The 200,000-run launch issue joins News Mags’ stable of food titles, which also includes Super Food Ideas, Australian Good Taste, Delicious and Donna Hay.
News Magazines production director Mark Moes told ProPrint that Super Food Ideas remained the highest-run food title, at around 350,000 copies, but the Masterchef run put it “in the same ballpark as the three other titles”.
Moes explained that the publisher had undergone an in-depth process to differentiate the new monthly from the rest of the family of food brands.
“When we were looking at the specs, we wanted to differentiate it from the other magazines. Even from an editorial perspective, it’s different. From a print specs point of view, we also wanted to make it different,” he said.
“We looked at what magazines are doing overseas. Some UK food magazines have gone for a different approach. We looked at gloss and matt stocks to see if they could offer a point of difference,” added Moes.
“Overseas they are looking at matt stocks and even uncoated stocks [for the text pages]”
The publisher decided on a 75gsm gloss for the text pages with a UV-varnished 200gsm stock for the cover of the new magazine, which is priced at $4.95.
The magazine falls between the $6.95 price tag of Delicious and Super Food Ideas, which costs $2.95.
The paper was supplied by Sappi. The first issue is 164pp with a gatefold.
Moes said that Masterchef was produced by longstanding News Mags supplier Hannaprint at its Sydney plant.
Hannanprint NSW general manager, operations Graham Trickey told ProPrint: “Hannanprint has had a longstanding and successful relationship with News Magazines particularly in the production of their high-quality lifestyle magazines.
“We have watched the great success of the Masterchef television show in 2009 and now seeing that success continuing in 2010. “
Trickey added that the printer had been “thrilled” to hear about Masterchef Magazine and was very proud to produce it.
“It is a very positive sign for a new magazine to launch in 2010 and is a positive sign for the future of the printing industry in general,” said Trickey.
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