Terms and Conditions of Entry
Registration & Participation
The Competition
● Participation in the Great NZ Toastie Takeover 2025 is open to all New Zealand based commercial businesses that serve food.
● Entry is $149+gst per past participants of the Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover and $199+gst for new participants. The entry fee covers each venue entered in the competition.
● This competition is conducted by Cook & Nelson on behalf of McClure’s Pickles, 9a Vincent Road, Northcote Point, Auckland, New Zealand
● The Competition will be conducted in the following regions;
o Northland / Auckland / (As far south as Bombay)
o Hamilton / Waikato –Thames/Coromandel, Tauranga/Rotorua/BOP
o Central – Taupo / Napier / New Plymouth / Palmerston North
o Wellington Region – north to Wairarapa.
o Nelson and Blenheim south to include Christchurch and West Coast as
far south as Greymouth
o Remainder of South Island to include Queenstown, Dunedin and
Invercargill.
● Competition registration opens at 9am on Monday 5 May 2025 and ends at midnight on Wednesday 11 June 2025.
● The competition will accept the first 250 entries only with previous year’s entrants given automatic acceptance for 2025.
● Entries will be accepted from bars / cafes / restaurants / hole in the wall eateries and Food Trucks.
● All toastie creation information (description & price) needs to be provided to Cook & Nelson by 5:00pm on Wednesday 13 June 2025.
● McClure’s Great NZ Toastie Takeover Kit will be despatched to all participating establishments from 18 June 2025.
● First round judging (with the exception of Food Trucks) commences Wednesday 25 June 2025. Judges will pay for their meals and will judge anonymously.
● Food truck judging will take place over a specific weekend to be advised. Food Truck participants must advise exact time and location on at least one of these dates.
● The top 12 scoring toasties will be announced as finalists on Wednesday 6 August 2025. In the event of a tie for second, both toasties will become finalists.
● Finalist judging commences early August 2025.
● And the supreme winner will be announced on Wednesday 20 August 2025.
Key Timelines, 2025
05 May: Entries open
22 May: Early Bird discount ends
11 June: Deadline for registration
12 June: Deadline for toastie details
20 June: McClure’s Great NZ Toastie Takeover Kit dispatched to your establishment / Head office
25 June: Judging commences / Toastie on menu
6 August: Finalists announced / Second round judging
20 August: Supreme Winner announced
Judging Criteria
To qualify for the Great NZ Toastie Takeover your toastie must have:
● A toasted top and bottom dough-based ingredient (bread, pastry, flatbread, etc). Toasties cooked or grilled, heated in presses, panini makers or toasted sandwich machines are acceptable.
● McClure’s Pickles as an essential ingredient, used as part of the sandwich filling (not simply as a condiment or garnish on the top or side).
● Cheese (or a vegan cheese alternative such as nut cheese or tofu) as an essential ingredient, used as part of the sandwich filling.
● Must be hot or warm when served.
● Must be able to be eaten using the hands from start to finish (as distinct from knives and forks or other utensils).
● Must be clearly displayed as a ‘Great NZ Toastie Takeover’ entry on an entrant’s black board or menu or Great NZ Toastie Takeover Poster. Points will be deducted if this is not clearly displayed.
● Must be the same toastie on the menu for the duration (e.g. no change in ingredients, preparation and presentation). The competition organisers reserve the right to permit a change in toastie under extenuating circumstances such as a product not being available, as long as it’s before judging has commenced.
● Must be on the menu and available for judging during lunch hours and / or dinner hours from 25 June 2025 to 5 August 2025 inclusive. Finalists must have their toastie on the menu until 20 August 2025 inclusive.
● The winner must have their toastie on the menu until 30 September 2025.
● If the toastie is not available for purchase when the judge arrives for tasting, the entrant will be disqualified.
● If an entrant is closed during advertised operating hours without prior advice to the organisers who can ensure judges do not turn up on those days, that entrant will be disqualified.
● Food trucks are welcome to enter as long as they are able to comply with the judging criteria.
