NGATEA, New Zealand, – In a growing number of New Zealand towns, the local dairy, bakery or superette has become the place people turn to for a hot meal, alongside the milk, bread and everyday groceries they already come in for. A dairy or bakery counter that has always sold the day-to-day essentials is now just as likely to be where locals stop for a hot meal on the way home, without a separate trip to a dedicated takeaway shop.
The numbers reflect what many store owners are already seeing at the counter. Takeaway food was the strongest performing food service category in 2025, growing 3.2 percent according to the Restaurant Association of New Zealand, while revenue across supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores has stayed broadly flat over the past five years, based on IBISWorld data. Hot food is proving to be a natural addition for the everyday stores Kiwis already visit.
A Well-Known Store Adds Something New
Danny’s Kiwi Bakery in Waiuku is one example. Like other stores in the Top Taste Chicken ‘n’ Chips network, it has built a hot chicken and chips counter into a business that was already part of the daily routine for locals. The bakery’s bread and coffee trade already had people coming through the door each morning, and the hot chicken and chips counter now keeps them coming back later in the day too.
“Adding hot chicken and chips has given people another reason to stop in, and a lot of our regulars now come to us for a quick hot meal as well as our usual offerings” says Danny, owner of Danny’s Kiwi Bakery, Waiuku. For a business built around a loyal local customer base, that shift has meant a wider mix of trade across the day.
Top Taste works with partner stores from Awanui in the north to Balclutha in the south, in towns including Ngaruawahia, Otorohanga, Masterton and Napier, spanning dairies, bakeries, superettes and service stations. The network continues to grow as more stores across the country add the system to their existing counter.
Building on What Already Works
For a store owner, adding a hot food line means building on the counter and the regulars a store already has, supported by a system designed to fit around it. Top Taste, part of the wider Cosmo’s and Jayen Food Concepts operation, provides the brand, Cosmo’s coatings and seasonings, catering equipment including New Zealand made autolift fryers, which lift automatically once the programmed cook time is up, hot food cabinets, packaging, installation, training and ongoing support, with no franchise commission fees. The branded packaging and menu boards give each store a consistent, professional look regardless of its size or layout
“We’ve refined this system since 1997, so a store can be up and running with minimal disruption, our team handles the installation and training, and support doesn’t stop once the equipment is switched on.” says Mark Prujean, Director of Top Taste Chicken ‘n’ Chips. That ongoing support runs well beyond the initial installation, with the Top Taste team on hand to help troubleshoot equipment, refresh menu boards and support stores as their hot food trade builds.
Finding the Right Fit for Each Store
Every store is different, and the system is built to fit around what’s already there. Installation is straightforward, the equipment is designed for New Zealand kitchens, and training and support are included from the start, so most owners find it slots in neatly alongside their existing counter and team, especially in stores with steady foot traffic and a little room to spare.
Alongside serving great food, Top Taste partner stores are part of the communities they operate in, supporting local organisations and community projects.
For store owners considering it, the appeal is a well-loved product added to a business people already know and visit regularly.
Business owners interested in adding a hot food line to their store can find out more at Top Taste Chicken ‘n’ Chips.
About Top Taste Chicken ‘n’ Chips
Top Taste Chicken ‘n’ Chips is a New Zealand owned and operated branded food system, established in 1997. It licenses its chicken and chips system into dairies, takeaways, cafes, superettes, bakeries, service stations and lunch bars across New Zealand, providing the brand, Cosmo’s coatings and seasonings, equipment, packaging, installation, training and ongoing support. The system sits within the wider Cosmo’s and Jayen Food Concepts hospitality supply operation and is aimed at business owners and operators looking to add a proven hot food line to a store they already run.
Phone: 0800 622 220
Email: sales@jayen.co.nz
Media Release on 22 September 2026
Media Contact
Leanne Prujean, Jayen Food Concepts Ltd
Website: https://www.toptastechicken.co.nz/