Some of the well-known brands of groceries, snacks, pickles and other items have just arrived in New Zealand are and expected to excite customers of almost all ethnic groups.
RRK Foods Limited on Sandringham Road in Sandringham Auckland has in stock a wide range of items that would not only satisfy the specific tastes of people but also their budgets.
Owner Suresh Kumar said that his firm had carefully chosen the brands and items, based on customer demand over the years.
“An increasing number of our customers have been requesting that at least a selection of the products and brands popular in Tamil Nadu be made available here. It took us some time to understand their needs, source the products, work out the economics and import them,” he said.
Wide Range
He said the range includes rice, oil, ghee, masalas, appalam, pappadam, coffee, other types of food and Pooja items.
The rice varieties comprise ‘Jeera Samba,’ ‘Andhra Ponni,’ ‘Andhra Ponni Parboiled,’ ‘Idly Rice’ and ‘Broken Rice.’ These are available in bags and in smaller quantities.
Mr Kumar said, “Jeera Samba,’ known to Tamilians as ‘Seeraga Arisi’ is good for health and is not available anywhere in New Zealand as far as I know. ‘Idly Rice’ would enable people to enjoy the ‘real idly’ (some people call it ‘steam pudding’).”
The new range of oil, in addition to those already in the market, comprises ‘Sunflower Oil,’ ‘Sunflower Rasi Oil,’ ‘Idhayam Sesame Oil’ (all in various sizes), while the Ghee variety accounts for the ‘RKG’ brand, known in India as the manufacturer of ‘Pure Desi Ghee.’ The company also exports ‘Agmark’ products (Cow and Buffalo Ghee).
Snacks and Cookies
“Pappadam is one the most popular items in almost all restaurants serving Indian food in New Zealand and our latest import contains a wide variety of them. But those tasting the ‘Appalam,’ the South Indian version, will find new and satisfying taste. The stock that has arrived contains a wide range of the items that are sold in many parts of India, especially Tamil Nadu,” Mr Kumar said.
“Although instant coffee powder manufactured and supplied by many internationally known companies are popular among New Zealanders, those used to the South Indian brands such as ‘Narasus’ always miss the pure taste of ground and filtered coffee. They can find their choice at RRK Foods,” Mr Kumar said.
Nine years ago, ITC Limited, one of the major Indian companies, launched its brand of biscuits, which have become a source of satisfaction for customers in the ever-expanding Sub-Continent market.
“The Sunfeast brand offers a range of Glucose, Marie and Cream biscuits. The ITC brand has a well-established presence in almost all categories of biscuits and we are proud to bring some of them to the New Zealand market,” Mr Kumar said and added that biscuits of ‘Unibik’ will also be available.
He said the ‘Aachi’ masala and pickles are well known to Tamilians and that consumers in New Zealand would have the benefit of their availability.
“A term that affectionately refers to ‘Mother,’ ‘Aachi’ masalas and pickles are famous for their unique cuisine. As an ISO 9001 Certified Company, ‘Aachi’ has been focusing on satisfying the palates of millions of people in India. The brand meets high standards of quality and competitive pricing.”
Costume Jewellery
As a part of its diversification programme and enhancing value to customers, RRK Foods would also stock and sell a range of costume jewellery that would find its use for event organisers, classical dancers and others in the community.
Household appliances
Mr Kumar said that RRK Foods would attract existing and new customers with a number of home appliances.
These include ‘Appa Chutty,’ ‘Puttu Kudam’ and ‘Non-Stick Tawa,’ that would enable people to prepare a variety of snacks and main food items at home.
“We are confident that customers will find the latest version of ‘Preethi Blue Leaf Mixer,’ Ultra Grinder’ and the time-honoured gas stove useful in their kitchens.
“Our special container has also carried a wide range of Pooja items, lamps, 3 D photo frames and a number of other items.
“Parents would be happy to purchase Gripe Water, Health Mix food and beverages for their children,” he said.
Justifiable Pride
Mr Kumar is justifiably proud of his mother Rajeshwari, father Ramadoss and teacher Kanakaraj, whose initial letters form the name of his company.
Completing his school education in North India, he obtained a diploma in Mechanical Engineering in Chennai and moved to Singapore to launch his career, before migrating to New Zealand in 2002.
“I managed an Indian retail outlet in Auckland, gained experience in importing Indian food products and encouraged by my family and friends, launched RRK Foods in 2005.
“The market is extremely competitive, worsened by an increasing number of our people moving to Australia. But I strongly believe that quality products, supported by appropriate prices and good service will keep us going. The new range of products, in addition to those already on display and sale, will hopefully attract more customers,” he said.
