Wellington Culinary Events Trust

What Wellington Culinary Events Trust does

Wellington Culinary Events Trust (WCET) is a New Zealand not-for-profit charitable trust established in February 2014 to operate culinary and beverage festivals in the Greater Wellington region, anchored by Visa Wellington On a Plate (founded 2009, 18th edition running in 2026) and Beervana (acquired May 2015). The trust runs an annual August festival platform that engages more than 200 restaurants, bars, cafes, and food venues across the Kāpiti Coast to Wairarapa corridor, supported by over 17 corporate sponsors and tier-one partners including Visa (naming sponsor), WellingtonNZ (Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency), and Wellington City Council. The flagship program Burger Wellington runs as a three-week competition featuring 244 burgers priced $20-$35 in 2026, alongside ticketed festival events (masterclasses, degustations, pop-ups) and free-entry, pay-on-consumption dining experiences.

The trust's core product is the visawoap.com digital platform — relaunched in 2023 — which provides event discovery, user accounts, wishlist functionality, and integrated ticketing through a partnership with iTICKET. Underlying operations are intentionally lean with a 12-person permanent team responsible for programming, marketing (Eleanor Stewart), sponsorship (Maddy Haines), operations (Brandie Stephens), and festival direction (Beth Brash for WOAP, Ryan McArthur for Beervana), supported by Thorn PR for media relations. Supplementary programs include International Chef Collaborations (funded via the NZ Government Events Boost Fund), the David George Fund for front-of-house professional development, and a $30,000 Visa NZ Hospitality Scholarship launched in 2023.

WCET operates as a tri-revenue stream not-for-profit: (1) festival participation fees paid by venues (e.g., with specified deadlines such as Burger Wellington by May 29, 2026), (2) ticketed event sales processed through iTICKET with revenue governed by WCET's terms, and (3) corporate sponsorship and partnership revenue from naming and supporting sponsors. The trust directs proceeds back into the Wellington hospitality community and is governed by an independent board chaired by Raewyn Bleakley with Marty Kerr, Grant Maxwell, Kit Nixon, and David Perks as board members. Dine Wellington and Cocktail Wellington are currently paused, with strategic focus narrowed to events, the Burger Wellington competition, and year-round charitable initiatives.

Name

Wellington Culinary Events Trust

Legal name

Wellington Culinary Events Trust

Website

https://visawoap.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wellington Culinary Events Trust is a New Zealand not-for-profit charitable trust that operates Visa Wellington On a Plate and Beervana, two annual culinary and beverage festivals engaging 200+ venues across the Greater Wellington region. It generates revenue from venue participation fees, ticketed event sales through iTICKET, and corporate sponsorships led by Visa, WellingtonNZ, and Wellington City Council.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food and Beverage Festivals

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Food, Wine & Beverage Festivals/Expos (MPAGAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Festivals & Culinary Events (Ticketed Tastings, Pop-ups) (THAJAGAL), Food, Beverage & Hospitality Trade Shows Organizers (THAHABAI)

Keywords

• Food and drink festivals
• Culinary event management
• Culinary festival sponsorship
• Burger competition
• Beer festival events

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Festival participation fees: Restaurants and venues pay participation fees to be part of Visa Wellington On a Plate, with payment deadlines specified (e.g., Burger Wellington by May 29, 2026).
2. Ticketed event sales: Revenue from ticketed festival events, processed through WCET's designated booking system (iTICKET). Ticket sales revenue is processed accordingly per terms and conditions.
3. Sponsorship and partnership: Sponsorship revenue from corporate sponsors including Visa, WellingtonNZ, Wellington City Council, and various hospitality industry partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wellington Culinary Events Trust (WCET) is a not-for-profit charitable trust that organizes and operates culinary and beverage festivals in the Greater Wellington region, anchored by Visa Wellington On a Plate (NZ's largest food festival) and Beervana (NZ's celebration of beer). The trust runs ticketed and non-ticketed festival events, the Burger Wellington competition, and supporting programs such as International Chef Collaborations and the David George Fund, distributing ticketing through the visawoap.com digital platform and the iTICKET system.

Product overview

Wellington Culinary Events Trust (WCET) operates a portfolio of culinary and beverage festivals anchored by Visa Wellington On a Plate, New Zealand's largest food festival. The core product includes the main Visa Wellington On a Plate festival featuring hundreds of events and the Burger Wellington competition, supplemented by the Beervana beer festival (acquired in 2015). Supporting programs include International Chef Collaborations, the David George Fund, and the Visa NZ Hospitality Scholarship. The trust also maintains the visawoap.com digital platform for event discovery, ticketing, and user engagement. Dine Wellington and Cocktail Wellington are currently paused, with the focus on events and burgers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Visa Wellington On a Plate New Zealand's largest food festival, running annually in August across the Greater Wellington region. Features hundreds of events including ticketed and non-ticketed festival events, and the Burger Wellington competition. Established in 2009 with 35 venues, now featuring 200+ venues annually. Targeted at Wellington diners, food lovers, and culinary tourists.
• Beervana New Zealand's ultimate celebration of good beer, offering attendees the opportunity to sample the latest offerings from breweries across New Zealand and internationally. Targeted at beer enthusiasts and the NZ brewing industry.
• Burger Wellington

