Grocers reveal the hottest items on Kiwi shopping lists this Christmas

Team Four Square Wainui Road, from left, Suzanne Butler (checkout manager), Ania Beguszewska (grocery assistant), Kahn Grayson (butcher), Brie Mills (deli assistant), Shy Hura (grocery assistant), Maggie Lockett (grocery manager), Nong Campbell (bakery manager), Sam Wanklyn (owner/operator), and Jacob Riley (grocery superstar).Picture by Liam Clayton

Supermarket staff have been flat out in the lead-up to the silly season with out-of-town holiday makers and concertgoers adding a lot of extra feet to the usual store traffic.

And getting ready for the onslaught takes careful planning. Managers need to anticipate extra staffing requirements and what products will be in highest demand so they can plan rosters and get orders to suppliers early. 

Four Square Wainui Road owner and manager Sam Wanklyn said, “Our team starts to plan for the holidays around October time,”

That involves roster planning for their 35 staff and deciding what and how much stock to order. Items like water, camping essentials and food for entertaining such as cheese and crackers are always high on the list.

“Our store does tend to get a lot busier over the holiday season, about 30 percent busier than other times of the year,” Sam said.

A spokesperson for Woolworths/Countdown New Zealand said Christmas Eve  was their busiest trading day of the year.  The store’s  own-fruit mince pie were always a hit with over 3 million pies expected to be sold across Aotearoa by the end of the season.  Custard also sees an increase in sales during the Christmas week.

“Eight times the amount of custard is sold during the lead-up to Christmas, 25 percent more eggs are sold, and 50 percent more confectionery than any average week.

“Lamb legs are a really popular choice for the Kiwi barbecue. We normally sell around 200 tonnes of lamb legs over the holidays and this year we’ve seen demand skyrocket due to really strong pricing,” a Woolworths NZ spokesperson.

Down the road at Gisborne Pak’nSave, “pavlovas, cream and custard are always big sellers before Christmas,” owner and operator Brookes Stewart said. 

“This week it will be fizzy drink, dips and chips.”

He thanked customers for their patience and good spirits in getting through the checkout during this busy time.

As well as meat products, the demand for pet products, especially treat foods, sees sales rise by around 20 percent as Kiwis pop a little something under the Christmas tree for their furry friends.

Mr Wanklyn said Gisborne is one of the last stops for travellers as they set off to make their way around the cape,  and Four Square Wainui is often where they stock up.

“Many people who hail from here come home for the holidays to spend time with friends and whānau and then there’s the festival-goers who come our way as well,” he said.

“After a few years of challenges due to Covid supply disruption and some devastating weather events, things are feeling really good this year.

“We have great supply, especially in fresh food, fruit and vegetables, meats and cheeses and our team are all in the spirit, enjoying playing our part in making sure everyone has a great time over the holidays,” Mr Wanklyn said.