Whittaker’s special edition Miraka Kirīmi coming back this year in even bigger quantities

Whittaker’s has announced the return of its special edition Miraka Kirīmi (Creamy Milk) block, to mark Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), set to run from September 11-17. 

In response to its soaring demand last year, and despite some detractors, the company says it’ll be back in even larger quantities. 

Whittaker’s has honoured Te Wiki o te Reo Māori since 2020, initially with limited quantities designed for social media giveaways. However, due to increasing demand, the blocks became more accessible to the public from last year. 

Last year’s release met with criticism from certain social media quarters, accusing Whittaker’s of over-promoting te reo Māori or “shoving te reo” down people’s throats. However, co-chief operating officer Holly Whittaker says the opposition spurred a counter-wave of public support, with many championing the chocolate and buying even more. 

“We’ve produced a bit more Miraka Kirīmi this year so there is more available to share,” Whittaker said. 

Whittaker’s proud to celebrate te wiki 

The block is essentially the company’s regular dairy milk block, rebranded, but it’s also its most popular product. Whittaker says as a family-owned business operating in Aotearoa, Whittaker’s is proud to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. 

“Like many, Whittaker’s is on a journey with te reo and, as part of that, we are proud to help raise awareness around Te Wiki o te Reo Māori by making Miraka Kirīmi.” 

Emphasising it’s not just about selling chocolate, the heir to the chocolate dynasty says the company is making meaningful change beyond the block, including offering te reo lessons to its staff, creating recipes in Māori, and contributing to Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust. 

It collaborated with the Māori Language Commission, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, to ensure the label translations were tika, the company said. 

Customers can anticipate the return of the Miraka Kirīmi blocks in stores throughout the week, Whittaker added. 

This article was first published by the NZ Herald and is republished here with permission.