

It can be tempting to leave LCQ training until a duty manager vacancy needs filling. Planning ahead gives team members time to build their knowledge of alcohol law and host responsibility before they take on greater responsibility.

For employers, it is also an opportunity to talk with a promising team member about their development: what the duty manager role involves, what support they’ll need, and the steps between completing their LCQ and applying for a Manager’s Certificate.

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Looking for somewhere to do your LCQ? Explore the Restaurant Association’s online LCQ course.

There’s something about the arrival of spring that makes it easier to say, “We should get together.” Come Over October gives people a reason to make that plan. And this year, the campaign is coming to New Zealand. We’re encouraging you to take part.

“A chance to stop, share stories, be together, celebrate an occasion or just be in company. Pause, enjoy the moment, reconnect in a world moving fast and furiously.”

Come Over October began in the United States by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. The campaign is an invitation to reconnect with friends and family over food, conversation and wine. For our industry, it’s an opportunity to celebrate the part hospitality venues play in bringing people together. A catch-up over lunch, a shared dinner or an evening out can all start with a simple invitation. This is a chance to build engagement with customers old and new. 

How to take part

We’d love to see member venues across Aotearoa take part and put their own spin on Come Over October. There’s no prescribed event to run, and it’s not too late to get involved. Come Over October assets, playbooks, toolkits, logos, templates etc are freely available and built to be customised by whoever picks them up. 

You could:

• Create a dish or menu designed for sharing, with an optional wine pairing.
• Give customers a prompt to invite someone they’ve been meaning to catch up with.
• Use conversation cards or table talkers to bring the theme to life.
• Work with a local wine producer or supplier on an event that suits your venue. Many are working on individual campaigns already.

The focus is on good company and time spent together. Whether guests choose wine or something else, our venues can make them feel welcome and give them a place to connect.

If you’re planning something the only ask is that you share it on social media. Use #comeoveroctoberNZ so others can see how New Zealand venues are taking part.

This is year one.  And is being conducted as a grassroots build.  In subsequent years, the opportunity exists to gain greater profile and momentum – the aspiration being to knit this into the cultural fabric – think Taco Tuesday or Movember. 

As the days get longer, let’s give people another reason to come in, pull up a chair and enjoy being together.

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Supporting Resources

 A few themes to keep in mind:

• The strength of Come Over October is its simplicity. The call to action is clear, but flexible enough to work across different business models and regulatory environments.
• The messaging is intentionally social-first, which has allowed it to remain compliant even in more restrictive markets like Canada.
• The biggest driver of success is participation. The more the industry shows up in a coordinated way, the more momentum it creates at the consumer level.

The Come Over October Website (https://www.comeoveroctober.com/) has campaign activation examples from North America, as well as assets you can use freely or that might inspire ideas of your own.

​Come Over October Tools & Tips” HERE. Use the assets developed specifically for Canada – find them HERE, and for a look at how wineries and on-premise have partnered together, you can find details on the Long Island (New York) activations HERE.

Conversation starter examples

Why Meadow Fresh continues to invest in the people, organisations and events helping hospitality thrive.

Hospitality has always been built on people.  From café owners opening their doors before dawn, to baristas crafting the first flat whites of the day, it’s people who create the experiences customers remember.

That’s why Meadow Fresh’s long-standing partnership with the New Zealand Specialty Coffee Association (NZSCA) has never been just about coffee. It’s about investing in the people, skills and community that help our industry grow stronger.

For more than a decade, Meadow Fresh has proudly supported the NZSCA and the important work it does to elevate New Zealand’s coffee sector.

The association plays a critical role in developing talent across our industry. Through education programmes, competitions, networking opportunities and industry collaboration, the NZSCA provides pathways for baristas, café teams and coffee professionals to build their skills and careers.

At a time when hospitality businesses face ongoing challenges attracting and retaining talent, organisations like the NZSCA have never been more important.

The upcoming New Zealand Barista Championship and New Zealand Latte Art Championship are perfect examples of this contribution in action. While the competitions showcase outstanding talent, the real value often happens behind the scenes.

Competitors, judges, sponsors, café owners, roasters and industry professionals come together to learn from one another, strengthen relationships and celebrate a shared passion for coffee.

As championship weekend approaches, Meadow Fresh will, once again, proudly stand behind the competitors, judges, volunteers and organisers who bring these events to life and who continue to raise the bar for New Zealand coffee.

