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National | Business

Kahawai pie is the star of Māori kai menu

When you manage to harvest your kaimoana, what do you do with it?

Tonight we talk to Davina Thompson from Whakatāne who endeavours to serve up the sea's best with a healthy spin.

From shelling muscles, to making fried bread and laying it all out for their eager customers.

Davina Thompson had no idea how popular her shop would be and is now thinking of bringing more staff in to meet the demands over their Maori spin on kai.

Davina Thompson says, "We're introducing a kairākau menu, so we're working alongside our cousin Krishna, so the kairākau is going to be like atua kai organic kai."

This year Wharekai will focus more on organic kai with many benefits.

Thompson says, "Kai that's going to support or awhi our whanau with diabetes and obesity and heart disease, so this year as we get more along we're going to be introducing our kairākau menu."

Smoke Kahawai pies are also another favourite at the café, selling more than 280 homemade kahawai pies a week.

If they can keep up the energy and their creative ideas, it will see them well into the future.