Cool as Summer Refresher Drinks Challenge™

The event

The Cool as Summer Refresher Drinks Challenge™ is a vibrant and exciting event, proudly created by Hutt City Council. This event was born out of a vision to elevate the hospitality scene in Lower Hutt's Central Business District and to beckon residents and visitors to explore the heart of our city through the delightful experience of unique, signature summer drinks.

This is the summer version of “Sweet As” Hot Chocolate Challenge that has run successfully since July 2015. This will again be a challenge to attain the title of creating the most refreshing Lower Hutt’s “Coolest As” drink.

Sip, savor, and celebrate!

The Cool as Summer Refresher Drinks Challenge™ is a beloved annual event hosted by Hutt City Council. Since its inception in 2015, this summer sensation has been a delightful invitation for Lower Hutt's vibrant hospitality scene to craft signature summer drinks. With thousands of votes cast by the public, it's a chance to determine "The Hutt's Coolest Summer Drink."

In the last two years, the event included cafes from Porirua and Upper Hutt, but his year the coolest drinks will be found only in central Lower Hutt.

Engagement is key, with QR codes making voting a breeze, and sharing selfies with Cool As Challenge drinks earns bonus points. The climax arrives in early February with the top drinks selected by public voting vie for the title of the Most Refreshing Summer Drink, assessed by a panel of industry judges.

The Cool as Summer Refresher Drinks Challenge is the sunny counterpart to the cherished ‘Sweet As’ Winter hot chocolate challenge, offering a unique way to explore and enjoy our city.

FAQs for participating CBD hospitality businesses

Each participating outlet must create a unique cool refreshing drink to promote and sell. Customers will be encouraged to judge the drink based on a set of criteria similar to the Hot Chocolate Challenge.

These Challenges are an opportunity to promote Lower Hutt’s hospitality sector and to encourage a collective approach to promoting the City Centre through cool refreshing beverages!

Questions? Via email to coolas@sebg.org.nz

What can you create for a drink?

There are no limits on what type of drink you can create, be as creative as possible. Please remember to include a creative name for the drink as well. To ensure a family friendly event, registered drinks are not permitted to include alcohol. However, licenced outlets can create a derivative drink containing alcohol for R18 customers, but the derivative drink is not entered into the competition.

Choose a flavour/drink style combination to match your idea. While there may be duplication of drink flavour/styles among the Challengers, we will encourage participants to avoid this and find a unique combination. Register early and be the first to choose your preferred drink flavour/style!

Promotion

Website – (https://coolaschallenge.nz) will feature drink photos, descriptions, online booklet and a map of the locations of the participating Challengers.

Social Media – ‘Cool As’ Challenge FB, Cool As Challenge Instagram, Hutt City Council’s Hutt @ Heart.

Social Media – photos will be provided along with the Cool As branding for your social media pages to promote your participation in this CBD event.

Media – the Southed Business group will endeavour to get stories in local print and online media.

Photographer – the Southend Business Group will provide a photographer if requested to photograph all Challenge drinks for collateral, the website and social media.

How can customers vote?

Voting will be promoted through the website along with Facebook/Instagram. It is important that you and your staff encourage every purchaser of the “Cool As’ drink to vote, both via the website, and also through your social media by posting a selfie while they are enjoying your “Cool As” drink. Voting uses QR codes which are unique to each outlet.

Judging criteria is:

As with Sweet As customers will be asked to judge the “Cool As” drink on these three criteria -Flavour combination / Creativity in appearance / How refreshing is it?

Votes are scored as Yeah, Nah (=1 point); Cool (=2 points); Cool As (=3 points

Printed collateral:

Table talkers, bunting, window and counter decals will be provided for each participant.