● A blank copy of the judging form is available upon request.
Marks will be awarded for
Presentation: 15 marks (visual and aromatic appeal)
Preparation Technique: 20 marks (is it well prepared, consistent throughout, is the toastie bread crisp but not burnt, is it oily or too dry?)
Eatabilty: 15 marks (can it be eaten by hand from start to finish, does it hold its shape or fall apart, does every bite deliver a share of ingredients?)
Taste: 30 marks (how well do the ingredients work together to provide a harmonious, delicious, moreish toastie, is there good mouth feel and contrast?)
Representation and interest: 20 marks (How well does the toastie represent its creator, the venue, and/or the region? Does it tell a story? Is it innovative?)
Judges’ decision
The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Regions
The regions are defined as:
Northland / Auckland (As far south as Bombay)
Hamilton / Waikato –Thames / Coromandel, Tauranga / Rotorua / BOP
Central North Island - Taupo / Napier / New Plymouth / Palmerston North
Wellington Region – north to Wairarapa
Nelson and Blenheim south to include Christchurch and West Coast as far south as Greymouth
Remainder of South Island to include Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill.
First round judging
First round judging commences 25 June 2025. Judges will pay for their meals and will judge anonymously.
Finalists and winners
An entrant must achieve a score of 85 or more to qualify as a finalist. If there are any regions where no entrant achieves a score of 85 or more, the finalist status will be transferred the next highest scoring entrant in another region.
● There will be 12 finalists total, being the 12 highest scoring toasties; in the event of a tie both toasties will become finalists. The names will be announced on 6 August 2025.
● There will be one supreme winner, name to be announced on 20 August 2025. The winning eatery must have its toastie creation on the menu for a further month – until 30 September 2025.
● Each finalist must have their toastie creation on the menu from 6 August 2025 through to 20 August 2025.
If you make it to the top, be ready to chat — finalists and winners will need to be available for media interviews about their toastie creation.
Finalist judging
At least one nominated judge will travel and judge all 12 finalist entries. Finalist judging will take place in early August to conclude no later than 14 August 2025.
● The supreme winner will then be determined based on the results of both the first and second round of judging with all judges’ comments and scores considered along with a determination from Joe McClure (founder McClure’s Pickles). These will be moderated by Kerry Tyack (head judge)..
The Winner
The winner will be required to have its winning toastie on the menu until 30 September 2024; PR and marketing campaign will drive customers into your establishment.
Marketing Collateral
Cook & Nelson will provide all participants with branded:
Table Talkers, Posters, Branded greaseproof paper and a cap.
Digital branding for use on social media and website.
A national PR and marketing campaign for the Great NZ Toastie Tour.
A national social media campaign for the Great NZ Toastie Tour.
Prizes
Each finalist will receive:
● 1 x complimentary 20kg pail of McClure’s Pickles.
● A Great NZ Toastie Takeover Finalist Decal / sticker for your window.
● A Great NZ Toastie Takeover Finalist logo artwork for social media.
● A professionally photographed shot of your toastie.
● National publicity and naming of your establishment and toastie creation.
The winner will receive:
● A Great NZ Toastie Takeover 2024 trophy with your establishment name engraved on the trophy.
● A year’s worth of pickles (1 x case of 12 x 500g jars per month or 1 x 20kg pail per month for 12 months).
● A Great NZ Toastie Takeover Winner Decal / sticker for your window.
● A Great NZ Toastie Takeover Winner logo artwork for social media.
● A professionally photographed shot of your toastie.
● A professionally photographed shot of the winner with his or her toastie trophy.
● National publicity and naming of their establishment and toastie creation as the supreme winner.
Disclaimer
Cook & Nelson and McClure’s Pickles reserve the right to adjust timelines or cancel the Great NZ Toastie Takeover campaign in the event that COVID-19 or another similar event outside their control precludes running the event in an environment safe for both participants and the public.
Competition enquiries
All competition enquiries can be emailed deirdre@cookandnelson.com.