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For many Indian households in Auckland, the weekend grocery run can mean two stops. The supermarket for the regular shop, and an Indian grocery store for the spices, lentils, rice and familiar brands that make their way into the Kiwi Indian kitchen.
The demand for Indian ingredients is not limited to Indian households. For Aucklanders wanting to cook an Indian meal at home, whether it is a curry night, biryani, dal or something more elaborate, finding the right ingredients can also mean an extra trip to a specialised store.
That routine may slowly be changing.
Woolworths has expanded dedicated ethnic Indian aisles across 14 Auckland stores, bringing a wider range of Indian pantry staples and brands under the same supermarket roof as it responds to customer demand and changing shopping baskets.
“We’ve rolled out ethnic Indian aisles in response to customer demand, particularly in certain stores where we know this aisle is important to our local communities,” Woolworths Store Group Manager Jatinder Chahal told The Indian Weekender.
The dedicated aisles feature international brands including Haldirams and Britannia, alongside local brands such as Kashish, with the supermarket tailoring its layouts and buying strategies to better cater to growing South Asian communities.
“It means customers don’t have to shop around and go to multiple stores to get what they need and what they see in our stores is relevant,” Chahal shared.
The initiative began in a smaller number of stores and, as of a week ago, had expanded to 14 locations across Auckland.
The range includes a broader selection of specialised pantry staples, including bulk 20kg bags of rice, regional spices, traditional lentils and other imported favourites.
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Photo: SuppliedFor shoppers looking for easier access to Indian products, the expansion also comes as Auckland’s population becomes increasingly diverse.
“Statistics NZ figures show that 40% of Aucklanders are now born overseas and 31% of the Auckland population is of east and south-Asian ethnicity. By 2048, the Indian community in New Zealand is projected to grow significantly,” Chahal explained.
For Chahal, the move also carries personal and professional significance.
“It reflects our values and commitment to inclusion, and shows that we are truly listening and responding to customers and what they want to see in their food baskets and reflected in their local stores,” he shared with The Indian Weekender.
While the expanded aisles already cover a range of everyday Indian cooking essentials, Chahal said there was room for the offering to grow further.
“Hopefully we can continue to grow this range and include things like sweets and snacks in the future,” shares looking ahead.
For now, Woolworths plans to continue with the range while responding to customer feedback and adapting the offering to shoppers’ preferences.
The dedicated range remains limited to select Auckland stores, with online ordering available within the delivery areas served by those stores.
“We continue to explore opportunities to meet the needs of our customers throughout New Zealand,” he shared.
The Indian range is currently available at Woolworths stores in Manukau City Mall, Manurewa, Mount Roskill, Papakura, Papatoetoe, Roselands, Takanini, Three Kings, Waiata Shores, Botany, Mangere East, Lynmall, Lynfield and Manukau.
ISSUE
Friday, September 18, 2026
Volume 17 . Issue 37
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