GoodBugs

🔍 What to Look for in Quality Fermented Foods

Not all fermented foods are created equal! Here’s how to choose the best:
✔️ Raw & Unpasteurized – Heat kills beneficial bacteria.
✔️ No Vinegar or Preservatives – True fermentation creates its own acidity.
✔️ Live & Active Cultures – Look for bubbling, fizzing, and natural fermentation.
✔️ Locally & Sustainably Made – Support gut health and the planet!

When in doubt, choose GoodBugs – made with love and real fermentation. ❤️

Markets this weekend....

Saturday 6 June
Parnell Farmers' Market (Daniel)
Cambridge Farmers' Market NZ (Marea)

Sunday 7 June
Grey Lynn Farmers Market (Daniel)
Hamilton Farmers' Market (Marea)

Come and say hi!! 😀

P.S. Horse Bites (Beetroot and Horseradish Kraut) are back!!!!!

Well, we enjoyed our night out so much last week that we're doing it again... 😄 this Friday:-)

This time, you're invited too.

If you're a grower, food producer, retailer, chef, market vendor, food entrepreneur, or simply someone passionate about local food systems, we'd love to see you at the YOGA (Young Organic Growers Aotearoa) Midwinter Sociale in Cambridge.

One of the things we loved most about the Outstanding Food Producer Awards Champions Party was being in a room full of people who genuinely care about growing, making, selling, and celebrating great food. Conversations like that don't happen often enough.

This event looks set to be more of the same.

Hosted by Monavale Organic Blueberries, the evening includes an orchard and packhouse tour, sunset drinks and canapés, dinner, award-winning organic blueberry wine, and plenty of opportunities to connect with others working in and around New Zealand's food and farming industries.

Whether you're producing food, supporting producers, stocking local products, or exploring a future in regenerative and organic agriculture, it should be a fantastic evening.

📍 Monavale Organic Blueberries, Cambridge
📅 12 June
🕒 From 3.45pm
🎟 $50 including dinner and farm tour

We're looking forward to catching up with some familiar faces and meeting some new ones.

Who's coming?
Book your ticket at monavaleblueberries.co.nz

🍷❄️ YOGA Midwinter Sociale at Monavale Organic Blueberries ❄️🍷

Join the launch celebration of YOGA — Young Organic Growers Aotearoa, a new movement bringing together the next generation of organic and regenerative growers across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Hosted at Monavale Organic Blueberries, this special evening is designed to connect growers, producers, food lovers, and “organicurious” people passionate about sustainable farming, healthy food systems, and the future of organics in New Zealand.

✨ Orchard & packhouse tour
✨ Sunset drinks & canapés
✨ Dinner included
✨ Meet young growers & industry leaders
✨ Celebrate organic farming in Aotearoa
✨ Award-winning organic blueberry wine available

Whether you’re involved in horticulture, viticulture, apiculture, regenerative farming, community gardening, or simply passionate about the future of food — this event is for you.

📍 156 Turkington Road, Cambridge
🗓 Friday 12th June 2026
🕒 From 3:45pm
🎟 $50 per ticket

Book now:
🌐 Monavale Blueberries Event Booking

Shoutout to for their delicious Kimchi toastie!
We love getting the chance to chat with fellow fermenters - it's always inspiring to connect with other people passionate about real food and fermentation.

A rare 24 hours away from the kids last week meant we packed a lot in!

Fresh off receiving our 3 Gold Medals from the Outstanding Food Producer Awards , we headed to Auckland to attend the Outstanding Food Producer Awards Champions Party!

One of the highlights of the evening was seeing our Kiss Me Kimchi featured on the grazing table alongside some of New Zealand's finest award-winning foods. We also had the chance to sample some incredible kai and celebrate the amazing producers helping shape NZ's food scene.

Between meetings and festivities, we squeezed in a beach walk, stayed in a beautifully restored former convent, and stopped by Little Snail Café for kimchi toasties made by fellow fermenters Eunice Workshop. It's always inspiring connecting with others who are passionate about real food, traditional fermentation, and nourishing communities through what they create.

A huge congratulations to our friends at Mon's Flavors and Dreamview Farm for taking out top honours in their categories. What an awesome night celebrating the people behind some truly exceptional New Zealand food.

We're feeling grateful, inspired, and more excited than ever about what's ahead for GoodBugs.

Winter is on the way… so warm up with a nourishing Broth Bowl 👌

This beauty features a perfectly poached egg sitting on a dollop of grated zucchini, drenched in EVOO and chilli flakes, hanging out in a rich roasted chicken broth with organic silverbeet and a generous helping of funky, tangy GoodBugs Beeter Be Good sauerkraut!

Comforting, gut-loving goodness in every spoonful 😍

A big weekend of markets this long weekend with a guest appearance in the Hawkes Bay!!!

Saturday 30 May
Napier Urban Farmers' Market (Marea)
Tauranga Farmers Market (Daniel)

Sunday 31 May
Hawke's Bay Farmers' Market (Marea)
Hamilton Farmers' Market (Daniel)

Have a great weekend all!!!! 😀

Meet Zesta - our original fermented pesto 💚

Bold, tangy, and full of character, Zesta is packed with regeneratively grown greens and herbs, spray-free garlic, plus activated organic seeds and cashews.

Slow-fermented for 7–14 days, it develops a rich savoury flavour you simply can’t rush ✨

Stir it through pasta, spread it on avocado toast, add it to nourish bowls, or dollop it over roast veges — it’s the kind of fridge essential you’ll keep reaching for.

Real ingredients. Deep flavour. Gut-loving goodness.

Shop online or visit us at the markets this weekend!