A Rotorua woman was one of the first to get her hands on a new milk drink proving so popular its makers can't keep up with demand.
Lewis Road Whittakers Chocolate Milk has been available in other parts of the country for two weeks, but only reached Rotorua on Wednesday.
Such was the anticipation, it sold out at New World Westend - currently the only local stockist - before it could even be stocked in its fridge.
The milk's recommended retail prices are $6.49 for 750ml and $3.69 for 300ml.
Local Whittakers fan Nadia Porima said she had been looking for the product since she saw it on Facebook a couple of weeks ago. She was in New World on Wednesday waiting by the fridge when the delivery arrived.
"The lady didn't even get to the fridge - there was a group of school girls wanting some and they followed her to the fridge - I was already standing there waiting," Mrs Porima said.
"It was a bit like the new iPhone, everyone wants it. I'm going to try to get some more to take to my daughter. It sounds like [Lewis Road Creamery] didn't think it would go crazy like it did."
She said she scoured the supermarkets in Tauranga in the school holidays and visited the Hastings New World when she took her daughter back to school.
It was worth the wait, she said.
"It tastes really creamy, like drinking liquid creamy milk chocolate. It was velvety. It's worth it and blows away any other chocolate milk."
New World Westend owner-operator Greg Dyson said it sold out within 10 minutes of arriving. With a further shipment expected today the store would be limiting purchases to one bottle per customer, he said.
"We are happy to take as much of the product as we can get but we know [they] are simply producing as much as they can but demand is outstripping production."
Readers on the Rotorua Daily Post Facebook page had mixed views with some questioning the price. However others claimed it was "worth every cent" and "heaven sent".
Lewis Road Creamery was founded in Whakatane, but production has now moved closer to Auckland with its factory at Mangatawhiri.
Founder Peter Cullinane said the blend of Whittakers with their boutique milk came about after he saw a need in the market for a premium flavoured milk.
Lewis Road's Angela Weeks said they knew they'd "hit a winning formula" as soon as they tasted the first trial batch.
"But the way it has been received by Kiwis has been well beyond our expectations - we never expected demand to be anywhere near where it is, it is 30 times what we'd anticipated.
"Our focus now is on bridging the gap between supply and demand. We are a small independent and passionate New Zealand company, we aren't a big corporate with endless machinery and deep pockets."