A snag on the barbecue and a cold one from the chilly bin: two simple things that make a Kiwi summer. And as Four Square knows, summer’s always better with mates.
For its 100th summer in 2024, Four Square teamed up with some of New Zealand's best-known brands (Cookie Time, Tip Top, Wattie's and Behemoth) on limited-edition 'bro-llabs'.
That's Four Square's name for a collaboration with a mate ('bro' plus 'collab') to create a product you can only get at Four Square.
This summer, Four Square’s teaming up with some of New Zealand’s great smaller suppliers, bringing a local Kiwi flavour to its latest bro-llabs.
Family-run Neat Meat, started by three brothers who grew up on a farm west of Gisborne, is behind 'The Great Ham & Pineapple Debate' Four Square North Island sausage.
Independent Auckland brewery Behemoth, which began with a lawyer and his home brew kit, is back for a second bro-llab with the Four Square Chilly Bin NZ Pale Ale.
For Four Square, whose stores are all locally owned and operated, it's a chance to back fellow small Kiwi businesses.
When Four Square North Island went looking for a summer snag, Neat Meat's product developer, Elke, came up with around six flavour ideas. Three went to the Four Square North Island team, and ham and pineapple won out.
"You either love it, or you hate it, but I think the most important thing is that people like to talk about it," said Joel Reichardt, Head of Sales and Marketing at Neat Meat.
"The barbecue is at the heart of a Kiwi summer, so what better place to get a bit of debate going?"
The pork sausage is packed with pineapple and ham from Neat Meat's own Harrington's brand. After several rounds of tastings with Four Square North Island, the team landed on the right balance of salty, smoky and sweet.
"Four Square is such a cool, iconic Kiwi brand, and it works so well with barbecuing and Kiwi summer. So do sausages. I couldn't think of a better brand to collab with," said Reichardt.
As for the debate, Reichardt is firmly in the pineapple camp, and so are his kids.
"They've all tried them, and they love them. I've given them to friends' kids as well, and they're all raving about them."
Behemoth CEO, Andrew Childs and his wife and co-CEO, Hannah Millar Childs, with the new Four Square Chilly Bin pale ale at their Behemoth Brewery.
Since Andrew Childs swapped law for brewing just over 13 years ago, Behemoth has grown from brewing in other people's breweries to running its own brewery and bar on Dominion Road in Mount Eden.
When its beers first went into New World and PAK'nSAVE, he insisted on being in every Four Square too.
"I believe that's the way independently owned beer gets popularised, by being in smaller communities and not just in the big cities," he said.
Behemoth's first ‘bro-llab’, Hazy of the Century, "went crazy", so he was keen to do it all again.
"It's always awesome working with such an iconic Kiwi brand. Charlie is very near and dear to the Four Square brand, and Churly (Behemoth's cartoon monster) is very near and dear to me. It's always a fun project to do," he said.
The packaging features both Four Square's mascot, Charlie, and Behemoth's mascot, Churly – what a duo!
The Four Square Chilly Bin pale ale is brewed with Nelson Sauvin, Motueka and Riwaka hops from Clayton Hops, an independent hop farm in Tasman where Behemoth was the very first customer. Andrew Childs said the result was a "tropical fruit salad" flavour.
“Having a Four Square collaboration using New Zealand-grown hops is quite meaningful, because it brings together local suppliers and local produce, and that’s what Four Square is all about.”
The six-pack also has rip lids, so the whole top comes off, and you drink from the can like a cup.
"A lot of your taste comes from smell, and with the rip lid you can experience those hops straight from the can," he said. "It's perfect for the beach, the bach, or even just out the back when you can't be bothered getting up and getting a glass."
The full rip lid turns the can into a cup, letting more of the beer’s hop aromas come through while you drink.
Both collaborations bring together independent Kiwi businesses that share Four Square’s love of local, with plenty of personality thrown in for good measure.
So whether you’re ‘Team Yeah’ or ‘Team Nah’ on ham and pineapple, or ripping open a cold one at the bach, there’s something in Four Square’s summer line-up for everyone, made even better by the small Kiwi businesses behind it.
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