Like many New Zealand small businesses, this now thriving export business started as a cottage industry.

• It began in 1996, with two North Canterbury farming friends, Gay Rutherford and Alison Meyer, taking old family recipes which were used for preserving the surplus ripe fruit from the summer harvest as the basis for their fruit pâté recipes.

• Ownership of the company changed in 2001 when Jan Meyer and Russell Coventry bought the business.

• Today Rutherford & Meyer is a small and dedicated team of foodies who are passionate about creating gourmet products that enhance the lives of their customers.

• The fruit pastes are crafted in a range of tangy and intense flavors using real fruit and natural ingredients.

• Designed to freshen and cleanse the palate, Fruit Pastes are the perfect accompaniment to cheese and make a wonderful addition to any antipasto selection.

• Amazing with Camembert, Bucheron and goat cheeses in general.

• Fruit Paste contains only the named fruit.

• Fruit Pastes are wheat free, gluten free, dairy free and contain no added colors or preservatives.

• They are high in fiber and contain no fat or cholesterol.

• They have a firm texture and are designed to be sliced not spread.

• Once opened they do not need to be refrigerated and are best kept in the cupboard.