New motorway makes Matakana Village and Farmer’s Market more accessible than ever!
MEDIA RELEASE
19 June 2023
New motorway makes Matakana Village and Farmer’s Market more accessible than ever
The opening of the new motorway from Pūhoi to Warkworth could not have come at a better time for Matakana Village retailers and business owners.
Officially opened by Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Friday 16 June, the new motorway makes the famous Farmer’s Market and independent retail destination more accessible than ever.
A world-class village with small town charm, there’s more to Matakana Village than its weekly farmer’s market and it’s steeped in aroha for all the right reasons.
The Village itself is open seven days a week and home to small business owners and artisan food producers offering a therapeutic and meaningful retail experience without the hustle. It has been a shopping destination with heart since 2002 and the love that its community of independent retailers pour into their businesses makes it an experience like none other.
One beating heart at the centre of the village is Unity Collection, a small gallery of authentic Māori contemporary art, design and fashion.
Since opening its doors two years ago it has attracted a steady stream of local and out of town visitors.
Unity Collection founder and owner Tania Rupapera believes a big reason for Unity Collection’s success in Matakana Village is that the gallery provides accessible quality authentic Māori work within an open friendly environment.
“People feel connected and welcome. They are often overwhelmed with emotion while sharing their time at Unity,” she says. “We’re a small gallery with a big wairua, sharing authentic storytelling, aroha and manakiatanga with our community and visitors.”
Now an even easier drive from Auckland, Matakana Village offers a relaxed mid-week shopping experience without the crowds, and free parking. It’s the perfect destination for those seeking special gifts because its retailers are passionate about their carefully curated collections of art, homewares, fashion, jewellery and gifts.
To be part of the village you must be an independent retailer with a unique concept for a speciality store. The concept has been so popular that there is even a waiting list for future leasing opportunities.
“Matakana Village is much more than a farmers market. We are the centre of an amazing area with passionate people doing amazing creative things,” says Matakana Village co-founder Richard Didsbury. “We’ve got wonderful booksellers, arts and crafts, paintings... We are just such a different environment from the city itself and there is a story behind each one.”
Visitors can browse at their leisure, stop for lunch at bustling riverside café and local favourite MMK or catch a movie at the Matakana Village cinema.
“There’s such a great group of business owners here. They all love their businesses, and it really shows,” says Mary-Liz Corbett, former librarian and owner of magical independent bookshop Matakana Village Books.
At Unity Collection Rupapera’s extensive background in retail and her career in coaching for two decades has seen many of her clients go on to become suppliers of the gallery store.
Unity Collection offers a beautiful collection of Raranga (weaving), Mahi Toi (Art) Kākahu (clothing) Taonga (jewellery) Rongoa (skincare) and Whare Kainga (homeware).
Rupapera works with people to grow themselves as leaders and their businesses through Mana Coaching and her coaching contract with various Māori organisations has had her realise the need for creatives to have a brick-and-mortar space to showcase their work and impact economic development and entrepreneurship.
“A physical space serves a great purpose of connectivity for our communities,” she says.
On site award-winning artisan chocolatiers Honest Chocolat are also world-famous in Matakana.
French pastry chef and chocolatier Nico Bonnaud and his wife Emily share a passion for chocolate and produce delectable small batch chocolates made from ethically sourced ingredients from suppliers who are paid fair wages which makes their chocolate taste even sweeter.
“As a producer there is something special about Matakana,” says Bonnaud. “You are surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, breweries, the very vibrant market on a Saturday with lots of smaller vegetable producers… It stimulates you. I don’t think we would have been able to do any of it without the locals support because they never take it for granted.”
Honest Chocolat also provides the chocolate sticks for Matakana Village’s Ringawera Baker’s pain au chocolat.
Open every day 7am – 4pm, you can watch Ringawera Baker’s Patrick Griffiths (former actor and stage performer) and his passionate team of bakers, make everything from scratch using quality ingredients with no additives or preservatives and organic where possible.
Watch and smell the bread arriving hot out of the oven with an open kitchen and choose from a wide range of bread – sourdough, ciabatta, baguettes, focaccia, rewena, mixed grain, and organic rye sourdough – and don’t forget the pastries, croissants, brioche and of course pain au chocolat!
A perfect pairing with a cup coffee from The Roastery Matakana Coffee, an artisan, small batch producer roasting award-winning blends, single origin coffees, and Fairtrade Organic varietals.
“I just love making people feel better. It’s an enjoyable part of my customers’ day and it’s a lovely thing to provide them,” says The Roastery Matakana Coffee owner/operator Lindesay Smith.
For more information contact:
Tom Klockseth
Matakana Village
marketing@matakanavillage.co.nz