Trans-tasman treachery as rival takes on The Moodie and Foodie Reports

by Martin Moodie |
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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

First (in September 2002) there was The Moodie Report. Then (in September 2011) there was The Foodie Report. Ok, ok we know we saved on design costs by only changing one letter but, honestly, we like the name – alright?

So what’s next, some readers have asked? The Goodie Report, dedicated to confectionery or fine foods in travel retail? The Hoodie Report, a hard-hitting newsletter focused on Britain’s miscreant youth?

[Martin Moodie, Dermot Davitt and Rebecca Mann doing undercover reporting for The Hoodie Report]

For car aficionados, perhaps, The Woodie Report, dedicated to those fantastic old car body styles, often station wagons (see below), where the rear bodywork is constructed of wood framework with panels of wood or painted metal?

[Driving company growth: The Woodie Report]

But wait, before all those launches, news reaches us from Australia of an impostor. A blend of the very best of the Moodie stable. Yes, ‘The Moodie Foodie’ has been launched. In Australia, no less. What bigger insult could there be to a proud Kiwi Publisher? Trans-Tasman treachery and Trojan horse-dom at its worst (and believe me, it gets pretty bad).

The Moodie Foodie’s tagline is ‘Eat what you want’, which gives a clue to its contents. “You’re a Moodie Foodie when your moods dictate what you eat,” we learn. “You’re a slave to them. You can’t eat anything else apart from what your mood tells you.

“The Moodie Foodie understands and celebrates the 10,000 food moods you are likely to have today with mouth-watering, tongue tingling recipes that will satisfy any desire; food desire that is…”

To satisfy those desires, it offers a series of recipes under the following categories (the bracketed comments are mine)

–  Comforting Couch Potato (useless in a fast-moving industry such as travel retail)

–  Exotic Pleasures (that’s more like it)

–  Ravenous Wrath (sounds quite like what my old company Raven Fox turned into in the early 2000s but I digress)

–  Indulgence Absolute (Cannes week epitomised)

–  Hangover Hell (ditto)

–  Quickies (no comment)

–   Extreme Virtue (applicable to some sectors of our industry at least)

Want to know the cure for that throbbing hangover after Sunday’s Opening Cocktail in Cannes? Ask the chef at the Majestic to whizz you up a Moodie Foodie ‘Chicken chilli rice burger’ – “Tender chicken burger patty infused with garlic, ginger and chilli served on a crispy sesame scented rice bun and topped off with fresh mango salsa. A perfect way to claw yourself back from the abyss.”

I know what they mean about the abyss but I think I’ll just stick to the Underberg.

So who is The Moodie Foodie and should a wary Kiwi Publisher be worried about this latest Ocker insult (next thing you know the Wallabies will follow their English rugby counterparts and start wearing black…)?

The answer, courtesy of the site’s ‘About Us’ is as follows: “My name is Jay Rogers (pictured below) and I’m The Moodie Foodie. I have two beautiful daughters, Elly and Mia, a very understanding husband (Mr Moodie Foodie) and a cairn terrier, Missy).”

Ok, all very nice and I like a dog from Cairns as well as the next person. But what about her next line? “I’m a self-confessed moodie person – not of the tantrum throwing, foot stamping variety, but rather of the mood-following variety.”

Sorry but all credibility just flew out the window. What self-respecting Moodie doesn’t throw a good tantrum now and then? Foot stamping? Hell, I practically invented it. Aussies….

Mrs Rogers continues: “I have possibly 20 different perfumes, each one expressing a mood.” Now this is more promising. I feel a consultancy to Sephora coming on already. After all, what better expert to turn to for advice than the original Moodie?

She goes on: “You won’t be surprised to hear that I am especially moodie when it comes to food. Everything I eat pays homage to a mood, even if it’s boiled eggs with dippers, the mood is consulted [I suspect she also talks to her eggs. “Can I have a word in your shell-like…?”]

“On those occasions that I have made the incredibly idiotic mistake of skipping mood consultation and eaten something not-mood-friendly (NMF), I end up eating twice as much (NMF plus the mood satisfer).

“I hope you enjoy cooking from my site and if you have any moodie stories of your own I’d love to hear them. I love a good chat with other moodie foodies.”

Well so do I Mrs Rogers, so do I. And in fact I love your site. So much so that I am going to adopt The Moodie Foodie as my official dietary guide, choose the best of your  recipes and wash them all down with a good glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (sorry, but you Aussies just can’t get my favourite grape right…)

http://moodiefoodie.com.au – for the moodie foodie that lies within you all

  • Wallabies wearing all black! I don’t think so….
    If it makes you feel any better Martin, Mr Moodie Foodie is a kiwi and Elly and Mia are half and half, so not really trans-tasman rivalry. More like trans-tasman team work:) Love the post. Right, I’M off to have a NZ Sauvi (or perhaps a NZ chardonnay – can’t beat a big buttery NZ chardi and you’re right, NZ whites are unrivaled). Jay xo

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