“Cool As” Summer Refresher Drink Challenge ™ 2022

Lower Hutt heats up for New Zealand’s only Summer Refresher Drink Challenge 13-30 January, 2022

Fancy a passionfruit cheesecake milkshake, a pineapple jalapeno fizzy, an iced coffee made with seaweed or an old-fashioned banana smoothie? These are just some of the crazy and delectable drinks up for grabs when New Zealand’s only cold drink challenge kicks off in Lower Hutt this month.
The “Cool As” Summer Refresher Drink Challenge ™, into its seventh year, 17 hospitality operators including cafes, restaurants, bars, and a bakery in Lower Hutt create their own limited edition signature summer refresher drinks for people to enjoy over two weeks.

Customers vote for their favourite drink by QR code located in each cafe and can post selfies on “Cool As Challenge ™” Summer Refresher’s Facebook, and Instagram pages to give extra points to their favourite "Cool As" drinks. The winning drink will be declared at the end of the challenge which takes place from 13 - 31 January, 2022.
Creativity and innovation are once again shown through with this year’s entries. Customers can be treated to a Pokémon ‘Charizard’ inspired fruit slushy, ‘Kiwiana Perkynana’ the classic banana and chocolate combo, ‘Coffee and Chill’ a vegan coffee jelly infused dessert/beverage hybrid and ‘"Squeeze the Day, Nothing is Impopsicle" featuring homemade satsuma, lime and ginger syrup, Kapiti hokey pokey ice cream and real ginger beer - there is something to suit all taste buds. The “Cool As Challenge ™” is a great way for locals, visitors, friends and colleagues to connect after Christmas or to extend those family gatherings.

To find out more about the challenge visit the “Cool As Challenge™” website coolaschallenge.nz or its Facebook and Instagram page for more details, map of locations and drink details.

The challenge, founded by the Hutt City Council to inspire local cafes to be creative and attract people to the Lower Hutt CBD, has grown in popularity since it was launched in 2016. It was also the direct result of the successful Sweet As Hot Chocolate Challenge™, in which Central Hutt cafes create signature hot chocolates for customers to taste and rank over three weeks in winter.

Cool As Challengers, their locations and Cool As Challenge drink name:

Beforetime Express, 258 High Street - Traffic Light
Bellbird Eatery, 34 Laings Road - Berry cosmic
Buzz, 101 High Street - Twinkling Mixie Boba Float
Cutlers Gastropub, 180 High Street - Zephyr
Expresso High, 110 High Street - Coffee and Chill
Fix Federation, 79 High Street - #1- Passionfruit Cheesecake Milkshake #2- Summer Fun
Hot Gossip Café, 146 High Street - Charizard on Ice
Hudsons Coffee Queensgate, Queensgate Shopping Centre - Beachy Breeze
Roadhouse Bar & Grill, 18 Laings Road - Kiwiana Perkynana
Sierra Café Queensgate, Queensgate Shopping Centre - Summer Berry Blossom
Fellow Café, 2 Queens Drive - What's poppin'?
Noah's Ark Teahouse, 89 Queens Drive - #1 - Passion de Coco #2 - Passion Pomo Green Tea
Shine Café, 2 Waterloo Road - ‘Wish I was there’
The Crooked Elm, 25 Laings Road - Squeeze the Day, Nothing is Impopsicle
Tūtaki Café, 30c Laings Road -#1 - Sweet and Sour Mojito #2 - Sweet and Sour Milkshake
Muffin Break Queensgate, Queensgate Shopping Centre - Olde Fashioned Banana Smoothie
Twenty-Eight Café, 28 Cornwall St - The Pineapple Jalapeno Pop