Northland's Kaipara Kūmara gets star treatment as Countdown collectible

Kaipara Kūmara managing director Anthony Blundell checks kūmara crops at the Ruawai farm. Photo / Supplied

Dame Valerie Adams was immortalised as a Barbie, Winston Peters as a Ruff 'n' Tuff squeaky toy for dogs and now it's Kaipara Kūmara's turn to become a loveable collectible.

Kaipara Kūmara managing director Anthony Blundell has been transformed into a Countdown Bricks Farm figurine.

The Ruawai local is one of many Kiwi growers who supply Countdown and are honoured in the collectibles that encourage people to create their own miniature farm.

Countdown's director of brand Brid Drohan-Stewart said the Bricks coll highlighted the "incredible growers who deliver world-class produce" to New Zealanders.

Blundell never thought he'd star as a figurine.

"When they first rang up about it I thought oh my God, this is going to be very interesting. I'm going to get a lot of stick for this," he said with a chuckle.

The Countdown Bricks version of Kaipara Kūmara managing director Anthony Blundell. Photo / Supplied

"I'm honoured but it's not about myself, it's more about the entire business and all the people that have been working hard during its 52-year history.

"All the growers work bloody hard to produce some of the best produce in the world," he said.

Blundell followed the footsteps of his dad who began the family kūmara business back in 1967 and was one of the first growers to sell direct to Countdown, then known as Foodtown.

"We've been with Countdown since the start, there were only three stores when dad started selling to them and we've never looked back," Blundell said.

Before the sweet gig, Blundell's dad, originally a cabinet maker in Auckland, managed a mushroom farm in Manurewa.

Blundell's dad uprooted his wife and two boys to move to Ruawai after his brother-in-law offered him the opportunity to facilitate and manage a mushroom farm in the rural community.

"He phased out of mushrooms in the early 80s as it didn't have the capital to carry on so he ramped it up with kūmara."

The toys - available from today - are made of 100 per cent recycled plastic such as old swimming goggles, luggage handles, fridge parts and other items that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.