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Check out the upcoming events

New Zealand Barista Championship:  Friday 18^th September & Saturday 19^th September 2026

New Zealand Latte Art Championship:  Sunday, 20^th September 2026

Venue: AUT WG Building – 2 Governor Fitzroy Place, Auckland CBD

The Restaurant Association has welcomed the release of the Ministry for Regulation’s Hospitality Sector Review, saying its 24 recommendations could deliver a more efficient and proportionate regulatory system that better reflects risk, recognises strong compliance performance and reduces unnecessary cost and complexity for hospitality businesses.

Restaurant Association General Manager Nicola Waldren says the Review reflects issues the Association has raised on behalf of the industry for many years.

“Many of the problems identified in this Review are legacy issues. For years, hospitality operators have been providing the same information across different parts of the system, dealing at times with inconsistencies in how requirements are applied, and facing costs that are not always proportionate to risk or that fail to recognise strong compliance performance,” says Waldren.

“It is encouraging to see those concerns recognised in the final report and translated into practical recommendations for change.”

The Review makes recommendations across food safety, alcohol licensing, fees and levies, information sharing, transport, planning and building requirements.

“These are not abstract policy problems. For small owner-operators, time spent navigating red tape can mean time away from running their business, supporting their team and serving their customers. Inefficiency also places pressure on the councils and regulators responsible for managing the system,” says Waldren.

“A better-designed system should reduce the time and effort required to meet regulatory obligations and allow regulators to focus their resources where they will make the greatest difference.”

The sector’s long-standing concerns were brought together through the first Hospitality Summit in 2024, where regulatory complexity was identified as a major barrier to opening, operating and growing hospitality businesses. The sector’s call for hospitality to become a focus for the Ministry for Regulation helped provide the impetus for the Review.

Ministry officials also held a workshop with industry representatives at the 2026 Hospitality Summit as the recommendations were developed.

“The Summit helped create a clear pathway for addressing these challenges. It gave operators a direct voice in the process and helped move the conversation towards practical action,” Waldren says.

The recommendations are not yet government policy, with Ministers expected to decide which recommendations to accept and the next steps over the coming weeks. “The report gives us a very positive starting point. What matters now is that the recommendations lead to practical change and operators see a real difference in their day-to-day dealings with the system.”

“We look forward to continuing to work with Ministers and officials as decisions are made and the detail is developed, including through the Government’s forthcoming Hospitality Action Plan.”

The Restaurant Association has welcomed the release of the Ministry for Regulation’s Hospitality Sector Review, describing it as an important step towards a more efficient and proportionate regulatory system for hospitality.

Download a copy of the Hospitality Review Final Report and recommendations.

The Review sets out 24 recommendations across food safety, alcohol licensing, fees and levies, information sharing, transport, planning and building requirements. Together, they provide a practical pathway towards regulation that better reflects risk, recognises strong compliance performance and works more efficiently for both businesses and regulators.

For the Association, the release represents significant progress on issues we have raised on behalf of the industry for many years. The call for a dedicated regulatory review gained further impetus through the 2024 Hospitality Summit, and we have remained closely involved as the Review has progressed. Ministry officials also worked directly with industry representatives at the 2026 Summit as the recommendations were developed.

The strength of the Review is that it moves beyond identifying problems and puts forward practical changes. These include simpler food and alcohol licensing processes, longer verification periods for high-performing businesses, more proportionate fees, better sharing of information and a single portal for council applications.

If adopted and implemented well, the recommendations could reduce the time operators spend navigating regulatory processes while allowing councils and regulators to focus their resources where they will make the greatest difference.

The 24 recommendations at a glance

The recommendations are divided into quick wins intended to be delivered by mid-2027, short-term changes proposed by the end of 2027 and longer-term reforms for 2028 and 2029.

Quick wins by mid-2027

1. Move appropriate hospitality businesses into lower-risk food safety categories with fewer requirements.
2. Develop a much simpler hospitality-specific template Food Control Plan with fewer record-keeping requirements.
3. Review and simplify the operational policies and guidance provided to food safety regulators.
4. Allow hospitality businesses to accept donations towards courtesy transport costs without triggering passenger-service requirements.
5. Repeal the outdated Hotel Association of New Zealand Act 1969.
6. Upgrade the Compliance Matters website so businesses can more easily find and understand their regulatory obligations.
7. Issue national guidance to help regulators consistently assess excessive noise under the new national requirements.

