'Cheeky buggers' use written-off Hāngi Master trailer to sell fake steam hāngi

Photo / Supplied

Hāngi Master founder Rewi Spraggon is shocked to find his Hāngi Master trailer, written off after a crash this year, spotted selling fake steam hāngi in Hamilton.

In a Facebook post he calls them "cheeky buggers".

"There's plenty of room for Māori to sell hāngi and I commend anyone who wants to get into the hāngī business. This is a very hard industry and I know the struggle but I ask aspiring business developers in the hospitality industry to create their own brand and not ride on others' mana," Spraggon says.

The trailer that clearly displays the popular Hāngi Master brand has been spotted selling hāngi outside the Dinsdale Shopping Centre in Hamilton opposite the Countdown supermarket.

Photo / Supplied

Spraggon says he doesn't own the rights to the name Hāngi Master and anyone Māori has the right to use the term. But he will ask the new owners of the trailer to remove his branding and email address. "I paid a lot of money for the font and branding of the name. I put a lot of work into the creation of the brand."

The trailer was written off by the insurance company after the crash and sent to a wrecker.

Spraggon is calling on the public with any further information about the sellers of the fake steamed hāngi using his brand to get in touch.