(FUNKY MUSIC) Tonight ` No, I don't like it. It looks like urine. the unfiltered truth. It's milk, but not as you know it. Looks like dishwashing liquid. One of the great staples is being diluted with this. This is not about cost, per se. This is about providing consumers with a product that's affordable throughout the year. And... Whakatau mai ra! It just broke my heart. ...tears of sorrow turn to tears of joy. We are getting brand-new kapa haka uniforms. (ALL CHEER) This kapa haka group has got a lot to shout about. A ka mate, mate ka ora! Plus, have Twisties gone straight? Is that a twist? And what's the sense in charging 2 cents? Well, I sent you 10c, and I haven't received the 8c change. Able 2017 Welcome to the show. Have you ever wondered what's really in a glass of milk? Remember those days when you could scoop the cream out of the top with a teaspoon if you're the older brother or sister? Oh yes. The younger one, no chance. Not so much. It doesn't happen any more, because it's been 'standardised' so that it tastes the same today, tomorrow and next week. Sounds good, right? But what if we told you 'standardised' involved diluting Mother Nature's perfect food? Here's Garth. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) It's time we told you some home truths about milk, and this is where we're starting ` not with a cow but at the other end ` with this stuff. ...if you'd like to try something that you possibly already drink all the time? No, thank you. No? No. It looks really suspicious What does it look like? Uh, apple juice? No, I don't like the look of that. Looks like urine. I'm not gonna say urine. (CHUCKLES) You just did. Looks like dishwashing liquid. It comes out of a cow, but it's not, strictly speaking, milk. So it'd be permeate, then. Good guess! Yeah. Very good guess. Permeate is the part of milk they used to chuck when making cheese ` the part they now put back in the milk to dilute it, or 'standardise' it, as they like to say. We're in a lab to see how you make permeate, because it is a lab product. This is an ultrafiltration machine. That's Lite Blue milk in the hopper; that's the filter; that stuff coming out is very fatty, protein-rich milk, and that watery stuff left over is permeate. And that contains lactose and salts, minerals. This is super-simplified. When the raw cow's milk gets to the factory, they can take out the cream, then the protein ` for cheese and other things ` and what's left is permeate. Rather than throwing it away, the permeate can be tipped back into the milk we drink to make it go further, and nobody has to declare that has happened when they sell it to you. You can take stuff out, and you can put the same stuff back in in the proportions you need to make the product that you're after. Adding permeate forms part of a process called 'standardisation'. You can't add water to milk, but you can add milk components back in, so that's when permeate's quite useful ` to dilute it back to the requirement you actually want for your product. (MOOING) That's how we get standardised milk ` Blue Top. It meets the legal requirements for milk ` at least 3% protein and 3.2% fat. (MOOS) But it's a long way from the cream of the crop. 'Why muck around with it if it already tastes good' sort of thing. Michael is the fifth generation of his family farming this block near Matamata. Come on, girlie. This is harder than it looks. Uh-uh-uh. It's upside down. Oh, right. Yeah. I knew that (!) After a hundred years, they've had enough of 'big milk' running the show. They've started processing their own milk here on the farm.. I'm about to step into, I think, what is possibly the world's smallest dairy factory. Dad is giving us the tour. You've got my overalls! (BOTH LAUGH) The factory's a bit of a squeeze too ` it doesn't standardise the milk. All that happens here is pasteurising, or heating the raw milk, to kill the bugs. It's as minimally processed as possible. You get everything the cow gets. The results are pretty dramatic. It's like ice cream. It literally tastes like ice cream. As a long-time Blue Top drinker. I'm starting to question what I've been buying. Have we been educated to accept less rich milk? I think that's really what's happened is that we've become used to mediocrity. Easy. Easy. But are the big companies standardising milk for higher profits or to just to give us what we now expect? In New Zealand, our cows produce some of the highest levels of protein naturally. So with the standardisation process, right throughout the