FMCG Business June-July 2026

Seasonal insights and trends

Winter has officially arrived — a time for heartwarming meals, and a fresh look at the categories shaping shopper behaviour right now. In this issue, we bring you seasonal insights, emerging trends, and the latest updates from New Zealand’s vibrant fresh produce sector, along with a few of the country’s finest award-winning products.

Discover what’s new in quick and easy meal solutions in our special category feature on pg 22-29, and see many other fabulous new products throughout this issue.

The C&I NZ Expo returned to Auckland in May, drawing retailers, suppliers, and exhibitors from across New Zealand and Australia. Over two packed days, attendees immersed themselves in product discovery, networking, business building, and thought-provoking sessions from industry leaders at the symposium.

Among the standout trends on show: functional beverages, “better-for-you” innovations, and a wave of protein-rich snacks and drinks. You’ll find C&I NZ Expo highlights on pg 44-47.

If you couldn’t make it to the event this year, check out more snapshots, reels, and interviews on our website and across FMCG Business social channels, and be sure to join us at the next C&I Expo in 2028.

For more breaking news, keep an eye on our daily online updates. If you’d like our weekly e-news delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe at www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz, where you can also access FMCG services and events.

And as always, we’d love to hear from you. If you have new product launches or industry news to share, stay in touch—and join the conversation with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Tamara Rubanowski trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz www.fmcgbusiness.co.nz

ON THE COVER

Hellers is bringing food truck flavour home with the launch of its bold new Street Eats range, designed to meet growing demand for quick, flavour-packed meal solutions without the hassle.

Find out more on pg 25-27.

PUBLISHED BY

C&I Media (NZ) Ltd PO Box 109 342

Newmarket, Auckland 1149

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Simon Grover

GROUP PUBLISHER AND COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

Safa de Valois

safa@c-store.com.au

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

James Wells james@intermedia.com.au

HEAD OF CONTENT

Tamara Rubanowski

trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz ph: 027 278 4761

MEDIA SALES MANAGER

Bridgit Hannigan bhannigan@fmcgbusiness.co.nz ph 022 1505 473

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Leanne Hogbin leanne@intermedia.com.au

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au

DIGITAL AND PRINT

COORDINATOR

Eclypse Lee elee@intermedianz.co.nz

C&I Media takes its Corporate and Social Responsibilities seriously and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. We continuously strive to improve our environmental performance and to initiate additional CSR based projects and activities. As part of our company policy we ensure that the products and services used in the manufacture of this magazine are sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers.

FMCG is printed on FSC®-certified MIX paper from well-managed forests and other responsible sources. SCG print using BIO-inks that contain materials that are based on renewable resources including wood resin (rosin, colophony), and vegetable oils, linseed oil and soy bean oil. This magazine is printed by SCG, an ToitŪ enviromark gold certified printer.

Budget 2026 delivers big backing for farmers and growers

Budget 2026 is backing New Zealand’s primary sector to boost returns and productivity, improve land management and resilience, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay says.

“We are working hard alongside farmers and growers to achieve more with less,” McClay says.

“Strategic and targeted commitment of taxpayers’ money ensures the food and fibre sector has the backing it needs to generate the high-quality produce that feeds New Zealand and the world, supports communities and drives economic growth.

“Budget 2026 confirms $4.77 billion in baseline funding over the next four years for the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to support the primary sector and protect the frontline.”

Budget 2026’s key strategic investments include:

• $109 million over three years to supercharge efforts to tackle the spread of damaging wilding pines

• $437 million over four years to accelerate the development, availability, and use of new tools and technologies to reduce onfarm agricultural emissions

• $266 million over four years for the Primary Sector Growth Fund to invest in projects focused on increasing returns, productivity, and opportunities in the food and fibre sector

• $40.5 million over four years to back the efforts of farmer-led catchment groups to improve land management practices

“Budget 2026 backs sustainable growth of the food and fibre sector, our largest export earner,” McClay says.

“Its exports are set to top a record $62 billion this year. One in every seven people work in food and fibre – a successful sector means thriving communities, a growing economy and a prosperous New Zealand.

“Alongside investing in innovative technologies and land management initiatives, we’re supporting farmers and growers to boost productivity and their long-term resilience.”

Night ’n Day collaborates with NPD

Night ’n Day is set to expand its South Island presence through the transition of seven NPD convenience retail sites into the Night ’n Day network over time. The sites include:

• Redwood - Blenheim

• Lower Queen Street - Nelson

• Waimea - Nelson

• Rolleston - Christchurch

• Yaldhurst - Christchurch

• Moorhouse - Christchurch

• Frankton – Queenstown

Founded in Dunedin in 1990, Night ’n Day has grown into one of New Zealand’s most recognised convenience retail brands, known for its strong foodservice offering, quality retail experiences, and locally operated stores, while NPD has built a similarly strong South Island reputation through high-quality sites, customer-focused retailing, and evolving foodservice offerings. Both businesses share deep South Island roots and a long-standing focus on locally driven convenience retail.

Night ’n Day General Manager Matthew Lane said the transition represented a strong strategic fit between two businesses with aligned

values and complementary strengths.

“There are a lot of similarities between the two businesses. Both are proudly family-owned, customer-focused, and built around strong local operators. These are high-quality sites with excellent fitouts and standards that complement the Night ’n Day brand extremely well.”

Lane said the transition would see successful elements from both businesses carried forward as the sites evolve over time.

“This isn’t about replacing everything overnight. There are components from both sides that we see real value in continuing. We’ll retain successful foodservice concepts customers already know and enjoy, while gradually introducing Night ’n Day’s wider offering across the network.”

The business says maintaining strong owner-operator involvement will remain a key priority throughout the transition process.

“Owner-operators are at the heart of what we do. These stores will continue to be locally operated, and we’re excited about the opportunities this creates for both existing and future operators.”

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay

SPCA Certified helps brands and retailers meet growing shopper expectations around animal welfare – while strengthening trust on shelf. The blue badge provides clear, independent verification that products meet higher animal welfare standards. Good for welfare.

Southern legend marks 150 years

Speight’s New Zealand is marking its 150th anniversary, celebrating the rise of one of the country’s most enduring and recognisable beer brands. A Southern icon built on mateship, innovation and great beer – with 1 in 5 beers sold nationwide now a Speight’s.

From its beginnings in Dunedin in 1876, Speight’s has grown from a small local brewery to being New Zealand’s number one selling beer.

Today, 150 years on, Speight’s sells 1 million litres every week, a testament to a brand that has mastered the art of balancing deeprooted heritage with innovation.

LION Chief Operating Officer and New Zealand Country Director Craig Baldie says the anniversary reflects a brand that has continually moved with the times. “Speight’s is New Zealand’s oldest brewery and is still operating at its original Rattray Street site in Dunedin. Over the past 150 years, the brand has continued to evolve in response to changing consumer preferences while remaining true to what people know and trust about Speight’s. That authenticity, which is anchored in its southern values has enabled the brand to connect with New Zealanders over generations.”

A brand that grew with the country

From the moment it was founded, Speight’s was part of something bigger than beer. Founded by James Speight, Charles Greenslade, and William Dawson, the brewery quickly found its footing in a fastgrowing Dunedin, at a time when the city was one of the country’s busiest and most influential centres.

By the late 1880s, Speight’s had taken its place on the world stage, winning gold medals at international exhibitions and earning the name Gold Medal Ale, a legacy still stamped on every label today. Within just over a decade, it had become the largest brewery in the country, exporting across the Pacific and putting Dunedin on the map as a brewing powerhouse.

Few brands are as deeply woven into New Zealand’s cultural

fabric. From the era-defining Southern Man ads to the enduring “Good on ya, mate”, Speight’s has helped shape a distinctly Kiwi idea of mateship.

Over the years, those stories have evolved with the times. Add to that decades of Speight’s beloved bottle cap questions, backing southern rugby, and even shipping a pub halfway across the world, and it’s clear Speight’s has long held a place at the heart of Kiwi culture.

While Speight’s has been part of New Zealand for 150 years, its position as the country’s leading beer brand has been cemented more recently, at a time when the category itself is under pressure.

Beer consumption has declined both in New Zealand and globally, with Stats NZ data showing beer consumption fell 10% to 265 million litres last year, continuing a longer-term downward trend. Despite falling total beer sales, in the same year, Speight’s grew 4.4%1, which reinforces the strength of the brand throughout the country.

A key inflection point came in 2017 with the launch of Speight’s Summit Ultra, developed in response to growing demand for lower-carb options. It has since become the top-selling beer in New Zealand, helping Speight’s become the biggest beer brand in the country in 2022.

“We identified early that consumers overseas were looking for lighter styles of beer that aligned with more balanced lifestyles, without compromising on taste,” says Baldie.

“Summit Ultra has been instrumental in reshaping the brand’s trajectory and has played a significant role in its recent growth.”

Alongside its flagship Gold Medal Ale, the range now spans everything from craft brews to lighter and alcohol-free options, ensuring the brand continues to resonate with drinkers today.

To mark its big milestone, Speight’s has released a commemorative can available nationwide. A celebration will also be held at the Dunedin brewery to recognise the brand’s origins and ongoing connection to the region.

LION COO and NZ Country Director Craig Baldie

The original Speight’s brewery in Dunedin

What’s

Tasti’s new Low Carb Protein range

New Tasti Rise is a low carb protein range of Bars and Bites, delivering great-tasting snacking for every occasion to carb-conscious shoppers.

• Tasti Rise Low Carb Protein Bars (160g) | Perfect for lunchboxes and on-the-go. Launches 18 May

• Tasti Rise Low Carb Protein Bites (100g) | Offers a portionable, shareable format ideal for grazing. Launches 22 June

For more information visit www.tasti.co.nz

E. tasti@tasti.co.nz

Ph. 0800 827 841

Strawberry Yoghurt, Graze Skinny Dipped style

Graze Skinny Dipped Almonds Strawberry Dusted Yoghurt delivers the perfect balance of familiar, fun and just a little bit naughty. Crunchy roasted almonds are thinly coated in creamy yoghurt and finished with a tangy freeze-dried strawberry dusting for a seriously moreish snack. They’re skinny on the yoghurt but not on the taste.

Available in New World, Pak’nSave and Four Square stores nationwide.

For more information, visit www.graze.co.nz

E. hi@graze.co.nz

Ph. 0800 895 218

Protein+ Cookies that really deliver

Kea Cookies bakes indulgent taste with functional nutrition in a new premium Protein+ cookie range. Available in shareable 180g and convenient 50g single-serve packs, the range of three flavours is designed for today’s healthconscious snacker seeking protein, fibre, satisfaction and convenience — ideal for grocery, impulse and on-the-go retail channels. www.keacookies.co.nz/protein

E. orders@keacookies.co.nz

Ph. 0800 KEACOOKIES (532266)

Graze brings Dubai Choc to packaged nuts!

