Durian: The $100 Fruit in New Zealand Supermarkets

Raw sewage, farts, and rotten meat, that’s how some describe the notorious smell of durian, the spiky-shelled fruit that has divided opinions across Asia for centuries. Now, the so-called “king of fruits” is finding its way onto New Zealand supermarket shelves, and for a hefty price tag, RNZ reported.

According to a report by RNZ, Pak’nSave is selling the rock-melon-sized fruit for about $120 each, while Costco offers them for just under $100. Despite its reputation for a pungent aroma so strong it is banned on Singapore’s trains, demand in New Zealand is growing fast.

Durian importer Peter Pan told RNZ’s Checkpoint that even he initially found the smell unbearable when first introduced to the fruit. “To start with, me personally I didn’t like them, but once I got used to it, once you put it in your mouth, it melts like butter,” he said. “Once you get used to that smell, it will remind you of perfume,” RNZ quoted.

Pan said he has been importing durian for years and selling it through independent stores, but this month marked the first time Foodstuffs supermarkets agreed to stock the fruit. “Initially, they didn’t want to sell it back a few years ago, and now they see the demand, it’s like a phenomenon,” he said. “They were selling so well, they flew off the shelf within hours,” reported RNZ.

RNZ reports that his first attempt to introduce durian to Foodstuffs almost two decades ago didn’t go smoothly. Pan recalled sending a sample box with clear instructions not to open it indoors, advice that was ignored. “It ended up stinking out the whole building,” he said.

For those curious to try durian, Pan recommends cracking it open from the bottom to reveal a soft, custard-like texture. “For a new eater, it may not smell right,” he said. “But for people that know it, they actually smell nice, it’s got such a nice, sensational taste that people will love it,” RNZ quoted.

Pan likened the fruit’s creamy texture to mango and its strong flavour to blue cheese, an acquired taste that inspires devotion and disgust in equal measure. He said the ripest fruits carry the most powerful odour. “When they are raw or not so mature, they are not too bad,” he explained. “But when they are really ripe, they really stink, that’s the stink time.”

While its steep price may deter some, Pan said the current supermarket pricing is actually favourable to consumers as retailers aim to familiarise more New Zealanders with the divisive delicacy, RNZ reported.