year, you're always bringing the level of protein below that which is naturally occurring. Pretty surprising language from the head of Goodman Fielder ` one the two big dairy companies. Protein is expensive, and so as long as you've met the minimum requirement, then many companies will just focus on ensuring that they meet that requirement and selling it on that basis. Meadowfresh has started skiting about something else on the bottles ` no added permeate. Current food safety regulations don't require dairy companies to spell out whether or not there's permeate in it. And yet this company is. Welcome to the milk wars. We don't label permeate because it's a made-up term by marketers to describe a process that really is about taking milk from a cow, getting milk into the bottle to provide consumers with a consistent product year round. So it's purely a marketing term? I think so, yes. Rob is a big cheese at Fonterra ` the other big milk manufacturer. So what we do is make sure the milk we provide to consumers is consistent every day of the year so they know how much nutrition they're getting, and they're getting the same experience, the same taste throughout the year. When you standardise, how close do you get to that legal line? Uh, well... Um... I haven't got the exact number for you, but we state on the label the composition of our milk, and we operate well above the norms. What's really important here is that it's consistent throughout the year. Our milk is more than 10% above the minimum levels that are required for it to be called milk. Back on the streets,... Ooh, that's a taste that's acquired, eh. ...it may be a milk component,... Pretty tasteless. ...but straight permeate is not for everyone. You're not finishing it, I see. No, I think I might just leave that little bit there. The aftertaste for some? Ripped off. Potential rip-offs were on the minds of regulators when they set the food standards for milk 16 years ago. ...they argued. At the time, our dairy industry was lobbying to have standardised milk exempted from labelling. Regulators said, 'No. That would be deceptive.' When the rules were set, dairy companies were required to state how much fat and protein is in their milk. But a draft requirement to declare if the milk had been 'adjusted' was gone. We asked, but there's no record of how or why that happened. Interestingly, when I looked, the label on Anchor Blue Top bottles doesn't say it's been standardised. Is there a sense that some of those words detract, in a way, from the idea that milk's just natural? I think all the information's available on our website, and indeed on our labels, around how we make the milk. Do you read a website when you go the supermarket? The really important thing here is that milk that people buy in the supermarket has nothing but milk in it. It's a high-quality, nutritious product. What would it cost you if you couldn't standardise milk? This is not about a cost per se; this is about providing consumers with choice. It's about providing them with consistency through the year, and it is about providing them with a product that's affordable throughout the year. That's something we're proud of. The competition won't give numbers either but is keen to make this point. When we moved to no-added permeate Meadowfresh milk, our cost of production did go up significantly, but we did not change the wholesale price, and actually, the supermarket didn't change the price either. So we are taking the additional cost. Of course he's having it both ways. Goodman Fielder still skims some of the milk fat. It also makes its own budget milk right here, adding permeate. And both big companies make milk for supermarket home brands ` all with added permeate ` not all labelled as standardised, which might not actually be such a problem for some. I'll chug that back. Yeah. (CHUCKLES) Have a sip. If you're too young to know better,... Oh my God. It tastes exactly like milk. Really? Like, I like it. You're a fan? I'm a fan. We've found our first permeate fan. Oh really? I'll take this, then. Cheers. See ya. ...you don't miss what you never had. Whoa. I've learned a lot in the last five minutes. Yes. I didn't even know the word 'permeate' existed before then. Can I just say ` quick personal note ` diluting in any form` My mum used to do it with the Raro; my wife did it with juice once. Oh! I can't stand it! I think those are examples where it's actually just fine. Fonterra are adamant 'standardising' helps keep the price of milk down. They have had a