Inspired by the viral Dubai chocolate trend, Graze has reimagined the indulgent flavour experience into a crave-worthy nut mix. Creamy pistachios, roasted cashews and almonds, sesame coated peanuts, crispy pretzels and rich dark choc deliver the perfect sweet and salty crunch. Graze KINDA-LIKE-A Dubai Style Pistachio Choc is kinda-like the real thing, but better.

Available in New World, Pak’nSave and Four Square stores nationwide. For more information visit www.graze.co.nz

E. hi@graze.co.nz

Ph. 0800 895 218

Meet your new favourite treat Bright, tangy fruit flavours layered with velvety creaminess and a warm, buttery finish. Rich, smooth, and unmistakably indulgent in every sip. Made with pure whole milk, no artificial ingredients, and naturally gluten free. Because some cravings are meant to be sipped.

Drink your dessert.

www.lewisroadcreamery.co.nz

E. hello@lewisroadcreamery.co.nz

fresh produce

Best in season

As winter sets in, shoppers naturally gravitate toward warming, nourishing ingredients. Hearty vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, potatoes and kūmara become staples for comforting seasonal dishes.

“Kiwifruit support digestion, immunity and overall health.”

Retail displays can shine with a strong range of brassicas, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.

In the fruit section, citrus and kiwifruit take centre stage, while apples and pears continue to provide plenty of choice for customers.

Kiwifruit

New Zealand kiwifruit offers consistent quality and strong consumer demand. The Gold kiwifruit season runs from March to December and the Green from April to December. Position prominently while in season to attract customers.

What to look for: Kiwifruit should be semi-firm without blemishes or soft spots.

Storage/handling: New-season fruit may arrive quite firm so allow it to condition before displaying. Kiwifruit kept at room temperature typically takes around 2-3 days to ripen.

Nutrition: Kiwifruit are nutrient dense, containing folate, vitamins B6, C, E and K. Kiwifruit support digestion, immunity and overall health.

Tamarillos

Although tamarillos arrive at the start of winter, they reach their peak in July. As nights grow colder, the fruit develops its deep red colour, driven by anthocyanin formation. Shoppers should know tamarillos are ripe, tasty, and enjoyable throughout the entire season.

What to look for: Tamarillos should have full red or golden colouration on the fruit body up to the stalk. Fruit should be firm, fragrant and heavy for its size, with a stalk attached.

Storage/handling: Tamarillos can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, or kept at room temperature for about one week. Ensure regular stock rotation and handle gently to prevent bruising and maintain quality.

Nutrition: Tamarillos are a good source of vitamin C and folate – great for growth and development in children.

Lemons

New Zealand lemons are supplied all year, with peak harvest running from May through December. As an everyday staple, they should be consistently well-stocked and prominently displayed throughout the winter months.

What to look for: Select firm lemons that are heavy for their size with bright skin. Lemons tinged with green are underripe.

Storage/handling: Lemons should be handled with care and stored under refrigeration.

Nutrition: Lemons are a good source of vitamin C, which supports immunity and provides a range of other health benefits.

Kūmara

As a winter staple for many New Zealanders, kūmara play an important role in everyday meals, so retailers should aim to offer a strong range to meet demand. Where possible, stock a variety of types including Orange (Beauregard), Red (Owairaka), Gold (Toka Toka), and Purple (Purple Dawn) to give shoppers choice.

What to look for: Kūmara should be firm with smooth and unbroken skin.

Storage/handling: Store kūmara in a cool, dark place that is well ventilated. Unless cooked, do not refrigerate as this will damage the flesh and result in a bitter taste.

Nutrition: High in niacin and vitamin C, kūmara is a nutritious addition to winter meals.

Potatoes

Potatoes remain a staple in the produce department, delivering consistent year-round demand and strong value for shoppers. Ensuring a range of varieties and sizes is displayed helps meet diverse cooking needs and encourages shopper choice.

What to look for: Select firm potatoes with smooth, unblemished skins. Clear labelling, including suggested uses for each type, can support shoppers in making confident purchasing decisions.

Storage/handling: Potatoes are best kept in cool, dark, well-ventilated spaces. Handle with care to prevent bruising. The ideal temperature for storage is around 7°C.

Nutrition: Potatoes contain vitamin C and B vitamins, which help reduce tiredness and fatigue.

Care, craftsmanship, and authenticity

The latest finalist for the 2026 FMCG Business Product of the Year Award is Much Moore Premium Creations Pistachio Ice Cream.

Made in New Zealand, this smooth, creamy pistachio ice cream is elevated with a subtle hint of indulgent white chocolate that complements rather than competes.

“Pistachio isn’t new; it’s a classic in Italian gelato, and we treated it with that respect. Our founder, Marcus Moore, drew on his Italian heritage to craft a flavour profile that is authentic, balanced and unmistakably pistachio,” explains the team.

“In 2025, pistachio surged globally as a premium flavour cue, fuelled by the viral Dubai chocolate moment and a broader shift toward internationally inspired indulgence. We didn’t simply chase a trend – we translated it through the Much Moore lens, creating a product that feels credible, personal and enduring.

“Premium Creations is our answer to a clear shopper need: ice cream that feels special, but still makes sense in the weekly shop. Pistachio is one of the fastest-growing flavour cues globally, yet few products deliver it with real quality at an accessible price point.

“Over the last 26 weeks, Premium Creations Pistachio has become the top-selling 1L SKU in the market (units per store per week), demonstrating both standout taste and strong repeat purchase,” says the team.

“This product is a fusion of Italy and New Zealand – just like Marcus – and it’s personal to our team. We believe that care, authenticity and craftsmanship come through in every scoop – and customers can taste the difference!” For more information visit www.muchmoore.co.nz

“Our founder, Marcus Moore, drew on his Italian heritage to craft a flavour profile that is authentic, balanced and unmistakably pistachio”

Do you have a Hero product that stands out from the crowd? If there’s a tasty tastebud teaser, NPD rockstar, or best seller in your portfolio that deserves to be crowned ‘Product Of The Year’we’d love to hear from you! We’ll showcase some of the finalists in upcoming issues and reveal the FMCG Business Product of the Year later in 2026.

Ecostore’s personal care range centres wellbeing and performance

Ecostore’s refreshed personal care range is taking the brand to new heights – and it’s not just because of the sleek packaging or layered scents.

“The range rolling refresh began in 2024 and gently redirected the positioning of the haircare, body wash, and hand wash products, maintaining the integrity of the brand’s sustainability ethos, with a clearer focus on safety and performance. This is resonating with customers and consumers alike, earning strong +16.0% YoY growth in hand and body washes1, now ranking as the #5 Personal Care brand in

made in New Zealand, delivering effective cleansing that leaves skin feeling comfortable and cared for, and is better for the world.”

consumers, ecostore’s formulations continue to be gentle and effective,

While ecostore has a long-standing commitment to sustainability and strong brand loyalty with existing consumers, the team recognised there was an opportunity to welcome in a new generation who were looking for personal care products that first and foremost complemented their lifestyle. Sustainability is now an expectation, and there is a growing demand for products that don’t compromise on aesthetics, efficacy or sensory experience. Consumers now expect both performance and responsible formulation as standard, rather than a trade-off between the two3. The range proves you can have both a considered fragrance profile alongside plant and mineral-based ingredients, without compromising how the product looks, feels or performs.

It’s also been recognised by industry peers; the Vanilla Bean & Coconut Handwash was a runner-up in the 2025 Viva Beauty Awards in both the Best Supermarket Buy and Best for Hands and Nails categories, and the Daily Hydration (formerly Hydrating) hair care range was recognised with an NIQ Innovation Award.

“The same gentle, effective approach extends to ecostore’s baby range, which has grown a loyal following and is the #1 Baby Personal Wash brand in grocery, growing +17.6% vs YA in the latest quarter4,” says Angelina.

In a refined, modern-classic bottle with a clean label design that blends science and nature, the products look perfectly at home in modern spaces. Like everything ecostore does, the packaging has been designed with the future in mind, using a blend of recycled and sugar-based plastic. The products are produced in Aotearoa at their Toitū net carbonzero certified factory. ecostore.com

AISLE SPY

Local suppliers share what’s new and trending in the baby and toddler aisles in our supermarkets.

Only Organic Snack Bandits

For over 30 years, Only Organic has been creating trusted food for families across New Zealand and Australia. Family-owned and proudly made in West Auckland, the brand has built a reputation for certified organic products made with care, quality ingredients, and the realities of modern family life in mind.

Now, Only Organic is expanding its offering with the launch of Snack Bandits — a new range created for kids aged 3+ and designed

to support growing appetites with convenient snack options made from trusted ingredients. Available in supermarkets nationwide and at Chemist Warehouse from April 2026, the range helps bridge the gap between toddler foods and everyday family snacking as children grow beyond baby food.

Crafted with certified organic ingredients, the Snack Bandits range is nutritionist approved and free from artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives, with no added sugar across the range. Each product has been thoughtfully developed to deliver on taste, texture, and convenience, while giving parents confidence in what they’re feeding their children.

The range includes Snack Bars made with wholegrains for easy onthe-go snacking, Smoothie pouches fortified with Omega-3 DHA, and Melties — freeze-dried fruit cubes with added prebiotics that melt in the mouth. Packaging across the range reflects the next stage of the Only Organic journey as children grow and family needs evolve.

Focused on real ingredients and everyday convenience, Only Organic Snack Bandits continues the brand’s commitment to trusted, certified organic food made with care.

Order enquires can be directed to customercare@onlyorganic.co.nz

New better-for-baby range from Angco Foods

As the food industry continues to evolve, there is an increasing responsibility to elevate nutrition standards and deliver clearer, more accessible, and more authentic on-pack communication— empowering busy parents to make confident, informed choices for the next generation.

“At Angco Foods, this evolution has been a driving force behind our continued commitment to sourcing and co-developing better, cleaner baby food solutions,” says Founder Albert Ng.

“Since 2018, we have specialised in delivering better-for-you snacks to Kiwi families across New Zealand, offering a range of vegetable crisps designed to provide a fun and convenient way to increase daily vegetable intake. Following the launch of NaturKidz last year, our latest additions further expand the portfolio, offering greater variety and texture for little ones aged 6+ months and 12+ months.”

A Category-first - Little Fingers Freeze-dried Veggie Porridge

Naturally crafted with riceberry, jasmine rice, and vegetables, and enriched with calcium, iron, and vitamin B, each pack contains approximately half a serve of vegetables, with no added sugar or salt. There are three delicious all-natural veggie blends in the range: Pumpkin, Broccoli and Leek; Sweet Potato, Carrot and Seaweed; Pumpkin, Carrot and Tomato.