Quantifiable outcome

• Festival attracts 200+ venues and thousands of attendees annually

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WellingtonNZ (Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal funding and support partner. WellingtonNZ (formed from merger of Positively Wellington Tourism and Grow Wellington) established Visa Wellington On a Plate in 2009. Core organizational partner providing regional economic development support.
• Wellington City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal funding and support partner providing municipal support for the festival as part of Wellington's cultural and economic development strategy.
• VisacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal naming sponsor and title partner for Wellington On a Plate. Visa branding appears on all festival materials, tickets, and promotional content.
• Double Vision BrewerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial brewery partner for Burger Wellington. Only Double Vision Brewing beers may be used and promoted as beer matches for Burger Wellington.
• InterContinental WellingtonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury hotel sponsor offering accommodation packages for festival attendees with 15% discount on Best Flexible Rate in August.
• QT WellingtonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoutique hotel sponsor, described as a fusion of expressive and luxurious art, technology and indulgence in Wellington's creative capital.
• Naumi Hotels WellingtonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel sponsor offering 15% room discount, 50% off Lola Rouge's burger, and complimentary bottle of Naumi wine for WOAP2026 stays.
• InterislanderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel partner offering ferry services through Marlborough Sounds with winter foot passenger fares from $50 and kids $25, promoting WOAP-inspired burger on board.
• Wellington AirportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGateway sponsor connecting travelers to Wellington, described as one of New Zealand's three busiest airports, proudly supporting Visa WOAP and Beervana.
• Kaibosh Food RescuecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partner redistributing surplus food to community groups. Since 2008, has rescued over 5.7 million kilograms of food (15.5 million meals) in Wellington region. WCET supports Kaibosh's food rescue efforts.
• Everybody EatsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partner and restaurant venue serving pay-what-you-can meals, helping those struggling to make ends meet.
• iTICKETcoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial ticketing partner for Visa Wellington On a Plate festival events. Processes ticket sales and refunds for ticketed events.
• Porirua City CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal council partner supporting festival activities in the Porirua region.
• Hutt City CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal council partner supporting festival activities in the Hutt Valley region.
• Wellington Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness association partner supporting Wellington's business and culinary landscape.
• Thorn PRminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPR agency handling media queries and press communications for the festival.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• NYC Wine & Food Festival: Large-scale US culinary festival benefiting from significant sponsor backing and celebrity chef programming. Comparable in scale and high-profile chef curation, particularly to WCET's International Chef Collaborations program.

Direct peers

• Sydney Good Food Month: Sydney's signature citywide food festival featuring hundreds of events and venue partnerships. Directly comparable operating model, sponsor structure, and audience as Visa Wellington On a Plate.
• Edinburgh Food Festival: City-based food festival running multiple events across a regional hospitality community. Directly comparable as a non-ticketed and ticketed culinary event platform engaging local restaurants and venues.
• Melbourne Food and Wine Festival: Major city-based culinary festival in Melbourne, Australia, that runs ticketed and non-ticketed events across multiple venues. Highly comparable as a large-scale, multi-venue food festival platform targeting a similar mix of consumers, venues, and sponsors.
• Taste Festivals (Taste of London, Taste of Sydney): Multi-city festival operator running premium ticketed food and beverage events globally. Comparable as a ticketed culinary festival operator serving similar audiences and partnering with leading restaurants and sponsors.

Others

• Beervana (predecessor/original brand): Pre-acquisition Beervana was an independent NZ beer festival. As the now wholly-owned subsidiary brand within WCET's portfolio, it illustrates the trust's adjacent beverage festival diversification strategy.
• WellingtonNZ: Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency that founded Visa Wellington On a Plate in 2009 and continues as a principal funding and strategic partner. Comparable as the originating institutional stakeholder of the festival.
• NZ Government Events Boost Fund: Government fund supporting international-caliber events in New Zealand. Listed as a core financial partner of WCET; relevant as a funding ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Auckland Food Show: New Zealand's other major food event, held annually in Auckland. Operates in the same country but serves a different metropolitan market; comparable as a large-scale NZ food event with venue and sponsor partnerships.
• Singapore Food Festival: National culinary festival combining ticketed experiences with citywide venue activations. Comparable structure to Visa WOAP, particularly in blending ticketed and free-entry consumer programming across many venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WellyOnaPlate
• Instagraminstagram.com/wellyonaplate
• TikToktiktok.com/@wellyonaplate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wellington-culinary-events-trust

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wellington Culinary Events Trust