An Auckland business is looking to brighten sad situations by delivering free cupcakes to people nominated through a new social media campaign.

Creditors are claiming around $1.7 million from the company that owns the master franchise for Nando's fast food chain, which is in a "messy" liquidation.

Who knew you could age rice? It's a silly question, really. The answer is probably about 3.5 billion people or half the world's population.

Each week, Wendyl Nissen takes a packaged food item and decodes what the label tells you about its contents.

Leading winemaker Hugh Crichton believes the 2014 chardonnay crop could produce the best vintage for the style yet seen in Hawke's Bay.

A central Auckland restaurant shut down this month by its landlord is likely to leave creditors at least $100,000 out-of-pocket, according to a receiver's report.

To welcome the Spanish brew to NZ shores we speak to a Barcelona based chemistry expert about his love of beer.

The owner of the Mr Whippy master franchise says Auckland's frozen dessert market is close to reaching "saturation point".

A Hawke's Bay winegrower is picking this year's Chardonnay crop to be the region's best ever vintage.

A pinot noir drop produced from Wairarapa-grown grapes by Hawkes Bay vineyard Craggy Range has been awarded a gold medal.

The monthly decline in food prices was led by a 6.5pc drop in vegetable prices and a 5.1pc reduction in fruit, according to Statistics NZ.

A downtown Auckland eatery has shut down after being put into receivership only several months after it first opened.

New Zealand's oldest tea company, Bell Tea, is set to shut its Dunedin factory next month, ending more than 100 years of tea production in the city.

Supermarket giant Countdown is facing fresh questions after large bins of whole snapper found at a waste meat processing plant were traced to its supply chain.

Meat lover Brendan Manning visits one of the country's best butcher to witness the process of breaking down the beast.

A stag night booze request has landed a Dunedin duty bar manager in trouble with police - and may even cost him his licence.

Kiwis are drinking more alcohol and eating more bread, red meat and takeaways than a year ago, data from Southern Cross shows.

A major grocery chain is unable to guarantee bananas will be available on shelves this week, as a nationwide shortage looms.

After a couple of years of working all hours, seven days a week, Aaron Calman - known by his nickname Lizard - was barely seeing a dollar out of his business.

Next time you're ordering wine with a meal out, don't be afraid to order the cheapest - it's probably the best value.

A third of the food the world produces is never consumed, which means you're paying more at the till for your shopping.

ANew Zealand single malt has been named among the world's best by a top-selling international whisky guide.

Grant Achatz caused a flurry when he tweeted about a baby a couple had brought to his $250 a plate three-star establishment.

Local brewing giant Lion is serving up a new take on Claytons - "the drink you have when you're not having a drink".

Food stalls at the Chinese Lantern Festival, Pasifika, Diwali and other major events will be nearly unregulated for food safety under a major law reform, says Auckland Council, which is concerned about the potential for large-scale food poisoning.