The range provides whole grains and vegetables in a palatable and easily digestible form, and encourages babies to discover how to eat naturally alongside the whole family, rather than through a pouch. Simply add hot water, and ready in just a minute! Convenient, portable nourishment without compromise, anytime, anywhere!

Joyful sensory snacking - Alamii Gluten-free Multigrain Puffs

Crafted with four gluten-free grains—white rice, brown rice, black rice, and sorghum, blended with mung bean, milk, real fruits or vegetables,

and nothing artificial. This new range is a source of naturally occurring vitamins E and K, and delivers a 3.5 to 4 Health Star Rating. There are three wholesome flavours: Strawberry Milk; Banana Milk; and Veggie Garden. Perfect for snacking at home or on the go.

These deliciously nutritious puffs are tiny in size yet mighty in flavour! Their light, melt-in-the-mouth texture and easy-to-hold shape help support sensory exploration and fine motor skill development. A perfect format to encourage self-feeding in babies.

“Bringing better-for-baby products to life, with the goal of contributing to a better future for infant nutrition, has been a key motivation in our journey,” explains Founder Albert Ng. For orders contact UpStock or admin@angcofoods.com

“The range provides whole grains and vegetables in a palatable and easily digestible form.”

VITAMIN & SUPPLEMENT TRENDS

Vitamin and supplement sales continue to grow in New Zealand as consumers prioritise keeping their family and themselves, body and mind, well during challenging times.

The Woolworths NZ team shared: “Over the last couple of years, there has been a shift from consumers purchasing general multivitamin tablets toward highly targeted, lifestylespecific wellness products. The fastest-growing segments are those addressing specific biological needs.”

Women’s life stages: There is a massive surge in demand for perimenopause and menopause support. Labels are now specifically calling out “hormonal balance” and “blood sugar support.” In May, Woolworths is launching the Eve Wellness range of supplements, which have gained huge loyalty from their online platform due to the efficacy of the product.

Brain & Mood: Stress and mental clarity are top of mind. Adaptogens like Ashwagandha and L-Theanine have moved from niche health stores to mainstream grocery shelves, with launches from Healtheries and Nature Way.

Better sleep: Magnesium is the star ingredient at the moment, specifically Magnesium Glycinate, as consumers become more educated about different mineral forms and their absorption rates. Swisse is launching its ‘Mag Glyc’ product in Woolworths this May and this is set to quickly become a ‘top 5’ product.

“While traditional tablets still hold the largest market share at about 40%, the ‘pill fatigue’ trend is driving growth in alternative formats. Gummies are no longer just for kids, but are the fastest-growing format for adults due to the easy and ‘treat like’ consumption,” says the Woolworths NZ team.

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

4.6% * denotes value AND unit growth > +2%

Source: Circana MarketEdge Grocery Data MAT to 03/05/26

“High-performance powders with collagen, greens blends, and hydration electrolytes are booming, as Kiwis integrate them into their morning smoothies or gym routines. NZ collagen brand Dose & Co has seen global success. It’s booming again with Gen Zers who are prepared to pay a premium for keeping their skin and bodies youthful. Woolworths is bringing back the Dose & Co marine collagen SKU due to popular demand.”

Meanwhile, a range of new Creatine Gummies was presented at the recent C&I NZ Expo, along with a multitude of innovative health and wellness products.

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz

Why packaging matters more than ever for supplements

Packaging today is about far more than simply how a product looks on the shelf. For supplement and wellness brands, it plays a critical role in protecting product quality, maintaining customer confidence, and supporting the overall brand experience. When packaging fails, through inconsistent quality, poor support, or supply issues, the impact can quickly lead to damaged products, production delays, frustrated customers, and unnecessary costs.

Pharmapac (also known as PPAC) has spent more than 45 years helping New Zealand brands navigate these challenges with confidence. That’s why Pharmapac understands that every packaging decision affects your business, your reputation, and your customers. That’s why they focus not only on producing premium-quality packaging, but also on delivering the dependable service and responsive support our customers rely on every day.

From powders and capsules to tablets and wellness products, packaging must perform consistently. Just as importantly, brands need

a packaging partner that is knowledgeable, easy to work with, and committed to finding solutions when challenges arise. At Pharmapac, customer support sits at the centre of everything the company does. Its experienced team works closely with customers to provide practical guidance, tailored packaging solutions, regulatory and documentation support, and fast turnaround times that help products get to market smoothly and efficiently.

Because when conditions become more challenging, confidence in your packaging partner matters just as much as the product itself. That confidence is backed by performance, with Pharmapac consistently achieving close to 100% DIFOT (Delivered In Full, On Time) across its customer base.

Pharmapac is also recognised as a trusted leader in sustainable packaging solutions, offering recyclable, recycled, and plant-based packaging options alongside responsible local manufacturing practices. Premium quality. Trusted support. Sustainably made in New Zealand.

HOT DRINKS

“The Tea category is worth $87.6 million in Total Supermarkets, growing at +5.5% in value and +1.8% in units,” says the Woolworths NZ team.

“The global tea market is undergoing a dynamic transformation. While traditional black tea remains a staple, the category is experiencing a surge of innovation and diversification driven by evolving consumer values and lifestyles, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z. Consumers are increasingly viewing tea not just as a comforting beverage, but as a tool for wellness and an avenue for flavour exploration.

“Matcha is a standout trend, particularly among younger consumers. Its vibrant colour, unique flavour, and health benefits (especially “calm energy”) make it a highly appealing and “Instagrammable” beverage, with growth over 200% in supermarket sales vs last year. Matcha leans

HOT DRINKS

* denotes value AND unit growth > +2%

into the iced drink trends, and provides a calmer, lower caffeine option for health-conscious consumers. The segment is now worth over $100m RSV (Retail Sales Value), with over 25 Matcha products now being sold in NZ supermarkets.

“The Coffee category is valued at $379 million and is growing at +11.7% (MAT to 10.05.2026),” says the Woolworths NZ team.

“However, we are still seeing unit growth of +1.8% in Total Supermarkets, reflecting a strong, growing global category, even amid economic instability and consumer pressure on budgets, and despite coffee competing for occasions against a much wider set of beverages.

“Fresh beans are the key driver of growth - to cope with rising prices, many consumers are cutting back on café culture and preparing coffee at home, driving demand for premium bean offers.

“Innovation in new segments is bringing in new customers to the coffee category. Iced coffee is a growing trend with younger consumers.

“Customers are seeking quality, authenticity, customisation, and café-style experiences at home, so are increasingly treating hot drinks as a customisable base rather than a fixed format, adding milk types, syrups, foams, functional add-ins or sweeteners to personalise their drinks to occasion and lifestyle needs.

“Along with functional benefits, such as Protein, consumers are looking at how beverages impact their health, including sleep.

Decaf coffee has seen increased demand as consumers are more focused on sleep health, with decaf options growing across multiple coffee segments.

Trends at Foodstuffs supermarkets

The hot drinks category is an important part of everyday shopping for Foodstuffs North Island customers.

“Most households regularly buy coffee, tea or hot chocolate, making this a steady and reliable category,” explains the Foodstuffs team. “Right now, shoppers are balancing value with small moments of treat or indulgence. Many are sticking to affordable, familiar options like instant coffee, black tea bags and larger pack sizes to help manage their budgets. At the same time, they are still willing to spend a bit more on products that feel special, or offer added benefits, such

as barista-style coffee, capsules, specialty teas, chai and premium hot chocolate. Products with organic, Fairtrade or wellness benefits are also becoming more popular.

“Coffee makes up the biggest part of the category, with instant coffee, beans, ground coffee and flavoured sachets leading the way. Tea remains a staple in many homes, especially black tea bags, while herbal and green teas are growing in popularity as more people look for health benefits like better sleep, digestion and immunity support. There’s also a steady stream of new products entering the market as brands look to keep things fresh and exciting.

“Newer formats, including liquid coffee concentrates that come in bottles or sachets, offering quick and easy preparation, are gaining attention. Matcha products are also helping to grow the powdered tea segment, supported by global wellness trends. More recently, functional products like instant protein coffee have started to appear, offering a convenient energy and nutrition boost.”

Make every day a Dilmah Day

In a category steeped in tradition, the strongest growth comes from brands that stay relevant by creating new reasons to engage.

“For Dilmah, this means driving new consumers and unlocking new occasions across the day – a simple belief captured in our brand promise: Every Day is a Dilmah Day,” says Nicole Campbell –Dilmah Country Manager.

“This marketing-led approach continues to deliver tangible results for the New Zealand grocery channel. In the latest quarter,

Dilmah was the single biggest contributor to value growth in the Tea category, adding more dollar sales than any other brand.

“Dilmah’s leadership spans both scale and momentum. Not only is Dilmah the No.1 brand in category, it’s also No.1 and the fastest value growth Green Tea brand, reflecting a rising wellness-led demand. Dilmah can also boast the No.1 Earl Grey brand, with the fastest value growth and No.1 in Decaf – a segment that is growing twice as fast as the total tea category, as consumers seek more choice across different consumption moments.

“Trust remains at the heart of the Dilmah brand. Kiwis have once again voted Dilmah Most Trusted Tea Brand, now for the 11th consecutive year, reinforcing the strength of our quality promise and values-led credentials.

“Dilmah is differentiated from most other tea brands, bringing unblended, hand-picked Ceylon tea to New Zealand and committing at least 15% of pre-tax profits to changing lives through the MJF Foundation and local charitable partnerships, including Hospice and City Missions.

“As we continue to drive recruitment and new usage occasions, we’re also evolving how Dilmah shows up on shelf. New look Dilmah packs are arriving from July/August, designed to elevate shelf standout while retaining the cues consumers know and trust.

“From morning calm to evening unwind, Dilmah remains proudly placed in everyday moments – proving that growth follows brands that connect with purpose and earn trust, every single day.”

*Source: Circana - NZ Grocery, Value Sales Current QTR to 19/4/26 www.mjffoundation.org

Our Handpicked Ceylon Tea Is Getting A New Look!

BETTER BISCUITS & CRACKERS

Look out for smarter and gourmet-style snacks

The biscuits and crackers category continues to hold a steady place in everyday shopping baskets, with value and variety shaping how customers are purchasing, says the Foodstuffs team.

“Ongoing cost-of-living pressures mean many Kiwis are focusing

on affordability, often choosing trusted brands, larger pack sizes and multipacks to help stretch their budgets further. At the same time, there is still a strong appetite for small moments of indulgence, with shoppers continuing to treat themselves to premium biscuits, chocolate-coated options and more gourmet-style crackers. Private label products are also gaining ground, offering competitive pricing while maintaining quality, making them an increasingly popular choice for value-conscious households.