Short-term changes by the end of 2027

8. Remove annual or two-yearly food registration renewals and introduce a simpler nationally set application form.
9. Improve food verification practices, including allowing high-performing businesses to be verified every two years.
10. Allow food trucks operating in multiple regions to be verified by one council, with that verification recognised by other councils.
11. Scale the food business levy according to annual revenue and centralise its collection.
12. Establish clearer and more comprehensive principles for setting council food safety fees.
13. Appoint a properly resourced steward with overall responsibility for the alcohol regulatory system.
14. Significantly simplify alcohol licence renewals, including longer renewal periods for some licences.
15. Clarify and simplify first-time alcohol licence applications, including clearer criteria and a simpler application form.
16. Introduce training requirements for licence holders, people serving alcohol and alcohol regulators.
17. Give regulators more proportionate tools for addressing minor non-compliance, including Improvement Notices and Notices of Direction.
18. Allow District Licensing Committees to merge and introduce clearer membership, training and remuneration requirements.
19. Recalibrate alcohol licensing fees, including removing annual fees, substantially reducing renewal fees and introducing inspection fees.
20. Review the building consent exemption threshold for temporary marquees.
21. Develop guidance for councils on using discretionary building consent exemptions for temporary marquees.

Medium- to long-term reforms through 2028 and 2029

22. Replace the current alcohol licence types with a coherent risk-based framework covering licence requirements, fees and expected monitoring.
23. Create a nationwide alcohol information system covering licences, manager certificates, compliance, performance, alcohol-related incidents and health effects.
24. Establish one information and application portal for council regulatory applications. The Review’s preferred approach is for central government to establish and maintain a portal used by all councils; an alternative is to require councils to develop their own integrated systems.

From recommendations to action

Alongside its 24 formal recommendations, the Review identifies opportunities for further work, including reconsidering restricted trading rules for Easter, Christmas and ANZAC Day and undertaking a fuller review of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.

Many of the recommendations also align with priorities in the recently released Hospitality Summit Report: Serving Success 2026, including more proportionate, risk-based alcohol licensing, fairer fees and better coordination across government.

The recommendations have not yet been adopted. Ministers will consider which recommendations to accept and determine the next steps, with the Government’s forthcoming Hospitality Action Plan expected to provide a coordinated framework for priority hospitality initiatives.

The Restaurant Association will continue working with Ministers and officials to maintain the momentum and ensure the detailed reforms deliver practical improvements for hospitality operators.

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More information

• Download a copy of the Hospitality Review Final Report and recommendations
• Hospitality industry served regulatory relief – press release from Minister Seymour and Minister Upston

National has announced a reset to how funding from the International Visitor Levy (IVL) is distributed, including a new $50 million a year Tourism Priorities Fund to support tourism growth and resilience.

Under the policy, IVL revenue will be split three ways from 1 July 2027: the $50 million Tourism Priorities Fund, $100 million a year to the Department of Conservation, and the remainder paid directly to councils based on their share of international visitor guest nights. National estimates the council portion would total an estimated $385 million over the first four years, rising from $86 million in 2027/28 to $106 million in 2030/31 — without introducing a bed tax.

The government has pointed to the policy’s intent with the new rejigg of the IVL funding allocation to be to back conservation, support tourism growth, and strengthen regional economies. There is also a commitment to not increasing the IVL for at least three years.

Where hospitality fits in

We’re generally supportive of this direction. Funding through the IVL is important to our sector, and it matters that tourism funding conversations recognise hospitality as part of the visitor economy, not just an add-on to it.

That said, several details are yet to be confirmed. Chief among them is what the $50 million Tourism Priorities Fund would actually support — whether hospitality initiatives specifically would be eligible, or whether it’s directed elsewhere within the broader tourism sector. We’ll share more detail as it becomes available.

It’s also worth noting this is a policy announcement made ahead of the election. We’ll continue to monitor developments and keep members updated as more information is confirmed.

New Zealand’s hospitality industry has set out 13 further recommendations for Government and industry action following the 2026 Hospitality Summit. The recommendations outline a wide range of initiatives to strengthen the future of the sector.

The Summit, hosted by Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Hon Louise Upston in conjunction with Hospitality New Zealand (Hospitality NZ) and the Restaurant Association of New Zealand (Restaurant Association), was held on 12 March 2026.

More than 70 industry stakeholders and government officials attended the Summit at Parliament, to discuss a range of issues that matter most to hospitality, including:

• Employment and immigration
• Alcohol policy
• The intersection between tourism and hospitality
• Data, licensing and regulatory compliance
• Skills and training.

The 2026 Summit built on the inaugural 2024 event, where 63 recommendations. Work remains underway across those existing prioritirs, with 21 either completed or nearing completion.

Hospitality NZ Chief Executive Kristy Phillips says the 2026 recommendations report provides a clear roadmap for where the hospitality and accommodation industry believes further progress can be made.

