Festive celebrations are starting early at Dish magazine: first week sales of the Christmas issue 2025 are up 41% year on year in Woolworths, Foodstuffs NI, Relay and Whitcoulls stores.
Editor and CEO Sarah Tuck says she made a noise “like a squeak” when she heard the first heard the news. She might have also shed a happy tear or two.
“The team are just blown away. It was so beyond what we were expecting,” says Tuck.
This continues an incredible streak for Dish – in general, but in December especially. First week sales of the Christmas issue were up 5.5% in 2024, building on an impressive 37% rise in 2023 in Woolworths and Foodstuffs NI.
This year alone has seen the magazine record a 50% jump in audience, launch into Australian supermarkets and launch new recipe book Fast Two – a sequel to the hugely successful Fast. The title celebrated 20 years in business in 2024.
Six years of strategy
“Over the past five years, first week sales of the Christmas issue are up 224% in Woolworths and Foodstuffs NI,” says Tuck.
These results though haven’t happened by accident – they are the result of six years of strategy and hard work from the “amazing team”, she adds.
The Dish team hold two to three strategy sessions a year – a practice they’ve been following for the last six years.
“Each year we plan our growth and how we’re going to get there,” says Tuck. But after they’d had such massive growth already in 2023, she wondered if they were about to plateau.
Prior to the 2025 Christmas issue going on sale, the team held a sweepstake to try and predict what the sales would be.
“I was the most bullish at 14%, which sounded insane at the time. To come in at 41% sales growth first week is unbelievable,” says Tuck.
Keeping an eye out
Staying up to date with the ever-changing media world means keeping an eye on what is happening out there. If something relevant to their audience crops up – like a desire for airfryer recipes – then Dish will jump on it, says Tuck.
But rather than just watching trends, the key to Dish‘s success has been keeping an eye on what their audience wants: “We survey our readers twice a year and we absolutely use their feedback to give us direction.”
And in every survey, the audience delivers – up to 4,000 responses – with many sharing specific feedback.
“Our audience is bloody incredible. They are so passionate about the brand and because of that, they’re great communicators with us,” says Tuck.
She adds that passion is shared by the Dish team, who all bring their unique skills to ensure the publication stays relevant to its broad audience range across all of its platforms.
Analogue on the rise
International trends are picking that analogue mediums will continue to surge in 2026 and beyond, with people increasingly looking for ways to disconnect from digital experiences.
“I think we’re going to see a bit of a return to print magazines and all sorts – crafting, gardening, cooking,” says Tuck.
“But in terms of magazine success, it really does come down to understanding your audience and delivering what they want.”
Dish Christmas 2025
Dish Christmas 2025 went on sale on November 3, 2025. Featuring a pavlova on the cover, it also contains recipes for a range of roasted mains, snack boards, drinks and nibbles, as well as a pretty magnificent looking berry trifle.
The year’s not over for Dish yet though – the second ever Holiday issue is out on 15 December. Holiday provides all the inspiration you need for the rest of summer, whether you’re at the bach, camping or at home.
“It’s full of salads, barbecues, sauces – things that are super easy but take your barbecue game to a next level,” says Tuck.
The post Dish magazine Christmas 2025 first week sales up 41% appeared first on stoppress.co.nz.