“Alongside this, health and dietary preferences are continuing to influence the category. There is growing demand for “better-for-you” options, including glutenfree, reduced-sugar and products made with more natural ingredients. This has helped drive new product development, with brands introducing functional twists and premium flavours to keep the category fresh.

“While overall sales have remained relatively stable, with some softer performance in segments like children’s lunchbox biscuits, the category remains resilient. A balance of everyday affordability and accessible indulgence continues to underpin performance, with both mainstream favourites and more premium options playing an important role,” explains the Foodstuffs team.

Figueroa explains: “As the way we snack evolves, Peckish keeps it light, balanced and delicious.”

“Perfect for in-between moments, grazing boards, or adding crunch to your favourite recipes — it’s a smarter way to snack without compromise.”

Peckish: The lighter way to snack. For orders contact Customer Services

DKSH New Zealand Limited

Phone: +64 6 356 5323

Email: cs.groceryuni@dksh.com

small moments of indulgence”

The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz

QUICK & EASY MEALS

The convenience meals and pies category becomes especially important during winter, as shoppers look for meals that are warm, filling and easy to prepare, says the Foodstuffs team.

As the weather cools down, people spend more time eating at home and shift away from quick or entertainingfocused meals toward comfort food and simple dinner solutions. This drives strong demand for products like soups, pies, pizzas and ready meals.

“Chilled soups are a key winter staple, with around half of yearly sales happening between June and September. Larger pack sizes also become more popular during this time, as families cook and eat together more often. Weeknight meals are a major driver, with most ready meals being used during busy weekdays when convenience matters most,” says the Foodstuffs team.

“Different store banners focus on different shopper needs. New World offers more premium, fresh-made pizza options, PAK’nSAVE focuses on larger, familysized products at great prices, and Four Square keeps a smaller, efficient range for quick meal solutions. Across chilled ready meals, shoppers tend to choose wellknown, comforting dishes that are easy to prepare and come in sizes suited to one or two people.”

Convenience without compromise: First Light Farms’ Heat & Eat Wagyu Range

First Light Farms’ new heat-and-eat range means you no longer have to choose between quality and speed. It’s their same world-class, grass-fed Wagyu beef, but in a product that fits into real, busy lives.

“We are seeing a significant shift in the customer mindset, towards provenance and quality, however they are still juggling work, family, and everything in between. The answer is a premium take on convenience that doesn’t mean you settle for less,” explains the team.

Every product in the range is slow cooked for a minimum of 12 hours, which means the tenderness, the juiciness, and that depth of flavour you’d get from doing it yourself are all still there. They’ve just done the hard work for you. Fridge to table in 20 minutes.

Each of the products in First Light Farms’ heat-and-eat range has been developed with versatility in mind at every step. Each product comes with easy meal inspirations printed on the box, taking the thinking out of what meal you are making that night.

The soy and sesame shank lends itself beautifully to Asian-inspired

meals, the manuka smoked brisket is a natural fit for burgers, tacos, and nachos, and the slow-cooked beef cheek pairs effortlessly with almost any pasta. Each offers something different for any night of the week.

For those with dietary needs, the entire range is gluten free. And in keeping with First Light Farms’ commitment to ethical farming, every product features selected cuts of ethically raised meat by a collective of Kiwi farmers across the country.

It’s exactly the kind of product that makes sense for those moments when time is tight, but flavour and quality are non-negotiable.

For more information on First Light Farms’ extensive range, including their heat & eat products, contact Simon McKie at simon@firstlight.farm.

category insights

It’s Wattie’s You Need

For generations of New Zealanders, Wattie’s has been part of everyday life. From spaghetti toasties to peaches and ice cream, tomato sauce at the BBQ to a quick mac ‘n’ cheese at lunch – it’s a brand woven into how Kiwis have grown up eating the tasty favourites they know and love, made in our own backyard.

Now, for the first time since 2021, Wattie’s is back with a new Masterbrand campaign – It’s Wattie’s You Need – a fresh take on a brand that’s been part of Kiwi lives for more than 90 years.

Going live from 10 May across TV, online video, social, OOH and radio, the campaign playfully

CONVENIENCE MEALS AND PIES

brings together a series of familiar moments where Wattie’s delivers the comfort Kiwis crave at different times and places.

A modern take on Wattie’s’ legacy of creating iconic jingles, this new campaign brings humour, slices of Kiwi lives and a sense of craving to each scenario, featuring some of the brand’s most recognisable products, including Baked Beans, Spaghetti, Tomato Sauce, Hawke’s Bay-grown canned peaches, and Frozen meal favourites.

Developed in partnership with TBWA\New Zealand, the work is designed to be confident and unmistakably current whilst drawing on the familiarity of a well-earned, rich nostalgia. It’s a celebration of the role Wattie’s plays in Kiwi life and in the pace of modern New Zealand.

Justine Powell, Head of Marketing at Wattie’s New Zealand, says the brand needs to continue being relevant with Kiwi audiences and this campaign comes at a time of great change for the business.

“Wattie’s has always had a special place in Kiwi hearts and communities but we don’t take that for granted. If we want to keep supporting local growers, producing food here and being part of New Zealand communities, we have to keep investing in the brand,” she adds.

“This campaign is about showing up in a way that feels as relevant today as it has for generations – a celebration of how New Zealanders live, eat and connect now.

Founded in 1934, Wattie’s remains a significant part of New Zealand’s food landscape, employing more than 1,200 people across the country and continuing to produce hundreds of products locally, including at its Hawke’s Bay sites.

Hellers Street Eats

Hellers is bringing food truck flavour home with the launch of its bold new Street Eats range, designed to meet growing demand for quick, flavour-packed meal solutions without the hassle. Created for modern Kiwi households, the range taps into the increasing appetite for convenient dinners that still feel exciting, fresh and satisfying.

The new Street Eats range is built around what Hellers calls “the dinner panic problem” — that daily moment when busy consumers want something more inspiring than another basic weeknight dinner but don’t have the time, energy or budget for complex cooking or takeaways. Street Eats aims to bridge the gap between convenience and aspiration, giving shoppers an easy way to create restaurant and food truckinspired meals at home.

At the heart of the launch are two flavour-driven product platforms: Loaded Dogs and Pulled Meats. The Loaded Dogs range premiumises the classic hotdog category with built-in flavour combinations inspired by the street food scene, including Philly Cheese, Jalapeño & Cheese, and Barbecue Pork variants. Designed to be fun, interactive and full of personality, the products are aimed squarely at families and younger consumers looking for easy meal solutions with maximum flavour impact.

interactive meal experiences that bring variety back into weeknight dining. By combining premium butcher-quality meat with accessible preparation, Hellers is positioning Street Eats as a versatile solution for shoppers looking to recreate takeaway-style meals at home while still adding their own personal twist in the kitchen.

The Pulled Meats range delivers slow-cooked convenience across pork, chicken and beef options, including Korean BBQ Pulled Pork, Mexican Fiesta Pulled Chicken and Ol’ Smokey Barbecue Pulled Beef. Ready in minutes, the products are designed to work across multiple meal occasions, from tacos and loaded fries to wraps, sliders and rice bowls, giving consumers flexibility to customise meals their own way.

The launch also reflects broader consumer trends toward globally inspired flavours and

Backing the launch is a significant $1 million marketing investment, with support spanning instore demonstrations, point of purchase activity, mailers, social media, online video, influencer partnerships, outdoor and print advertising.

Launching nationally from 8 June, Street Eats combines on-trend flavour, premium butcherquality meat and quick preparation in a range designed to appeal to everyone from busy professionals to fun-loving families. The goal is simple: deliver serious flavour with zero fuss. More info at www.hellers.co.nz or ph 0800 HELLERS (435537)

“Hellers is positioning Street Eats as a versatile solution for shoppers looking to recreate takeawaystyle meals at home”

category insights

Premium, frozen, ready-to-eat meals

Jess’s Underground Kitchen produces premium, frozen ready-to-eat meals, with a range of Gourmet Everyday™ and Everyday Protein™ meals available in supermarket freezers nationwide.

Jess’s range of meals taste and feel like they’ve been created in the home kitchen –all of the comforts without any of the hassle. With an increasing demand from consumers for convenience and quality, there is no doubt that the ready-meal category is growing and Jess’s gourmet meals bring a new, contemporary audience to the freezer aisle.

Following the success of her annual limitedtime-offer Christmas Roast Chicken meal, Jess’s delicious roast range now has a permanent place on the shelves of your local supermarket freezer. Handmade in small batches by a team of real chefs in Auckland, Jess picks only the freshest ingredients to use in her meals and the roast range is no exception. Succulent chicken and juicy free-range pork are paired with gourmet potatoes, carrots and peas for an elevated ready-meal experience.

Also popping up in all good freezers near you is Jess’s recently revamped Teriyaki Chicken Bento Bowl ready meal – sitting under the Everyday Protein™ banner. With a homemade teriyaki sauce that’s both gluten-free and contains 75% less sugar than off-the-shelf brands, the meal boasts over 47g of protein per serve and is served with a quinoa brown rice mix. Healthy, delicious and even more accessible with a recent rollout into 150 Woolworths stores.

To learn more about Jess’s Underground Kitchen, please visit our website www.juk.co.nz or email hello@juk.co.nz to speak to our team.

Crunchy Fixx brings a Cajun fiesta to the freezer

The chicken category is changing fast. Consumers are snacking more, eating with their hands more, and reaching for the air fryer more and that’s reshaping what the retail freezer needs to deliver. Frozen coated chicken has become one of the air fryer’s hero categories, and appetite for bolder, globally-inspired flavours keeps climbing. Ingham’s is meeting the moment with two new additions to the Crunchy Fixx range: Cajun Boneless and Cajun Wing Dings.

Bone-free coated chicken has become the format of choice for an air fryer generation that wants the crunch and the flavour without the fuss. Crunchy Fixx Cajun Boneless delivers exactly that: juicy 100% NZ chicken leg meat, the brand’s signature crunch, and Cajun seasoning calibrated for warmth rather than polarising heat. Twenty minutes from air fryer to table.

Cajun Wing Dings taps the parallel trend: snackification. Coated chicken nibbles have moved to a genuine all-day occasion: afterschool, weekend gaming, late-night couch. New Zealand retail freezers have been limited in options at this intersection of crunchy coated, bold flavour and snackable format, and Cajun Nibbles closes the gap.

Both will be line priced with the rest of the Crunchy Fixx range (RRP $16.50) and available from July 2026.

The launch of Crunchy Fixx Cajun builds on the biggest launch in the Frozen Chicken category in the last three years, with Ingham’s Crunchy Fixx delivering $14.3m in scan sales launching just over a year ago*.

ING0038 Cajun Fixx FMCG Press Ad 210x147mm.pdf 1 28/05/2026 9:30 AM

The launch is backed by Crunchy Fixx’s biggest activation programme to date. An above-the-line campaign including influencers

CAJ U N F

NEW ZEALAND’S FINEST

Let’s celebrate some of the amazing, medal-winning products from the Outstanding Food Producer Awards 2026.

