Kete Koha is a monthly curated box of food from artisan producers in New Zealand and the South Pacific islands.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the subscription review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Kete Koha Monthly Artisan, $49.64 a month, box.
About Kete Koha
The Subscription Box: Kete Koha
The Cost: $49.56/mo with free shipping or $52.17 for a one-time purchase.
The Products: 10 full-sized items from small batch artisan producers in New Zealand and the South Pacific islands.
Ships to: NZ, Australia, USA & Canada for free ($10 shipping fee is added to countries in the greater Asia area, $50 shipping fee for most of Europe, and $85 shipping fee for rest of the world).
Good to know: In addition the Monthly Artisan, Kete Koha also offers "Lite" and "Vintner's Box" variations.
Kete Koha Monthly Artisan October 2018 Review
One of the first things you'll see upon opening in this letter inside the box lid letting you know that it's made from 100% recycled and compostable materials made from coconut fibers with earth-friendly inks.
Next, there's a lovely info card that details the items contained within, although it looks like some items in my box were swapped out with others because they don't all match the brand names.
Not an item- but they've also included a tourism guide to New Zealand, should you want to plan a visit!
Kete Harakeke
This little tote is woven by hand using flax and has traditional significance to the New Zealand people. It is a symbol of a container of knowledge but can hold things like delicious chocolate bars. 🙂 They suggest using this instead of plastic to hold things or to display important items in your home! Very special!
Solomon's Gold Smooth Dark Chocolate - Retail Value $4.31 USD ($6.60 NZD)
This dark chocolate is really rich and velvety with just a little hint of earthy bitterness which I like. There's a beautiful leaf pattern on the front and the packaging is also lovely. It also happens to be a silver winner (2017)from the Academy of Chocolate! The addition of coconut sugar to this 70% Soloman Islands cacao is really scrumptious.
Aroha Sauvignon Blanc & Saffron Drink
Wow- this is like really fancy and delicious grape juice! I had a few friends over and we were going through this box and decided to try this with some gin. It worked rather well! The grape flavor is sweet but smooth and saffron really makes it special!
Viberi Ruby, 90 g - Retail Value $7.15 USD ($10.95 NZD)
These are by far the favorite of the box! All of my friends who tried these were immediately obsessed. These organic crispy black currants are rolled in white chocolate and dusted with viberi powder. It's a really wonderful sour and sweet treat that is really hard to stop eating.
Waiheke Herbs Native Organic Herb Salt, 80 g - Retail Value $4.57 USD ($7 NZD)
I'm a big fan of fancy salts and this one fits the bill. It's made with karengo (NZ Seaweed), manuka, kawakawa, and kokihi (NZ Spinach). I tried it on asparagus a couple of times and it was delightful. Very eager to try it on some salmon or chicken as well! This jar is a nice full size so it will last me quite a bit.
Wild Country New Zealand Chardonnay Mustard, 190 g - Retail Value $5.22 USD ($8 NZD)
Chardonnay grapes make another appearance here as an important New Zealand food. My friends rather liked this mustard as it was slightly spicy but not like a standard German mustard at all. You can taste the Chardonnay and it's a little tart and vinegary but would go perfectly with some bratwurst or accompanying a cheese plate.
Mash Tun Crackers in Tuatara Amarillo American Dark Ale - Buy 3 for $13.03 USD ($19.95 NZD)
My roommate just stated that these are his favorite crackers of all time. What a declaration. These are really unique because they've been made with spent malted barley from brewing beer. I've never heard of anything like that before and is maybe the secret to why these are so tasty. Wheat flour, quinoa, rice bran oil, olive oil, rosemary oil, sea salt, and poppy seeds round the rest of the ingredients out. They're quite complex for a cracker and have a "good mouth feel" says Tony, "sort of like a Triscuit". They're slightly salty without being overbearing as well.
Artisan Vinegar Strawberry & Beetroot Chutney, 195 g
I'm not a fan of beets, personally. I find them to taste a bit too earthy for my likes. This smells really vinegary upon opening and although it has a tart vinegar taste, there is a slight sweetness from the strawberry and the beets are quite prominent. Not really my kind of thing, but if you like a sweet vinegary beet, these will do nicely with some cheese and crackers for you.
Kerikeri Organic Tea in Coconut and Manuka, 20 ct - Retail Value $6.50 USD
This tea is really wonderful! I can taste the coconut but it's really subtle and delicate. There is nothing added to the honeybush, coconut, and manuka leaf in here. It's naturally caffeine free as well so I can drink it on chilly evenings. The container holds 20 tea bags so I'll have plenty to share.
Noni Fiji Spice Queen Soap - Retail Value $5.88 USD ($9 NZD)
This soap is really non-threatening has a barely any scent to it. It's made with Fijian Noni Fruit which is "packed with vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and amino acids" and well as Fijian Coconut Oil that has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Washing with this soap left my hands feeling really moisturized from the various natural oils used in it.
Verdict: My first Kete Koha Monthly Artisan box was quite a discovery. I got to try 8 foods I probably never would have otherwise, directly from New Zealand and surrounding islands. While they weren't all my favorite, it was really fun to go through this box with friends and try everything together. I can see this being a real crowd pleaser as a gift, especially someone who has ties to New Zealand!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? From Kete Koha:
Your order will leave our warehouse in Auckland, New Zealand the day after your payment clears. Once it hits the ground in your country, it should take between 5-10 working days to get to you.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $49.64 + free shipping, which means that each of the 8 items in the box has an average cost of $6.21. All items were only found our of the country, so paying shipping to get all of these would cost quite a bit!
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