bit of think after we spoke with them, and while they won't be putting the word 'permeate' on their packaging, they have decided to start printing the words 'standardised' and 'pasteurised milk' on any standardised Anchor products. So it's up to you, the consumer, to decide whether that matters. But at least from now on you'll know by reading the label. Okey-dokey. Coming up after the break, we're gonna tip our hat to the generosity of Kiwis. Whakatau mai ra! These kids learned one of life's hard lessons far too early. Like, some people aren't as good as others. But thanks to the generosity of Kiwis,... As soon as I saw it on Fair Go, I thought, 'These kids need help.' ...they've now got a lot to shout about. ALL CHANT: ...upane, ka upane, whiti te ra! Hii! And it's the little things... He found a vast and disappointing change to the twistiness of... Twisties. ...that get some people really upset. Is that a twist? Welcome back. Now, money is one of life's great motivators. It can make people do good things, and it can make them do bad things. It's a lesson the kids at Glen Taylor School learned far too early. We told you their story last week. We've got a wonderful update in just a second. But first here's a bit of a recap. Haere mai! Haere mai... It's been a tough 10 months for the kids at Glen Taylor School,... Whakatau mai ra... ...who've learnt one of life's lessons early. Some people aren't as good as others. They raised $3500 for some stylie new kapa haka kit. Fundraisings like` ...discos,... ...sausage sizzles,... ...bake sales. All sorts. How's his dancing, Nathaniel? Oh, it's (INHALES SHARPLY) no good. (LAUGHTER) Oh, nah, nah, nah! I was just kidding! (LAUGHS) But Seth's disco-dancing, at least, wasn't the only downer. The woman paid to make the new uniforms did a runner, leaving the students and their principal with nothing. Chris, I don't want a punch in the face here, but has this business left you looking a bit silly? Oh, it has. The comments that have come from some of the community, especially around, 'Do we care about kapa haka,' and 'Do we value the Maori cultural identity?' You know, you can do your best to tell them what's going on, but until you can prove it with a product, then, yeah, you're left with egg on your face, a bit. Egg on your face and some very disappointed kids. What's resisting her not to give it to us? Cos we worked hard. So she should do the same. Yeah. So, not great at all. But after that story aired, we got a huge amount of feedback. The thought of these kids going without did not sit well with you guys. So Matt headed back to Glen Taylor School with some really good news. Kia tina! ALL SHOUT: Tina! ALL CHANT: A ringa ringa pakia! Waewae takahia kia kino nei hoki! Hard-working,... A, kia kino nei hoki! ...full of talent... A ka mate! Mate ka ora! ...and youthful enthusiasm. None of you enjoyed seeing Glen Taylor's kapa haka kids... Nana nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra! ...left in the lurch by fashion designer Raewyn Tumaki. ...ka upane. Whiti te ra! Hi! So today, some good news. We are getting brand-new kapa haka uniforms. (ALL CHEER) We've got a very special man who has offered to make them for free, and some of us right now are gonna go and meet him out in South Auckland. (APPLAUSE) At least 15 viewers wanted to hook these guys up with either uniforms or the money to make them. That level of support ` overwhelming. We've had offers from all around Auckland and as far south as Nelson. Just really restores your faith in people, really. Hi. Chris. Eddie Brown. How are ya? Nice to meet ya. Good. Eddie Brown from Papakura's 'Kapa Haka Makers' was in touch with Principal Chris Herlihy straight after the original story aired. This is the place that I make all the kapa haka uniforms. He reckons he'll have 50 kapa haka uniforms in the students' hot little hands ` free of charge ` within a couple of weeks. Soon as I saw it on Fair Go, I thought these kids need help. My wife and I talked it over, and straight away, before the end of the show, we decided we're gonna make their gear for them. Each of the girls are gonna receive a pari, which will be made like this, but with their pattern. The boys will be receiving a belt, or the tatua. I think it looks awesome, and I'm happy that someone actually cares. Eddie's an expert. He's been making kapa haka kits for 20 years ` says he's never missed a deadline. You may be a little biased here, Eddie, but when it comes to kapa haka uniforms, is this the best you can get? I would