Find out more about this year’s winners on www.outstandingfoodproducer.co.nz

Dairy done differently

Re is New Zealand’s first regenerative yoghurt. Founded by two New Zealand families — the Roberts and Buchanans — and built alongside a dedicated team who share the same belief: that good farming and good food are inseparable.

Made from single-source milk from Clareview Farm in Mid Canterbury, a 2025 Lincoln University study found that milk and yoghurt from Re’s regenerative system contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, making it more nutrient dense than conventionally farmed milk — with a more favourable antioxidant profile and a significantly lower greenhouse gas footprint, at comparable yield.

The yoghurt is made in small batches from simple ingredients, and tastes the way real dairy used to.

Third-party certified regenerative and proudly single-source, Re is better for the land and better for the people who eat it — and that’s not a marketing line, it’s what independent science is starting to confirm. Dairy done differently, from the soil up. For orders contact orders@alignfoods.co.nz

GoodBugs: a taste adventure

We keep it simple! Gold medalwinning, raw ferments made in the Waikato from local spray-free and organic produce.

No nasties, no shortcuts. Just real food, naturally alive with probiotics.

A simple way to add bold flavour, elevate every meal, and support a healthy gut.

Online: www.goodbugs.co.nz

Wholesale: https://www. upstock.app/wholesalers/ goodbugs

The Limery – 100% Pure NZ Lemon & Lime Juices

Crafted in Wairoa, our 100% Pure Lemon Juice and Lime Juice are fresh, natural, and never from concentrate – NO additives, preservatives, or added sugar. Gluten-free, Halal suitable, and packed in 100% recyclable packaging. Perfect for cocktails, cooking, and more.

www.thelimery.co.nz

Sales contact: mark@thelimery.co.nz

Silver for Pete’s Natural Mānuka Honey Ginger Beer

Pete’s Natural is a family-owned NZ soda brand crafting premium drinks with real fruit and no artificial ingredients. Made in a solar-powered Motueka factory, the range delivers bold flavours with a light sparkle. Their refined Mānuka Honey Ginger Beer offers a stronger, spicier profile and earned Silver at the 2026 Outstanding Food Producer Awards.

www.petesnatural.co.nz

Info@petesnatural.co.nz

The Flavorsmith – Jalapeno Salsa Verde

Great food deserves real ingredients. Our Jalapeno Salsa Verde is 100% natural, preservative-free, and bursting with fresh, fiery flavour. Transforms everyday meals — drizzle over tacos, burritos and nachos, brighten up seafood and grilled chicken, or add zing to salads, eggs and roasted vegetables. Grab yours online today. www.theflavorsmith.co.nz

Award-winning

mushroom products, grown by

us

Crafted in New Zealand, in Hunua, on the edge of the beautiful Hunua Ranges, using oyster mushrooms and lion’s mane we grow ourselves, our award-winning products are inspired by Filipino flavours and made to bring rich, natural umami to everyday cooking. From bold spreads to Forager’s Mushroom Salts, we focus on simple ingredients. Real flavour, and versatile products for modern food lovers. www.mushroommate.co.nz

Esperanza@mushroommate.co.nz

good business

Outstanding Food Producer Awards Champions revealed

guests at the OFPA Champions Party in Auckland in May. Awards Head Judge Peter Gordon said, “In choosing Monty & Sons Radiatori as the Leefield Station Supreme Champion, it all came down to something simple – how it tasted.”

Monty & Sons Radiatori was also Farro Earth Champion with the judges saying, ‘Holds shape perfectly and has a great bite which expands beautifully when cooked, it will hold lots of sauce. Love the mouthfeel and texture. We can taste the locally grown wheat.’

Founded by Monty and Jess Petrie, the South Wairarapa company was born from Monty’s disillusion with large-scale industrial farming. Motivated by a desire to provide honest food for their two sons and to ensure New Zealand consumers can access the country’s best produce, they launched an artisan pasta brand prioritising regenerative agriculture and soil health.

Their evolution is linked to the Wairarapa Grains Collective, a group of farmers from the region who proved ancient durum wheat thrived in Wairarapa’s hot, dry summers. After starting as a boutique operation supplying subscription boxes and refilleries, at the beginning of this year Monty & Sons ticked up a gear, supplying Moore Wilson’s, Farro and specialty retailers across Aotearoa. Their production process remains intentionally slow, using traditional bronze extruders to create a sauce-gripping pasta texture and airdrying the shapes for up to 24 hours.

Awards founders Kathie Sammons and Nicola McConnell made special thanks to partners whose support makes the Outstanding Food Producer Awards possible: Dish, Leefield Station, BYD Auto New Zealand, FMCG Business, Emerson’s, Farro, Coast, Label & Litho, Seafood New Zealand and NEFF.

- Leefield Station Supreme Champion

• Conscious Valley, Conscious Valley Lamb Shoulder RackEmerson’s Paddock Champion

• Dreamview Creamery, Natural Probiotic Yoghurt with Boysenberry Compote - Leefield Station Dairy Champion

• Southern Clams Littleneck Clams - Seafood New Zealand Seafood Champion

• Mons Flavours Golden Honey - Label & Litho Drink Champion

• Raglan Food Co, Vanilla Bean Coconut Yoghurt - Dairy-Free Champion

• Eat My Cake, Coconut Chocolate Brownie - Free-From Champion (Gluten-Free)

• Baron Hasselhoff’s Butter Boom, Burnt Butter & Cinnamon Chocolate Bar - Chocolate Bean-to-Bar Champion

• Mind Your Temper, Miso Lemon Hazelnut Bonbon - Chocolate Bonbon and Other Chocolate Champion

• Hōhepa Hawke’s Bay - BYD Auto New Zealand Sustainability Champion

• Barker’s of Geraldine, Raspberry & Lemonade SlushieFMCG Business New Product Champion

• Pauline’s Pasticceria, Savoury Tart Shell - Outstanding Boutique New Product Champion

• The Kutai Guy - Coast Favourite NZ Food Producer (by popular vote)

• Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market - Coast Favourite Farmers Market (by popular vote)

The full list of 2026 Champions and Medal Winners is at www.outstandingfoodproducer.co.nz

Monty and Jess Petrie, Outstanding Food Producer Awards Supreme Champion 2026 winners, with Head Judge Peter Gordon (L).

New Zealand chocolate makers unite

A collective of 14 New Zealand craft chocolate makers has joined forces to launch A Bar Apart, a new initiative designed to help consumers better understand what’s really in the chocolate they buy.

Bringing together independent bean-to-bar makers from Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Tauranga, Raglan, the Coromandel and the Wairarapa, the platform introduces a new transparency mark that will appear on packaging from participating producers from July.

The mark is intended to help consumers identify chocolate that is genuinely made from bean to bar in New Zealand, using transparently sourced cacao beans and small scale production methods.

The initiative has been led by chocolate expert Luke Owen Smith, who says many consumers still don’t realise how much of the chocolate market is dominated by a small number of global manufacturers.

“Most people assume there’s far more diversity in chocolate than there actually is,” says Owen Smith.

“Even products that appear premium or artisan are often made using industrial chocolate produced by a handful of large manufacturers. We wanted to create something that helps consumers better understand the difference.”

Unlike producers working with pre-made couverture chocolate, bean-to-bar makers produce chocolate from scratch, sourcing

cacao beans directly and managing the full production process themselves.

Owen Smith says what makes the initiative particularly significant is that independent makers, who would normally operate separately, have chosen to collaborate.

“These are businesses that would typically be competing for shelf space and customers, so the fact they’ve come together reflects a shared desire to build greater awareness around craft chocolate in New Zealand,” he says.

New Zealand’s bean-to-bar chocolate movement has steadily grown over the past 15 years, with local makers gaining international recognition for chocolate focused on flavour, provenance and transparency.

A Bar Apart aims to help consumers more easily identify those makers, while encouraging greater understanding of how chocolate is sourced and produced.

The launch came ahead of World Chocolate Day in July, with the collective showcasing participating makers through a public activation in Auckland.

Learn more at www.abarapart.co

14 Founding partners

Luke Owen Smith

Supermarkets become testing grounds for new recycling tech

New World and PAK’nSAVE supermarkets are starting a five-month trial of a new soft plastics compacting system that customers can use in-store, aimed at making recycling easier and reducing the workload on store teams.

The trial is being run in partnership with The Packaging Forum’s Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme and Manco Environmental.

The machine has been designed and built in New Zealand by Manco Environmental and is the first front-of-house soft plastics compactor of its kind globally.

The machines will be trialled at five stores across the country:

• New World Whangamatā

• New World Whitianga

• PAK’nSAVE Thames

• New World Birkenhead

• New World Matamata

Foodstuffs Sustainable Packaging Lead, Debra Goulding, says customers are committed to recycling soft plastics through New World and PAK’nSAVE stores, but the current bin and bag system can be tough to manage in stores with high return volumes, especially where back-of-store space is limited or stores are in remote areas.

“Customers love being able to recycle their soft plastics, and we want to keep offering that,” says Goulding.

“But it’s a very hands-on process behind the scenes. Teams can be emptying bins multiple times a day, sorting contamination, compacting plastic and organising collections.

“The new machines are designed for commercial use and can be used directly by customers in-store, while reducing the amount of handling required by the store’s team members.

“They can hold up to five times more plastic than standard soft plastic recycling bins and compact it into sealed liners ready for collection. That means fewer collections and less time spent managing it.

“Because it’s customer-facing, it also makes the recycling process clearer and easier to use, which should help reduce contamination.

“What makes this different is that it’s front-of-house and designed

Customers love being able to

for customers to use, rather than something tucked away out the back. That’s what makes it a first of its kind.”

Three Coromandel stores are part of the trial, reflecting the added pressure in that region.

“They collect high volumes, but they’re also off the beaten track, so transport costs add up quickly,” says Goulding.

“This trial will help us see whether this kind of setup can take some of that pressure off.

“There’s also interest from offshore. Programmes in places like Australia and the UK are watching closely to see how this performs with customers in a retail store.”

New World Whangamatā owner-operator, Ricky Bowen, says the trial is a practical step forward for stores.

“Our customers are really engaged with soft plastics recycling, and we see a lot coming back through the doors,” says Bowen.

“But managing it takes time, especially making sure it’s clean and ready to go. If we can make that simpler, it makes a real difference for the team and keeps the service going for customers.”

The machines are fully enclosed and designed specifically for soft plastics, giving customers a clear, dedicated place to recycle and helping reduce contamination compared to standard collection bins.

The five-month trial will assess whether customers use the machines correctly and whether they reduce the operational load on store teams.

