New Zealand: Food Service - Hotel Restaurant Institutional Annual

New Zealand's HRI sector is recovering strongly thanks to international and domestic tourism, in addition to renewed investment in major events through the government's 2025 event-funding initiative. International visitor arrivals have rebounded to around 87-92 percent of pre-COVID levels, boosting hotel performance in key destinations such as Queenstown, Rotorua, and Christchurch. Hotels are increasingly investing in premium dining concepts to capture higher-value spending, while restaurants continue to adapt to rising costs by streamlining menus and focusing on high-margin, globally inspired dishes. Despite operational pressures, consumer demand for dining out remains strong, supporting steady demand for imported specialty products, including U.S. red meats, BBQ and hot sauces, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, which help operators differentiate menus and manage seasonal supply gaps.