“The first Hospitality Summit showed what’s possible when our industry and Government work together, sharing perspectives and insights, and we’ve made strong progress on the recommendations that came out of that process.

“This second report builds on that work, outlining where we’ve taken steps forward while also identifying where longstanding issues remain, and where new challenges have emerged.”

An additional 13 recommendations are outlined in the 2026 Summit report, including placing greater weight on industry experience and career progression in employment-based immigration pathways, and reframing the object of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act.

Restaurant Association General Manager Nicola Waldren says the report reflects the priorities raised directly by hospitality businesses and industry representatives.

“These recommendations are practical and focused on creating the conditions hospitality businesses need to invest, grow and create rewarding careers.

“What matters now is continuing to turn that collaboration into changes that operators can see and feel in their day-to-day businesses.”

Hospitality NZ and the Restaurant Association are committed to working with government and other interested parties to put positive changes in motion, say Kristy Phillips and Nicola Waldren.

“The recommendations cover a broad range of issues, but they’re connected by a common objective: creating a stronger, more productive and sustainable hospitality sector.

“The recommendations reflect the perspective the hospitality industry brings to policy and regulation. We also recognise that some of these recommendations will take some time to progress, especially if legislative change is needed.”

“On both fronts, Hospitality NZ, the Restaurant Association and the broader hospitality sector have a long-term ambition for improving our industry.

“We’re committed to working proactively and productively with government ministers and officials, local councils and key stakeholders to progress these issues as raised.”

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More information:

• Find out more about the Hospitality Summit here.
• Read Minister Upston’s media release welcoming the Report: Industry roadmap to help hospitality succeed

The topics discussed at this year’s Hospitality Summit will be familiar to hospitality operators: finding and retaining skilled people, navigating licensing and compliance, building stronger training pathways and creating the conditions for hospitality businesses to grow.

Those discussions have now been brought together in the Serving Success: Hospitality Summit Report 2026, released by the Restaurant Association and Hospitality New Zealand.

The report adds 13 further recommendations arising from the 2026 Summit, while continuing the work that began following the first Summit in 2024. Of the original 63 recommendations, 21 have now been completed or are nearing completion.

Hospitality’s voice at Parliament

The 2026 Hospitality Summit was held at Parliament on 12 March and hosted by Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Hon Louise Upston, together with the Restaurant Association and Hospitality New Zealand.

It brought hospitality operators from around the country together with government representatives and officials. With the conversation grounded in the day-to-day realities of running a hospitality business, our industry had a direct opportunity to explain where current settings are creating unnecessary costs, delays or barriers to growth.

The conversations covered five areas:

• employment and immigration
• alcohol policy
• tourism and hospitality
• data, licensing and regulatory compliance
• skills and training.

What are the 13 new recommendations?

The 13 further recommendations reflect issues raised through industry feedback and during the Summit itself. We are calling for:

• giving greater recognition to practical hospitality experience and career progression within immigration pathways
• improving access to immigration advisers with specialist industry knowledge
• reframing the object of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act to recognise hospitality’s positive social role and contribution to harm minimisation
• setting stricter timeframes for regulatory agencies to lodge objections to alcohol licence applications
• developing an internationally facing culinary brand for New Zealand
• strengthening links between Tourism New Zealand and our food and beverage sector
• establishing a Government subvention fund to help attract business events
• better protecting established venues when residential development moves into nightlife precincts
• encouraging night-time economy strategies that recognise the value of hospitality
• ensuring businesses can recover genuine payment-processing costs
• better coordinating building consent and alcohol licensing processes
• funding for Year 11 hospitality courses
• developing modern formal training for specialist areas of our industry, including coffee.

Government announces Hospitality Action Plan

In welcoming the report, Minister Upston also announced that the Government is developing a Hospitality Action Plan to provide a more coordinated approach to hospitality priorities across Government.

This is an important next step. The issues affecting hospitality often sit across several different portfolios, government agencies and levels of government. The Action Plan is intended to bring together work already underway, consider relevant recommendations from the Summit Report alongside other Government work programmes, and provide greater visibility across the Government’s hospitality work.

The Minister has committed to continuing to work in partnership with our industry as the Action Plan is developed, with a focus on removing barriers to growth and supporting hospitality businesses and our teams. We welcome the commitment to this more coordinated approach.

Continuing the work already underway

The latest recommendations build on solid progress from the first Summit in 2024. This includes changes to Easter trading restrictions and Accredited Employer Work Visa settings, work on alcohol licensing reform, the development of hospitality data and wellbeing resources, and the arrival of the MICHELIN Guide in New Zealand.