“We’re testing whether this is a better way to do it,” says Goulding.

“If it works for customers and makes life easier for our teams, we’ll look at where to next.”

Local MP Scott Simpson tests the new machine

Ricky Bowen (NW Whangamata), Scott Simpson (local MP), Debra Goulding (Foodstuffs) and Kerry Stanley (NW Whitianga)

Packaging built for brand success

WML Paperboard delivers premium folding boxboard engineered to protect, perform, and build brand equity on shelf.

Packaging is doing more work than ever. It has to protect a product through the supply chain, perform on press, meet sustainability targets, and make an impression the moment a consumer picks it up. For brand owners, that’s a long list of demands to place on a single material. For converters and brand owners, it means the paperboard they specify has to be right every time.

The Formakote™ range, manufactured by WML Paperboard, is built around exactly that reality. As the only paperboard produced in the Australasia region, it occupies a unique position: a globally recognised premium product with the supply reliability of a local manufacturer. For Australian and New Zealand brand owners, that combination is increasingly hard to overlook.

Packaging is not a back-of-house decision. It is one of the most visible expressions of a brand’s identity, quality positioning, and values. A premium product needs premium packaging to provide brand consistency. Packaging that performs, presents beautifully, and holds up through the cold chain or the retail fixture tells a far more compelling story.

Formakote™ is engineered across a range of grades to serve that purpose across multiple sectors. From beverage, frozen food cartons and quick service restaurant trays to confectionery boxes and premium retail packaging, Formakote™ delivers consistent results where brands need it most. Converters specify it because it runs reliably, holds tight tolerances, and reduces the risk of variations.

“What Formakote™ ultimately delivers for brands is confidence, built on proven performance”

Brand owners choose it because the finished result reflects the quality of what is contained inside.

Of course, sustainability is part of that story too. Formakote™ is manufactured from 100% virgin fibre sourced from responsibly managed forests, is renewable and fully recyclable, and is backed by FSC certification and ISO accreditation. For brands navigating the tightening ESG expectations, it offers a packaging choice that supports environmental commitments without asking for a trade-off on performance or shelf appeal.

What Formakote™ ultimately delivers for brands is confidence, built on proven performance, and a product that has never stopped earning it.

Because packaging that builds brand equity is not an accident. It is the result of deliberate material choices made with the end consumer in mind.

Created for brands. Designed for success.

Powered by Formakote™.

For more information visit www.wmlpaperboard.com

Three legacies,

later, his grandson leads one of New Zealand’s most quietly significant FMCG distributors, a business stepping forward with a unified brand, a national network, and a Pacific reach few competitors can match.

Worthy is the parent brand for three businesses: Worthy Products, the North Island FMCG operation formerly known as VJ Trading; Dutch Rusk, a South Island FMCG distributor with nearly 50 years on the shelf; and Worthy Fashion, built on six decades of Pacific textile trade. Their 2025 unification brought together 62 staff, four warehouses, and more than 15 sales representatives, servicing over 3,000 customers and 75-plus brands across New Zealand, Australia, and 17 Pacific nations.

The proposition is simple, but not small: do the basics exceptionally well, then add more.

In the portfolio, that means everyday staples alongside momentum brands such as H2Coco, which sold 600,000 units in its first six months, and Ferrarelle, Italy’s naturally sparkling mineral water and official partner of America’s Cup champions Emirates Team New Zealand.

We come from a world where brands are felt, not just shipped.” Worthy CEO Jainesh Patel

In operations, it means one of the fastest visit cycles in the industry: two weeks versus the usual four, alongside 24-hour Auckland turnaround through a company-owned fleet. In relationships, it means clear communication, fair and fast pricing decisions, and consistent service from the largest chain to the smallest dairy, backed by merchandising and in-store brand building many distributors leave to someone else.

“Most distributors move pallets. We build momentum,” says CEO Jainesh Patel. “A product doesn’t win because it arrives on the shelf. It wins when retailers believe in it, shoppers notice it, and the story travels faster than the carton. Speed, signal, relationships, story: that is what suppliers actually need. We come from a world where brands are felt, not just shipped, and that instinct now drives every part of our FMCG operation.”

That instinct extends across borders. With dedicated representatives covering Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tahiti, and New Caledonia, Worthy is one of the few distributors with genuine on-theground Pacific presence, a region many suppliers want to enter, but few can navigate.

In 2026, Worthy is building the next version of itself: bringing better brands to New Zealand retailers, deepening Pacific reach, and raising the standard behind every delivery, visit, and customer conversation. Worthy isn’t just open for business. It’s building a better way to serve the market.

Contact: info@worthy.nz | www.worthy.nz

The Worthy team

The Worthy office

leadership Leadership Superpowers

, a former senior executive at Johnson & Johnson and Kearney and host of the #2 globally-ranked workplace mental health podcast. He helps busy leaders build teams that deliver results without burning out. Find out more at https://graemecowan.com.au/

In my work with leadership teams and corporate clients, I’ve asked thousands of managers and team members (via an anonymous live survey) to think of a great team they’ve been part of and identify what made it different. In these anonymous surveys, in nine out of ten cases, the top three factors are ‘we cared about each other’, ‘we had each other’s back’, and ‘we encouraged each other’.

This reinforces the importance of feeling like we belong, which is a fundamental need of all humans. These qualities also mirror what Harvard Business School’s Amy Edmondson calls ‘psychological safety’ - when team members feel they can be their authentic selves, suggest new ideas without fear, and challenge ideas they disagree with. Indeed, Google’s Project Aristotle found that psychological safety was by far the most important factor in their best teams. Some leaders call skills such as empathy, respect and compassion ‘soft skills’, but in today’s workplace we need a better term. As leadership author, consultant and former Silicon Valley executive Minette Norman argues, ‘Call them strong skills, brave skills, or leadership superpowers’.

Norman’s work highlights the courage and strength required to exercise these skills in the workplace. They are essential for leaders who want to create environments where employees feel valued, included and enabled. Treating your people well brings immense benefits in employee engagement, discretionary effort and productivity. Another factor influencing leaders across the world are workplace health and safety (WHS) laws.

In Australia, for example, laws that came into effect in 2022 created genuine risk for leaders and managers who ignore workplace stress —criminal liability and personal fines aren’t theoretical

ISO 45003 advocates the same urgency for building mentally healthy work cultures and reducing harmful risks.

But these laws also create significant opportunity. Managers who understand harmful work stress (psychosocial risks) and take reasonable action aren’t just protecting themselves legally. They’re also building stronger, more loyal teams. Research from Gartner, Gallup and Harvard Business Review shows that psychologically safe workplaces have 76% higher engagement, 50% more productivity and 74% less stress. The managers getting ahead of this aren’t spending more time on compliance — they’re spending their time differently, having better conversations and getting better results.

The solution: A great leader’s care mindset

What if you could stay fresh, focused and flexible? Imagine if you knew practical things to do each day that boosted your energy and your team’s. What if leadership could be a desirable, fulfilling role rather than a burnout sentence?

The most effective leadership strategy isn’t rescuing people from crisis —it’s preventing crisis in the first place. Think of it like this: it’s much easier to maintain good health than to recover from a heart attack. It’s important you keep your team (and yourself) in what I call the ‘green zone’ — that space where people feel energetic, optimistic and resourceful. The alternative is the ‘red zone’, where people feel angry, depressed and ashamed. The three pillars of prevention, early intervention and performance are:

1. Self-care: Building your own resilience so you can lead from strength rather than desperation. When you’re running on empty, you have nothing to give your team.

2. Crew care: Creating belonging, and safe, resilient groups. This isn’t about being soft; it’s about building the foundations for high performance.

3. Red-zone care: Knowing how to identify and support struggling team members effectively, without burning out yourself or becoming their therapist.

These pillars are all critical, and interconnected. Together, they increase resilience and growth and reduce risk, building sustainable success. Organisations with strong management pipelines have higher retention, better performance and healthier cultures. Employees who feel supported are twice as likely to work in sustainable environments and experience fewer conflicts.

Edited extract from Great Leaders Care (Wiley $34.95) by Graeme Cowan

Shared challenges: Insights from FGA 2026

It was fantastic to attend Food Grocery Australia ‘FGA’ as a guest of the Australian Food & Grocery Council. The experience highlighted the challenges we share and underlined some industry issues that are unique to our long, stringy country of five million.

The conversations in Australia were candid, and many of the sessions explored the impact of the global dynamics, including the disruption in the Middle East, on the industry. The experience here is much the same - rising input costs, fuel volatility, continued uncertainty, and difficulty passing on costs mean the operating environment remains intensely challenging.

While both markets have seen Chemist Warehouse and Costco enter and successfully build their businesses in food and grocery, learning more about the impact of Amazon and Bunnings and which categories they are taking market share from established retailers in the Australian market was very interesting.

There was frequent mention of the impact and opportunities arising from AI to GPL-1s, and the need for certainty of energy supply to retain manufacturing onshore. In the people space, it was wonderful to hear from several incredible speakers. The benefits of maintaining a growth mindset, building trust, and communicating effectively were resounding messages.

We share a regulated food system with Australia, and with FSANZ opening initial consultation on the potential mandating of Health Star Ratings, we’ll be working on our submissions on both sides of the Tasman.

In New Zealand, a Private Members’ Bill proposing a Container Return Scheme has recently entered the biscuit tin ballot, while in Australia Container Return Schemes are well established in most states. GS1 Australia took the opportunity FGA offered to showcase the progress and potential of digital labelling through Smart Facts, while here we are keen to hear further detail on the government’s trial that would allow some imported food products to forgo on-pack labelling in favour of information being provided digitally at shelf.

Australia has had a Grocery Code in place since 2015, but it only shifted to a mandatory, enforcement-backed regime last year. New Zealand’s revised Code came into force on 1 May.

Against this backdrop, the updated Code represents both reassurance and complexity. On the one hand, it strengthens protections and clarifies expectations in key areas of supplier–retailer relationships. On the other, it introduces

changes that require careful attention – some provisions lead to “you could” but “should you”?

Importantly, the new protections apply immediately, regardless of existing arrangements. While retailers have a limited one-month period to offer code-compliant agreements, suppliers are not bound by a deadline to accept revised agreements.

What we are now seeing is the practical reality of implementation. The detail of individual grocery supply agreements is coming into sharper focus, and it’s here that many of the real-world questions are emerging. How are provisions around funded promotions being interpreted? What does good practice look like when it comes to handling wastage or business activity payments? How should record-keeping obligations be approached in a way that is both compliant and workable?

The answers will differ across businesses and relationships, which is why awareness and capability are so critical. Over the past year, there has been a concerted effort to equip suppliers with the tools they need to navigate this environment. NZFGC training uptake has been strong, reflecting a clear recognition that understanding the Code is essential. In addition, the NZFGC has put in place a dedicated, member-only support package to help suppliers work through the details of the Code in practice. This includes access to tailored guidance, expert legal and commercial insights offer to support the review of grocery supply agreements and day-to-day decision making.

