Whangārei blogger Mumma's Kitchen host Kirsten Holtz says her recent visit to Europe was a wake-up call. Photo / supplied
After five years of teaching Kiwis how to cook nutritious, budget-friendly food, Whangārei vlogger Kirsten Holtz is shifting gears – vowing to confront New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly head-on.
Holtz, host of the popular Mumma’s Kitchen platform with more than 120,000 followers, has become a trusted voice for families trying to make ends meet.
Her journey began during the 2020 lockdown, when she and her daughter filmed a tutorial-style video of Holtz bottling homegrown peaches and posted it to their memorial Facebook page for her son Eli.
The response to the homely advice was immediate and positive, marking the start of Mumma’s Kitchen.
But after a recent trip to Europe, Holtz says her mission in the new year will be about more than budget tips – it will be about lobbying for systemic change.
“We saw New Zealand lamb selling in Dublin for €7 - that’s about $14. Back home we’re paying $50. How does that work?” she said.
While visiting stores across Europe, Holtz shared real time price comparisons with her online followers: fresh chicken in Europe for €4 (about $8), compared to $12–$15 for a frozen one in New Zealand; half a side of fresh salmon for €10 - roughly $20 instead of $60 at home; a ball of mozzarella for about €1, and mince for the equivalent of $5.14 per kg, Holtz said.
“It was a wake-up call,” she said. “Not just the cost, but the choices. We’re being short-changed.”
According to official sources, the surge in New Zealand’s food prices during the past five years has been driven by global supply chain disruptions, post Covid-19 pandemic inflation, increased export demand, and higher production costs – particularly for dairy and meat.
However, critics argue that New Zealand’s entrenched supermarket duopoly also plays a significant role, limiting competition and keeping prices elevated.
The Commerce Commission and Consumer NZ have both highlighted the duopoly’s impact on pricing and supplier dynamics.
Holtz too lays the weight of the blame on the two predominant supermarket chains: “I’m hacked off ... they’re pushing up prices. There’s no real competition.”
The latest Stats NZ Food Price Index Report shows prices rose 4.7% in the year ended October 2025, from 4.1% the month before.
Groceries, notably dairy products, eggs and instant coffee, increased 4.9% for the year.
Meat was also more expensive.
Overall prices for October were marginally lower as fruit and vegetables became more abundant.
“My husband and I both work, earning pretty decent money, so going to do the groceries is no real problem for us. But we’ve got family members who aren’t that flush, and so for them, [the price of] getting only the very basics is just ridiculous,” Holtz said.
She also challenged the quality of the food on offer in New Zealand supermarkets: “We’re buying seconds. The food is rubbish – avocados that are rotten inside, lettuce that lasts two days, and onions that are brown in the middle. In Europe, they feed their people the best first and export the rest. Why can’t we do that?”
She has long championed grassroots solutions, promoting ideas such as growing potatoes in cardboard boxes, propagating herbs on the porch, pooling resources with wider family or neighbours to buy in bulk, and accumulating funds throughout the year on a Christmas savings card.
Her $5-a-week pantry challenge encourages followers to stock up on staples year-round, easing the financial pressure of Christmas.
However, she admits those strategies are starting to feel like survival tactics in a broken system.
“We shouldn’t have to fight this hard for basics.”
While she has yet to explore the avenues for challenging the supermarket duopoly, Holtz said she is considering teaming up with organisations that are already in the fight.
“There has to be a serious push - the stakes are too high to stay silent.”
Despite her move to take action, Holtz hasn’t abandoned her roots. She still encourages families to plan ahead, grow what they can, look after any existing fruit trees, and make the most of what she believes are currently underutilised community gardens.
“It’s about being creative, really. Some creative pushback.”
She recalls her childhood in Southland, where her dad - a “master grower” - used to cut only what he needed off a cauliflower or cabbage and leave the remainder to keep growing.
Bottle summer fruit, freeze specials, take something you have too much of to a pātaka kai (community food store) and swap it for something you don’t have, don’t be afraid of frozen veges, and try more vegetarian options, Holtz said.
“Garden as much as you can because prices here are just nuts, and we need to be as self-sustainable as we can.”
As she looks to 2026, Holtz - who was surprised on her trip to have been recognised by some of her overseas followers - said she was considering how to use her platform to drive systemic change.
“I often wonder what value I’m adding. But maybe this is it. Maybe this is the next step?”
Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.