Jaffas let loose for charity

They travelled 150m down one of the most visited streets in New Zealand, but Cadbury's Giant Jaffas are "yummy" and it was difficult to stop children from collecting them out of the gutters and eating them following the Cadbury Jaffa Race on Baldwin St yesterday.

The sight of 50,000 Jaffas bouncing down the world's steepest street is enough to excite any chocolate-loving kid into a sugar-induced frenzy.

Hundreds turned out with their parents to watch the annual highlight of the Cadbury Chocolate Carnival, and see if their Jaffa was one of the first 10 down the hill to win a share of $8000 worth of prizes.

In the first race, consisting 25,000 red Giant Jaffas, it took 31 seconds for the first five Jaffas to reach the bottom.

And in the second race, consisting 25,000 purple Giant Jaffas, it took 30 seconds.

The prizes were a $1000 petrol voucher and a $1000 grocery voucher for first place, a $1000 grocery voucher for second place and a $1000 petrol voucher for third place. Fourth and fifth places won mobile phones.

Cadbury's event co-ordinator Lee-Anne Anderson was delighted the race rolled out smoothly, and was pleased to announce nearly $50,000 was raised by ticket sales this year.

Half of the proceeds would go to Cure Kids and the other half to the Taieri Parents Centre, she said.

Since the race started in 2002, more than $410,000 has been raised for local charities including Canteen, Dunedin Kindergarten Association, the Malcam Charitable Trust and the Otago Community Hospice.

During the street party, Cadbury managing director Alastair de Raadt celebrated the launch of Joy - the song of a nation.

Cadbury's has spent the past nine months capturing the sounds of joy from events and people around New Zealand, and turned them into a song featuring singer Bobby McFerrin, which was played for the first time at the street party yesterday.

Mr De Raadt said Cadbury created the song because joy was an important part of life.

"It's amazing how sound and music can influence our joy and well being.

"By creating a song using actual sounds of New Zealanders' joy, we're hoping to spread a little more.

"This song is our gift to Kiwis."


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Source and Photo: Otago Daily Times

Can bee sanctuary, chocolate save Australian tourism?

A native bee sanctuary in NSW, an African display at the Australia Zoo and a "total chocolate experience'' in Tasmania are among tourism projects to be funded by the Government.

Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson says the government will spend $8.5 million on 117 projects in the latest round of a program to help lift the quality and variety of tourism experiences, particularly in regional areas.

Mr Ferguson said 46 cents in every tourism dollar was spent in regional Australia, but the lack of investment in the industry was more pronounced in those areas.

The grants are provided on the basis that tourism operators matched the government's funding.

Many of the projects that received grants featured use of new technology to enhance tourists' experiences.

Fishabout Australia is developing a smart phone application to give recreational fishers a handbook in five different languages.

The Fraser Coast Regional Council in Queensland will also use its grant to develop a smart phone app, to guide people around its discovery trails.

Other grant recipients emphasised heritage or environmental tourism experiences.


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Source: The Australian

Aussies like to keep it sweet with treats

HOW sweet it is to love chocolate. Aussies are lusting after the "sinful" treat more than they crave sex, a survey suggests.

The research finds one in four consumers has indulged in a chocolate-only breakfast, lunch or dinner, and one in three has drowned their sorrows by eating an entire block.

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers desire chocolate more than any other profession, the poll, commissioned by retailer Max Brenner, finds.

The unemployed and tradies are least interested.

Business commentators said chocolate and confectionery sales had been resilient in the face of other consumer spending reductions.

IBISWorld senior analyst Ed Butler said Australians spent about $4 billion a year on chocolate.

He said the sector had recorded modest growth in recent years compared with many other industries suffering from sharp sales declines.

"It's an extension of the lipstick index during the global financial crisis," Mr Butler said. "People cut down on clothes and handbags and shift to cheaper luxuries like cosmetics and chocolate."

IBISWorld predicted increased popularity of ethically produced "fair trade" lines and organic chocolate in future.

The PureProfile chocolate survey reveals 15 per cent crave the confectionery every day, compared with 8 per cent who admit a constant urge for sex.

Almost one in five say they devour chocolate four to five times a week, putting their passion well ahead of Vegemite or a cold beer.

Dark chocolate is more popular with men than women, the survey of 1000 consumers finds.

Most say they spend $10-$30 on chocolate for loved ones on special occasions. Emergency services workers lavish most money on their nearest and dearest, while retail staff shell out the least.


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Source: Herald Sun