New Zealand brands have a real opportunity to broaden the way shoppers think about cooking oil.
Although traditionally, the category was split between inexpensive everyday oils and more premium options, there is now plenty of room in the middle for a locally grown oil that offers quality, a strong nutritional profile, and genuine everyday value.
JP Etheridge, second-generation family owner of The Olive Lady, said consumers have been seeking provenance and transparency, driving a shift from cheap, highly processed seed oils back to extra virgin olive oil for daily use.
When clear value is offered, shoppers trade up to higher-grade oils for better health and flavour. They have also been influenced primarily by transparency, nutrient density, and culinary versatility when choosing oil.
Similarly, Andy O’Malley-Mora, Marketing & Brand Manager at The Good Oil, has seen rising consumer interest in local provenance, traceability, and a straightforward production process, which have become more important alongside the usual considerations of quality and price.
The Good Oil has focused on those things for more than a decade, working directly with local growers, choosing high-oleic varieties for its nutritional and cooking qualities, and cold-pressing locally, so in many ways the market has moved closer to where the company has always been.
Read more from major New Zealand brands in the latest issue here