say over the 800 schools, the ones that go to the nationals, the seniors, most of those groups, 70% of those will be wearing stuff that we've made here so... I'll take that as a yes. Yeah. (BOTH LAUGH) But it doesn't end there for Glen Taylor's kapa haka kids. Poi through to korowai, to donations, digital designs ` it's just been endless. Marie Cotter was so moved by the story,... Oh, you're only tiny, sweetheart. (LAUGHTER) ...she's gifting the group those korowai. Broke my heart that... (VOICE BREAKS) that somebody could rip our kids, our Maori kids, off ` kids that have gone out, fundraised; and then somebody comes along, takes their money, takes everything. It just broke my heart. The generosity is clearly not lost on the young students... I feel like I know that someone has our back. ...or the principal. I just can't thank the people that have got in touch with us, and yourselves, for making this possible. It's changed kids' lives, and I think that's gonna be evident when the new uniforms arrive and the kids are performing. They're gonna go to the next level. Do you reckon it would be OK if I came to the first performance in the new kit? I think it would be rude if you didn't, mate. (BOTH LAUGH) So, what of Raewyn Tumaki, who took the money and delivered nothing but excuses like this? Is she off the hook? Far from it, mate. She's still got our money. She doesn't have the opportunity to make our uniforms any more, so money in the account ` that's the way she can solve this problem. What happens now if the original designer fronts up with the cash? Give it back to the school. Really? Let them use the money. Outstanding, New Zealand. Thank you so much for being helpful and a kind-hearted person to help out Glen Taylor school. So, Eddie, Marie, and the rest of you who were prepared to put your hands in your pockets,... ALL CHANT: Nana nei I tiki mai whakawhiti te ra! ...this one is for you. A upane, ka upane whiti te ra! Hii! Pukana! (ALL ROAR) Ooh! Got a thing in my eye. Someone's cutting onions. Oh! That is amazing result. That is so lovely. I just wanna say too, Eddie, you are a legend. And you've got an update, eh? I do. It just keeps getting better. More good news, because just this morning, Raewyn Tumaki paid the school back the money she owed them. And that means that the school gets a $3000 donation, essentially. That is awesome news. Really great. Now, coming up after the break ` it's the return of 'Haydo's Mailbag' ` a very occasional segment. Yes. (LAUGHS) They make us laugh. They make us cry. This curry has got temperatures rising. Why do you promise so much curry yet deliver so little? These Twisties have got one fan bent out of shape. Is that a twist? What's driving you mad? (FUNKY MUSIC) . To create a home as warm and healthy as this, you need three things ` warm it up with insulation in ceilings and floors and by stopping draughts; dry it out by tackling dampness at its source; and air it out by opening windows a few times a day to help keep your home dry. Remember ` Welcome back. Who doesn't love getting a bargain? I love a bargain. Bargain-crazy, I've been described as. But is it really a bargain, or are you a victim of trickery and clever marketing? Snapper, tarakihi, gurnard, trevally, cod, kahawai, flounder. Talk about choice! It's not even a busy day here at the Auckland Fish Market, but there are 27 varieties of whole fish available. We consumers, we like our choices, and retailers like to give them to us. But they don't always get it right. Sometimes they give us too many choices. Do you sometimes find you don't buy anything at all because there is so much to choose from? Yes! Many time. I have to walk away. When there's too many things together, it's hard. Yeah. It's too many choice. Too much choice. Too much. Being able to evaluate 15 or 20 items at once is actually quite overwhelming. Sommer Kapitan knows a thing or two about marketing and about overwhelming options. The more choice there is, in fact, the less likely you are to choose the best thing for you. Buying something that leaves a bad taste in our mouths isn't good for us shoppers or retailers, but even worse is when we don't make a choice at all. There's been a great series of studies in which they compare our choice of jams and jellies. And when there's a couple of jams, everyone picks the jam; it is the jam they love. When there's 15 of them, we can kind of make a choice. By the time there's 25 to 50, no one is picking. And no one is picking anything, because there is too many. The