There is still more to do across the original recommendations, particularly in areas such as skills and training. The latest recommendations give us a clear next set of priorities without losing sight of that existing work.

Importantly, the report reflects what our industry has said it needs. The recommendations have come directly from the experiences of hospitality businesses and the people working across our sector. They focus on practical changes that would reduce unnecessary barriers, support investment and growth, and help us build rewarding, sustainable careers in hospitality.

The Summit gives us an important opportunity to put those experiences directly in front of Government. Our focus now is on turning that engagement into changes that operators can see and feel in their day-to-day businesses.

Some recommendations will take longer than others, particularly where legislative change is required. We will continue working with Ministers, government officials, councils and others to progress them — and to keep our members informed about what is changing.

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More information:

• Find out more about the Hospitality Summit here.
• Read Minister Upston’s media release welcoming the Report: Industry roadmap to help hospitality succeed

Hospitality sales increased in the second quarter of 2026. However, the latest figures show that growth remained modest in most regions and uneven across the industry.

National hospitality sales reached $4.02 billion during the quarter, representing a 2.9 per cent increase on the same period in 2025. This was a significant slowdown from the 6.5 per cent year-on-year growth recorded in the first quarter. This reflects the changing economic conditions experienced by businesses as the year progressed.

Experiences varied considerably across businesses and regions. Quarter two was noted for rising fuel and food costs, continued pressure on household budgets and uncertainty caused by global events. This meant that, for many operators, conditions remained extremely challenging. Anecdotally, we heard that April and June were particularly tough.

Our café and restaurant sector continued to perform more strongly than the industry overall, recording $2.01 billion in sales and year-on-year growth of 6.4 per cent. However, this was also down from the 8.1 per cent growth recorded in the first quarter.

On the surface, any increase in sales is welcome. However, annual inflation rose to 4.1 per cent in the June quarter. And prices for restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food increased by 3.1 per cent over the year. Taken together with total hospitality sales growth of 2.9 per cent, the figures point to little, if any, underlying growth in the volume of trade across the industry.

We continue to hear from members that even where revenue has improved, higher turnover has not translated into better profitability. Costs are rising at least as quickly as sales, while customers remain careful about how often they dine out and how much they spend when they do.

Pressure on both sides of the counter

On top of the fuel price increases and higher household costs continuing to constrain customer spending, food costs remained a particular concern. Overall food prices were 2.5 per cent higher in June than a year earlier. Meat, poultry and fish prices up 6.2 per cent.

Members have told us that there is increasingly little room either to absorb further operational cost increases or pass them on through menu prices without affecting demand. After years of finding efficiencies and doing more with less, there are fewer meaningful savings left to make.

This was reflected in our June business survey. Forty-three per cent of member respondents reported lower revenue than in the same period last year. Around two-thirds said their business was less profitable. Food costs were the most commonly identified challenge, alongside lower customer demand and wage costs.

Very different results across sectors and regions

Performance varied considerably across the industry. Alongside the 6.4 per cent growth recorded by cafés and restaurants, clubs grew by 5.4 per cent. Growth in pubs, taverns and bars was 3.4 per cent. Takeaway food service sales declined by 1.0 per cent, while catering sales fell by 6.1 per cent.

Regional results were equally mixed. Manawatū-Whanganui recorded the strongest growth, with sales increasing by 15.6 per cent. This was followed by the West Coast at 15.4 per cent and Canterbury at 9.8 per cent.

In contrast, growth in Auckland slowed to just 0.8 per cent. Given that Auckland accounts for approximately 39 per cent of hospitality sales nationally, the near-stalling of sales in our largest market had a significant effect on the overall result.

The gap between the strongest and weakest-performing regions reinforces what members have been telling us: conditions remain inconsistent and difficult to predict.

Where to from here?

There are some early signs of cautious optimism. Fuel prices eased from their peaks towards the end of the quarter, while preliminary outlook for quarter three is improved. July sales showed a noticeable improvement, jumping 7.8 per cent over the previous year. We will need to see whether that momentum continues.

The key for our industry is greater stability. Operators need a period in which costs, customer demand and the wider economic environment become more predictable.

The second quarter was not the clear step forward many had hoped for at the beginning of the year. Growth continued, but it was modest, uneven and, in many cases, absorbed by rising costs. A genuine recovery will not be measured by marginally higher sales alone; it will begin when sales growth starts to outpace the rising cost of doing business.

Members can download the full Q2 2026 Hospitality Sales Snapshot for detailed national, sector and regional results here.