The Philippines is ramping up efforts to bring more locally made products into New Zealand’s mainstream supermarket aisles, as demand for Asian food and flavors continues to broaden beyond migrant communities.
The Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Sydney (PTIC-Sydney), headed by Commercial Consul Emman Ang, met with Emart Co. Ltd. National Sales Manager Gareth Preston and General Manager Peter Park on January 15 to discuss expanding the distribution of Philippine goods across New Zealand.
“In New Zealand, Emart Co. Ltd. is exploring the possibility of bringing more Filipino products into mainstream retail,” Ang said in an email, noting that several major chains—including Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi—already stock Philippine-made items.
According to PTIC-Sydney, Filipino products are increasingly finding acceptance among non-Filipino consumers, particularly in categories with mass appeal.
“The biggest Philippine product categories sold in mainstream outlets are snacks and condiments,” Ang said, pointing to strong crossover demand driven by curiosity for Asian flavors and convenience foods.
The push comes as the Filipino community in New Zealand continues to grow, providing a built-in consumer base while also helping introduce Philippine brands to a wider audience.
PTIC-Sydney, the Department of Trade and Industry’s trade and investment arm for Australia and New Zealand, said it is leveraging this momentum to help exporters secure shelf space and distribution partnerships.
Founded in 1994, Emart Co. Ltd. is a New Zealand-based business-to-business importer and distributor supplying major supermarket chains nationwide. The company positions itself as a multicultural food specialist, saying its mission is to operate sustainably while offering a broad product range to diverse consumers.
For Philippine exporters, deeper ties with distributors like Emart could open the door to sustained growth in New Zealand’s competitive retail market—moving Filipino products from niche ethnic shelves into everyday grocery baskets.
