Small and portable is the trend du jour. Pop up restaurants are becoming more and more popular, to the point where some operate exclusively as pop-ups around the world. The small and portable format is gaining traction, with the idea of spending summer by the beach and winter at the Southern ski fields an incredibly appealing prospect.
The shipping container trend is gathering momentum worldwide, with countless pop-ups making use of the low-cost alternative. The idea often appeals to eco-conscious owners looking to reduce the environmental impact of their business.
With a container set-up, a restaurant can move to where the customers are, rather than having to wait for the customers to find them. Portability is key – a container kitchen could spend the summer in a holiday hotspot like Whangamata before moving south to the ski fields over winter. Space is clearly no issue. The rise of food trucks can attest to that, with portable options receiving rave reviews while utilising every inch of space available to them.
The Ska Brewing Company, based in Colorado, opened a shipping container restaurant in 2013, one of the first in the USA.
“There’s a lot more education out there now on how to do that,” said Kristen Murano of Ska Brewing. “Especially in a lot of the city areas where space is limited, it’s a good way to build and be more cost-effective.”
The trend is already well established overseas, but where would be the best fit for a container kitchen in New Zealand?
RIVERSIDE FARMERS MARKET, CHRISTCHURCH
Riverside is an exciting new development currently underway in Christchurch, a seven-day-trading indoor farmers market, linked to a vibrant network of boutique retail, restaurants, cafes and bars. The presence of a container restaurant would provide a welcome throwback to the history of the site, formerly occupied by Christchurch’s famous container mall. Initially devised as a way of kickstarting the Christchurch retail market after the 2011 quakes, the Re:Start container mall closed in January 2018 but served as an enduring symbol of the rebuild.
WYNYARD QUARTER, AUCKLAND
Redeveloped for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Wynyard Quarter has developed into a first-choice dining precinct in the central city. Mayor Phil Goff and the Auckland City Council has even more plans for the historically-underutilised site, including the removal of the Tank Farm in place of residential, dining and grassy areas. With the America’s Cup on the way and Auckland securing more and more world-class events, now is the time to secure a spot.
WAREHOUSE PRECINCT, DUNEDIN
In 2013, the Dunedin City Council set out to revitalise the historic Warehouse Precinct, in particular defining an individual character for Bond Street and Vogel Street. The intention was to create a hive of employment which builds on the area as a historical resource, offering a characterful and attractive living space. A container kitchen, possibly in the proposed Bond St laneway, would complement the already existing street art and historical façades.
Burns & Ferrall is offering the chance for one lucky company to walk away with a fully equipped, fully functional commercial kitchen housed inside a custom-built recycled container, worth over $125,000. Simply spend $1000 at Burns & Ferrall to go into the draw.