risk of customers leaving empty-handed has seen some large supermarkets in the UK dramatically cut back on products, reducing shopper's options by a third and seeing their sales go up. It doesn't matter to them if you're making the best choice, but it does matter that you're purchasing something. But we consumers do have some control over our shopping habits, like where we turn for advice. Usually, if I'm gonna shop for something, i would have already done my research so i know what i am going in for. I tend to go for recommendations. Even if it's things like online reviews, I'll always look for reviews and find out what people generally think of something before I go out and buy. Because we can now do so much research before we even try online, friends and family are becoming a much more reliable source of bait than salespeople. The idea is that when you bring someone with you, even if it's your mother or your close friend, but someone says, 'I like that,' it changes your own perception of it. 'I like that. I like how that looks on you.' It's different than a salesperson saying, 'I like how it looks on you.' It's your mum. If you can't take your mum with you, try to remember that retailers are looking for a catch. We have to know that we're more gullible. Being aware that these tactics are out there definitely has an influence, but we also know that we are in a purchasing scenario. So safeguard yourself! So take your time. Enjoy it and know that even if you come up empty-handed, there's always plenty more fish in the sea. Oh, just think, with all this knowledge, the crazy bargains you will get. Oh! Never paying full price again. Unless I actually quite like it and then run out of time. Right! Time to celebrate the return of that very occasional series, Haydo's Mailbag! Oh, yes. This is a good series. Now, rip-offs, scams, dodgy dealers and product failures all have their place on this show. But sometimes little gripes and grumbles can turn into major bugbears. So that's why we have Haydo's Mailbag. ('JEOPARDY' THEME MUSIC) It's the complaints that make us laugh and make us cry ` it's Haydo's Mailbag. I'm Haydo. It's OK make up your own nickname, right? (METALLIC SQUEAKING) Oh, yeah, I'll fix it on the weekend. Today we're shopping. Our first stop ` curry, because Denise from West Auckland asks ` Hey, Countdown, why do you promise so much curry yet deliver so little? Countdown says the packaging is similar to a range of Asian takeaway meals. For the record, the box is 115mm; the curry inside ` 50cm. (SCOFFS) Then there's Janice O'Brien and her Warehouse bill for 2c. Hey, Warehouse, I understand you think I owe you 2c. Well, I sent you 10 cents, and I haven't seen the 8c change. Janice says her balance was zero, but she still got charged 2c interest and insurance. She sent us a 10c piece, just like she sent them. The Warehouse says it's sorry. And as for the 8c the Warehouse owes her... Just give it to a good cause. Thank you so much. Then there's Kendrick Heart, who is convinced Twisties have gone straight. He writes, and I quote, he 'found a vast and disappointing change to the twistiness of Twisties'. He remembers Twisties having more length, more girth and more twist. Is that a twist? Bluebird, who make Twisties, say nothing's changed. This is a bottle of Sucaryl. Then there's the headless Lynda Ballad,... We have tried coaxing it. I can't turn it. This is what we used last time. My husband nearly killed himself. ...who can't, for the life of her, open a Sucaryl bottle. You can't get anything to get a hold of, and I've actually hurt myself now, and I think I'm bleeding. Now, you won't believe Lynda's timing. You see, Sucaryl are making a new package, and they want her to road-test some. That's good luck. And that's Haydo's Mailbag ` an occasional segment we should probably have on more occasions. Whoa. What an episode. Well done! Well done. That was amazing, wasn't it? Nice one at the end. Oh, not quite as good as the kapa haka kids. But I think headless Lynda really does appreciate a bottle of Sucaryl she can actually open. Absolutely. Well, that's the show, but we will be on Facebook for the next half hour to answer your questions. Go on, bombard us. We're here and waiting. Your problems, your concerns ` nothing's too big or too small, as we've just found out. Exactly. Join us on Facebook. Or you can email us. Or write to us. That's our show. We're off to open a bottle of Sucaryl. We'll be all week. We'll see you next week. BOTH: Goodnight. Copyright Able 2017