The coming months are important as the new Code beds in, and its practical implications become clearer. The NZFGC is here to support suppliers - please get in touch with the team.

Bernie Brookes AFGC chair, Raewyn Bleakley NZFGC CE, Colm Maguire AFGC CE, and Mike Cullerne NZFGC chair.

legal advice

Does war offshore trigger force majeure?

Chloe Wilson Senior Associate

Steindle Williams Legal Limited

www.swlegal.co.nz

Overseas conflict is placing pressure on New Zealand businesses, which may be feeling the effects through reduced fuel availability, shipping disruption, freight delays and sudden increases in cost.

The commercial impact can be immediate. Delayed stock may mean missed promotional windows, empty shelves, substitute sourcing, higher costs and potential exposure to delivery penalties.

But does an overseas conflict allow local businesses to delay delivery, increase prices, substitute products or avoid liability to customers?

What does the contract say?

The answer will usually depend on the contract.

A business is not automatically excused from performance because goods are harder to source, freight has become more expensive, or a transaction is less profitable. Unless the contract provides otherwise, the parties generally remain bound by their agreed obligations.

• An importer may still be required to deliver stock to a supermarket even if freight costs have doubled.

• A manufacturer may still need to supply finished goods despite delays in ingredients or packaging.

• A distributor may remain subject to delivery obligations even where fuel costs have risen sharply.

Commercial inconvenience alone is rarely enough. The contract must be looked at to determine how risk is allocated when such disruption occurs.

Force Majeure clauses

Many supply agreements include a Force Majeure clause. These clauses address extraordinary events outside a party’s control, such as war, terrorism, natural disasters, pandemics and government restrictions.

However, the clause will only assist if the event falls within its wording and affects performance in the way that is expressly required.

A reference to “war” may not be sufficient if the conflict has simply made performance more expensive or difficult. The party relying on the clause will usually need to show a direct connection between the event and its inability, delay or material difficulty in performing the relevant obligation.

“Prevents”, “Hinders” or “Delays”

The specific wording matters.

“Prevents” is narrow and generally requires performance to be impossible.

• “Hinders” is broader and may extend to serious interference with performance.

• “Delays” may apply where performance remains possible but cannot be completed within the agreed timeframe.

If shipping lines reroute vessels, adding two weeks to transit time, a clause triggered only when performance is “prevented” may not apply. If the clause refers to performance being “prevented, hindered or delayed”, the affected party may have a stronger argument, particularly if timing is critical.

Higher costs and certain requirements

A steep increase in freight, fuel or insurance costs does not usually entitle a supplier to raise previously agreed prices unless the contract contains a price adjustment provision or if there is industry-specific legislation permitting relief.

A party seeking to rely on Force Majeure must also comply with any notice and mitigation requirements, including providing prompt written notice and taking reasonable steps to reduce the impact.

If there is no clause

Where no appropriate clause exists, a party may consider whether the contract has been “frustrated”. The legal threshold for frustration is high. Performance must be impossible or radically different from what was originally agreed, not merely slower or more expensive.

What to do now

Businesses should review and familiarise themselves with their contracts. The issue is rarely the existence of overseas conflict alone. The outcome will depend on the specific contractual wording, the obligation affected, and the actual cause of the disruption.

If these issues affect your arrangements, now is an appropriate time to review the relevant terms and consider whether your contracts provide adequate protection and flexibility. The team at Steindle Williams can assist with contract reviews and practical advice on managing risks.

NZ–India FTA: Opportunity awaits

Having just returned from Delhi for the signing of the New Zealand–India Free Trade Agreement, one thing is abundantly clear: this agreement matters enormously for New Zealand businesses, exporters, and our long-term economic future.

There was genuine warmth and optimism on the ground in India about the future of the relationship. New Zealand businesses were strongly represented, and there was a clear sense that both countries understand the scale of the opportunity ahead.

BusinessNZ was proud to support the Back the India Free Trade Deal campaign alongside more than 100 organisations from across the economy. That broad support reflected something important: this is not a niche agreement benefiting only a handful of sectors. It is a strategically significant deal that will create opportunities across food and beverage, manufacturing, technology, services, education, logistics, and the wider export economy.

For FMCG exporters in particular, the agreement opens doors into one of the fastest-growing consumer markets in the world. India’s expanding middle class is increasingly looking for premium, safe, high-quality products — areas where New Zealand businesses have a strong reputation and competitive advantage.

As the legislation moves through Parliament, exporters will rightly be watching carefully. While the core agreement has been negotiated and signed, ratification timing now becomes critically important.

One of the most commercially significant aspects of the agreement is the Most Favoured Nation provision applying to areas including wine and services exports. In practical terms, this means New Zealand can automatically benefit from improved access India grants to future trading partners — but only if our agreement enters into force first.

That creates urgency.

The European Union, United States and others are all pursuing deeper trade relationships with India. Australia already has an agreement in place and is negotiating further improvements. Around the world, countries are positioning themselves for greater access to what is expected to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2030.

Trade agreements are never just about tariffs. They are about relationships, supply chains, investment confidence, distribution networks and long-term commercial positioning. Businesses that establish themselves early in growing markets often secure advantages that last decades.

That is why speed matters.

The commercial gains are substantial.

The agreement includes tariff elimination or reduction on 95% of New Zealand exports. From day one, almost 57% of exports will receive dutyfree access, rising to 82% over time, with the balance subject to significant tariff reductions.

For food and beverage exporters, those changes are meaningful.

Tariffs on sheep meat and wool will be eliminated immediately, alongside many forestry and industrial products. Other products including wine, mānuka honey, apples, kiwifruit, cherries, blueberries, seafood, infant formula and dairy-based preparations will see significant reductions phased in over time.

Katherine Rich Chief Executive, BusinessNZ www.businessnz.org.nz

There are also important gains for ingredients and value-added food products entering Indian supply chains for re-export, creating opportunities for New Zealand businesses to participate more deeply in India’s growing manufacturing and foodprocessing sectors.

From a BusinessNZ perspective, this agreement is also important because it diversifies New Zealand’s trade exposure at a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty and global supply chain disruption. Successful small trading nations cannot afford to stand still. We need to continue building trusted relationships with economies that are growing, outward-looking and increasingly influential.

India represents exactly that opportunity.

New Zealand businesses have long demonstrated they can compete successfully on quality, innovation, sustainability and trust. This agreement gives many more businesses the platform to do so in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.

Make no mistake: this is a significant moment for New Zealand’s export economy. The opportunity is real, the timing matters, and the long-term benefits could be considerable for FMCG businesses prepared to engage early and build enduring commercial relationships in India.

Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Investment Todd McClay, sign the Free Trade Agreement in New Delhi.

Impulse Retailing The ecosystem powering modern Petrol and Convenience

As Petrol and Convenience retailers face increasing pressure to improve operational efficiency, maximise margin visibility and respond faster to customer behaviour, technology is becoming one of the sector’s biggest competitive advantages.

For operators across Australia and New Zealand, Impulse Retailing has become a trusted technology partner, delivering a fully integrated, cloud-native ecosystem purpose-built for the demands of modern fuel and convenience retailing.

Rather than relying on disconnected systems patched together over time, Impulse Retailing provides a single platform that connects the forecourt, the shop floor, inventory management, business management, and live analytics across an entire network.

At the centre of the ecosystem is Impulse Touch — the company’s powerful POS and forecourt management engine. Designed specifically for high-volume P&C environments, Impulse Touch combines fast transaction processing with integrated forecourt control, EFTPOS, promotions and loyalty functionality in one seamless interface.

real-world usability through Impulse PDA — an offline-first progressive web application designed specifically for busy retail environments where connectivity cannot always be guaranteed.

For operators, this means fewer system complexities and greater visibility across every transaction. Promotions can be managed centrally, loyalty programs integrated directly into the customer experience, and pricing updates rolled out consistently across networks in real time.

Supporting the front-end retail environment is the cloud-native Impulse Back Office platform, which gives operators complete oversight of stock, pricing, suppliers and customer accounts from any browserbased device. Whether managing a single independent site or a large multi-site operation, retailers can access live operational data remotely, improving responsiveness and reducing administrative burden.

The connected nature of the platform allows businesses to move beyond reactive management and make more informed commercial decisions across every aspect of the operation.

Driving the next generation of retail intelligence is Impulse Intelligence, the company’s live analytics and AI platform. Built to give operators immediate access to actionable information, Impulse Intelligence transforms network-wide data into real-time business insight.

Using conversational AI, retailers can simply ask questions in plain English and receive instant answers about fuel margins, basket performance, promotion effectiveness, tank levels, stock movement or customer trends. The platform also provides advanced visibility into fraud detection, FIFO compliance and fuel tank monitoring, helping operators identify risks and opportunities faster than traditional reporting systems allow.

Impulse Retailing has also focused heavily on mobility and

Impulse PDA allows teams to continue working even when wi-fi drops out, supporting critical operational tasks including stock counts, goods receipting, shelf labels and ordering. For sites managing fast-moving inventory and lean staffing models, the ability to maintain workflow continuity without relying on constant connectivity is a significant operational advantage.

Importantly, Impulse Retailing is proving its capability at enterprise scale, currently rolling out across more than 500 sites under a major network deployment while continuing to support independent operators and growing regional groups with the same enterprisegrade tools and local support model.

That scalability reflects the company’s broader philosophy: whether a customer operates one site or five hundred, they gain access to the same connected ecosystem, live intelligence and partnership-first approach.

As the P&C sector continues to evolve, retailers are looking for more than software vendors, they are seeking long-term technology partners that can help future-proof operations, unlock data-driven decision making and improve customer experience across every touchpoint.

With an integrated ecosystem spanning POS, back office, mobility and AI-powered analytics, Impulse Retailing is helping define what the next generation of fuel and convenience retailing looks like across Australasia.

Contact Impulse Retailing: Email: sales@impulseretailing.com

Phone: 0508 467 857 www.impulseretailing.com

Driving the next generation of retail intelligence is Impulse Intelligence, the company’s live analytics and AI platform.

C&I NZ EXPO HIGHLIGHTS

The C&I Expo NZ Expo returned to the Due Drop Events Centre in Auckland in May, bringing together attendees and exhibitors from all over New Zealand and Australia.

Convenience retailers and suppliers from all groups and brands enjoyed two days of product discovery, networking, business building, and industry leaders sharing valuable insights at the symposium.

Some of the big trends spotted at Expo included “better-for-you”

Lewis Road Ice Cream, Loaf, Cookie Time and Kapiti served up indulgent treats and there were plenty more exciting novelties to see and sample from over 70 exhibitors.

