From the ocean to your bowl
Why we choose local at Kahakai.
At Kahakai, we believe that a great poke bowl starts with great fish. But for us, it’s not just about what tastes good. It’s also about where our food comes from, how it is caught, and the choices we make as a business to support quality, sustainability and our local community.
“We want to choose the ingredient that best reflects what we stand for.”
Our fish starts right here in Taranaki
Our fresh seafood is sourced through Egmont Seafood, our local seafood supplier here in Taranaki. When weather and conditions allow, their boats head out to sea every day to bring in fresh local catch.
That means the seafood we work with isn’t sitting around for days before it reaches us… it comes from our own waters and makes its way into our kitchen as fresh as possible.
We love being able to work with a local supplier who shares our appreciation for fresh, quality seafood. Supporting local also means supporting the people and businesses that make our food community here in Taranaki so special.
Why we choose New Zealand salmon
Salmon is one of the most important ingredients in what we do, so sourcing it well matters to us. We choose New Zealand salmon from Mount Cook, in the South Island, rather than taking the cheaper Tasmanian option.
Yes, it costs us more. But we believe the difference in quality, and in supporting New Zealand-produced salmon, is worth it.
For us, this is part of a bigger philosophy: we don't always want to choose the cheapest ingredient. We want to choose the ingredient that best reflects what we stand for.
The salmon we use has the freshness, texture and flavour that we want our customers to experience when they order a Kahakai bowl. When an ingredient is such a central part of our menu, we don't want to compromise simply to bring the cost down.
Fresh food. Local connections. Thoughtful choices.
We know that when you order a poke bowl, you're probably thinking about how delicious it's going to be, not where the fish came from. But we think you deserve to know.
Behind every bowl is a chain of people, choices and ingredients. We want that chain to feel as local, fresh and thoughtful as possible.
From the fishermen heading out when the weather allows, to our local supplier Egmont Seafood, to the New Zealand salmon coming down from Mount Cook, we are proud to know more about where our fish comes from, and proud to share that with you.
Because at Kahakai, sourcing well is part of serving well. And ultimately, that's what we want every bowl to be: fresh, delicious and something we can be proud to put in your hands.
