Kāpiti launches own Hot Chocolate Challenge

Looking forward to the Kāpiti Hot Chocolate Challenge, from left, Bella Hansen, 4, Jordan Hansen, Emma Evans and Sarah Abaniel. Photo / David Haxton

Kāpiti's first Hot Chocolate Challenge will be running over the winter school holidays.

Friends Emma Evans and Jordan Hansen are organising the challenge for local cafes to take part in and customers to enjoy.

The main idea behind the challenge was to get more customers into cafes that have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We thought it was a way of giving back to our local businesses," Jordan said.

Cafes, from July 9-July 24, will be getting creative with their hot chocolate creations, while customers will be rating the taste sensations based on cost/presentation/taste, to determine a winner.

"It also encourages people to get out and try different ones too," Jordan said.

Emma added, "It's a bit like a hot chocolate trail, like the Christmas lights trail, where people go from one to the other."

The winning cafe will receive a chocolate gift box courtesy of the Kāpiti Chocolate Factory.

The names of cafes taking part will be released closer to the time via the Kāpiti Hot Chocolate Challenge page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Kapiti-Hot-Chocolate-Challenge-100813765988131/ .

Interest from cafes, which have free entry into the challenge, has been good with nine onboard so far.

Jordan said, "Sunday Cantina, for example, is taking part and their hot chocolate is entirely plant-based and made in-house.

"Theirs is a really rich hot chocolate.

"In fact, a lot of the entries are plant-based so it seems to be the trend.

"All the businesses involved are excited about it and are using the challenge as team building days too which I think is awesome."

Jordan said the challenge was a good thing to do in the school holidays.

"It's a cool thing, in the cold winter months, to go out and get a hot chocolate indoors but it's also not costing the family a lot of money."

The challenge would happen again next year, if the upcoming challenge was successful, and it was hoped an organisation or business would financially back it.

"It would be cool to grow it.

"This is the first year to see how it goes."

The pair have drawn inspiration from the Hutt City Council and their Hot Chocolate Challenge they fund each year.