Almost 1000 people attended the expo and symposium over both days, with interest in 2028 running very high after such a successful event.

If you’ve missed out – check out more highlights and interviews from the event on our website and FMCG Business social channels and be sure to join us for the next expo in 2028!

Safa de Valois (C&I Media) with Marissa Jenkins and Tom Lysaght from CCEP Bridgit Hannigan and Eclypse Lee (FMCG Business)

Luke Metcalfe, Ethan Smith, Luke Thomas from Picky

C&I Expo organisers Rosie de Valois and Shaughan Woodcock (L)

Charlie Harding and Jarrod Wynn from The Gummy Co

Henry Morrow from Ārepa

The Cookie Time team

Expo was super busy on both days

Attendees enjoyed networking drinks after Expo

Tracey Brown, Matt Armstrong and Paul Bartelink from Loaf

GWF shared delicious samples and pies

Arnotts introduced a new Tim Tam snack pack

Expo was a great place for networking and product discovery

C&I Expo organiser Safa de Valois (centre) joined attendees for networking drinks

convenience & petrol

Petrol & Convenience experts, who shared valuable industry insights and smarter ways to run businesses.

Attendees networked over light refreshments, then enjoyed a warm welcome from C&I Expo organiser Safa de Valois and NZACS Executive Director Dave Hooker.

The Symposium offered State of the Industry reports, category insights, product trends, and handy tips from industry leaders in New Zealand and Australia.

The first day of the Symposium featured Lance Dobson (NIQ NZ), Cameron Frith (GS1 NZ), and Theo Foukkare (AACS).

The top ten categories in the channel driving the most growth in New Zealand currently include Tobacco and Vapes, Coffee, Sports & Energy Beverages, and Confectionery, according to NIQ.

Cameron Frith, General Manager of GS1 NZ, discussed the importance of Next Generation Barcodes that will enable retailers to extract more information about products to assist with out-of-date stock as well.

Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), shared insights from the Australian State of the Industry Report and key global trends retailers are adopting to win.

Speakers on day two included Kerin Dickey (Bluebird Foods), Michael Brick (Meris Food Equipment), Angela Gunn (Nayax), and Matt Dodson (Patties Foods).

Big emerging industry trends were discussed, plus smarter sites, payment, fuel and forecourt innovations, and Foodvenience – why it’s important to grow your store’s food-to-go offer.

Following the Symposium, attendees enjoyed more networking and explored the C&I NZ Expo.

For more info visit www.candiexpo.co.nz

Symposium speakers (L to R) Theo Foukkare (AACS); Lance Dobson (NIQ); Safa de Valois (C&I); Cameron Frith (GS1); Dave Hooker (NZACS)

Day Two speakers: Dave Hooker (NZACS), Matt Dodson (Patties Foods), Michael Brick (Meris Food Equipment) and Kerin Dickey (Bluebird Foods)

Lance Dobson (NIQ)

Dave Hooker (NZACS)

Locals serving locals sweep FreshChoice Awards

The full list of winners Award Winner

Meat Department of the Year FreshChoice Merivale

Bakery Department of the Year FreshChoice Te Awamutu

Produce Department of the Year FreshChoice Merivale

Delicatessen Department of the Year

Ready to Eat Department of the Year

FreshChoice Merivale

FreshChoice Te Awamutu

Grocery Department of the Year FreshChoice Barrington

Dairy and Freezer Department of the Year FreshChoice Barrington

Liquor Department of the Year FreshChoice City Market

E-Commerce Store of the Year

FreshChoice Epsom

Local Community Award FreshChoice Picton

Customer Service Award

Social Media Award

FreshChoice Team Member

FreshChoice Mangere Bridge

FreshChoice Te Awamutu

Recognition Award  Chloe Simmonds

Perishable Dairy Supplier of the Year Lactalis

Frozen Supplier of the Year Tip Top

Liquor Supplier of the Year Lion NZ

Fresh Foods Supplier of the Year MG Group

Bakery Supplier of the Year Yarrows the Bakers

Grocery Supplier of the Year Bluebird Foods NZ

Non-Foods Supplier of the Year Diplomat

Product Launch of the Year Banana Caramel Chocolate

Block 250g Whittaker’s

Account Manager of the Year Nicolas Arroyo

Franchisee Supplier Support Award Twin Agencies

Support Services Supplier of the Year

We’re Open

Small Supplier of the Year Baker Boys

FreshChoice Supplier of the Year Bluebird Foods NZ

Retail Manager of the Year Hamish Robinson

Store of the Year – Small FreshChoice Lake Hawea

Store of the Year – Medium FreshChoice Tinwald

Store of the Year – Large FreshChoice Merivale

From Lake Hāwea to Te Awamutu, locals serving locals were highlighted in this year’s annual FreshChoice Awards.

FreshChoice Lake Hāwea owner-operators Matt and Dixie Gallaher worked hard to understand how best to support their community when the store opened in October 2024, and its role in championing regional producers has helped its success, winning 2026 Small Store of the Year.

“We’ve really focused on how best to serve and support this incredible community, including bringing more local suppliers into our aisles. We proudly stock local products that our community loves,” says Matt.

The annual FreshChoice Awards are held to recognise the dedicated work of FreshChoice stores and their supplier partners. This year, FreshChoice Merivale won the title of the FreshChoice Large Store of the Year for the second year running, along with Meat, Produce, and Deli Department of the year, respectively.

The store, owned and operated by Craig Grant, was recognised for its status as a lively local destination, offering outstanding quality and selection, a highly curated selection of products, along with its awardwinning florist and famous espresso bar.

FreshChoice Medium Store of the Year went to Tinwald, with owners Paul and Gaylene Thompson offering the Mid-Canterbury community a 30% larger trading space and an expanded selection of more than 2,500 new product lines when it opened last year.

Active community involvement

Supported by their daughter, Tessa, the family is deeply embedded in the local community and champions the ‘locals serving locals’ philosophy, through their active involvement with local schools, sports clubs, and Rotary associations.

Other notable award-winning stores include FreshChoice Te Awamutu,

FreshChoice Lake Hāwea owners Matt and Dixie Gallaher with FreshChoice Executive General Manager Tim Cartwright

which won Bakery Department of the Year, Ready to Eat Department of the Year and the Social Media Award, and FreshChoice Barrington, which won Grocery Department of the Year and Dairy and Freezer Department of the Year.

Vital partnerships with suppliers

FreshChoice Executive General Manager, Tim Cartwright says the awards highlight the exceptional commitment from owner-operators to understand and serve their communities and the vital partnerships they have with suppliers.

“All over the country, our FreshChoice stores and their owneroperators are integral to the life of the communities they live in, and serve. They deeply understand their customer base and reflect this in their local offering.

“Not only that, but their support for local suppliers and community groups and events is testament to their dedication. We are thrilled to recognise and celebrate their incredible contributions, and the positive impact they make within their communities.”

Turning everyday shopping into local support

Northland shoppers can now decide where thousands of dollars in local community funding goes each month, thanks to a new initiative being trialled at two Four Square stores.

Kicking off in Russell and Coopers Beach, the trial, called Here 4 Community, turns a regular shop into the chance to back local charities and community groups.

With each Four Square contributing between $2,000 to $2,500 every month to a local cause, customers can have a say in which matters most to them.

How it works

For every $50 spent, customers receive a token to place in the display slot of one of three nominated community groups, giving them direct say in where the funding goes in their community.

At the end of each month, the group with the most tokens will receive the donation amount from their local Four Square store

The groups are changed each month so that a variety of community groups have the chance to receive funding

The initiative comes at a time when many New Zealanders are feeling stretched by the cost of living but still want to give back. By making it easy to contribute without any extra spending, Here 4 Community ensures local support continues to go where it’s needed most.

Four Square Russell owner, Glenn Wells says: “This is our way of giving back, but we put the choice of who to support in the hands of our customers. Customers don’t have to do anything extra; they can just shop as normal and choose where their token goes.”

The store’s first three community partners – Russell School, Te Kura o Waikare and the Russell Fire Brigade –came together at Four Square Russell to connect and share what the initiative means to them.

For Ange Maioha, of Russell Fire Brigade, it’s all about supporting their young people. “We started a handson cadet programme for local teens to give them an early pathway into the brigade. A lot of them have told us they joined because they want to help their community and learn these skills early.

“Community support helps us create more opportunities for the cadets. It allows us to get them out and about, take them on trips, and run more activities.”

Alysse, a regular customer at the store says she loves being a part of the decision. “My son has just started at Russell Primary School, so when I come and do my shop here, I can pop a token in and support his adventures.”

Four Square Coopers Beach has also selected its first three community partners, Donna Doolittle’s Animal Rescue, Mangonui Volunteer Fire Brigade, and Mangonui Community Patrol.

The Here 4Community initiative forms part of Four Square’s wider commitment to backing local communities, particularly through winter when many charities face increased demand for support.

Small actions at a local level can make a real difference, and Four Square hopes the initiative will inspire customers to continue backing the people and organisations that keep their communities going.

Glenn and Sarah Wells (Four Square Russell owner operators), Ange Maioha (Russell Fire Brigade volunteer), Doreen Bailey (Principal of Russell School), Will Heta (representing Waikare).

FreshChoice Tinwald owners Paul and Gaylene Thompson with FreshChoice Executive General Manager Tim Cartwright

Out & About

The House of Fine Foods team celebrated 30 years in business.

At the Food Tech World Cup in Switzerland, Ārepa won the Asia Pacific Award and was selected as one of six world finalists out of over 160+ entrants.

NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong witnessed the signing of a new agreement to protect fuel supply for New Zealand.

Event organisers Kathie Bartley and Nicola McConnell with head judge Peter Gordon at the Outstanding Food Producers Awards judging.

PAK’nSAVE Napier owner operator Sonya Hasselman and Max Richards (88 years old), the oldest employee across PAK’nSAVE and New World stores nationwide.

Has your team moved to new premises, or been part of a fun event, great harvest, or promotional activity? Send us your favourite snapshots to win two weekend passes to the Chocolate & Coffee Festival in Auckland on 26-27 September 2026 (worth $72). Visit https://chocolatecoffeefestival.nz/ for all the event details.

Just email your high res image with a caption to trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz

Cheesemaker Miel Meyer (R) received several new awards for Meyer Cheese, including a Champion Trophy, at the NZ Cheese Awards 2026.

Farrah’s General Manager Mike Murray hosted Raewyn Bleakely and Holly Cotter from the NZ FGC.

CEO Jesse Newson and Chairman Tony Kerridge were delighted to share that ABE’S Bagels has been acquired by George Weston Foods NZ Limited.

Woolworths NZ Director of Property Matthew Grainger and the team at Woolworths Bureta Park, after a ‘round up’ for disaster relief raised $116,000 for the Red Cross.