Foodie: First peek inside Auckland's colossal Asian supermarket

Thousands descended on the opening of what has been described as New Zealand's largest Asian supermarket in Auckland on Thursday.

Roads leading to Foodie in Westgate were clogged with visitors ahead of the 8:30am opening, with few car parks left in the more than 200 parking spaces.

Queues at the checkout were equally chaotic, with one customer telling RNZ they had waited in line for more than an hour.

Located near wholesale supermarket Costco, Foodie boasts an indoor floor space that spans 3800 square metres, managing director Tao Shi said.

Shi said the store's size placed it among mainstream supermarkets in New Zealand, suggesting it would be the country's largest Asian outlet.

Despite opening on a weekday, a seemingly endless stream of customers visited the store on Thursday to get a taste of what was on offer.

Greenhithe resident Joy Zhu was pleased with the one-stop shopping experience Foodie provided.

"It has all the food I need, so I don't have to visit other supermarkets," Zhu said.

"There's a butcher, a seafood store and a roast vendor. It's truly one-stop shopping."

Living nearby, Zhu planned to visit the supermarket regularly.

Zhuoqun Zhao praised the supermarket's cleanliness, adding that clear signage made it easier to find products.

He made the most of the "opening specials", picking up 30 eggs for $9.99.

"Other supermarkets sell the same number for more than $10," he said.

"Vegetables are also particularly cheap, so I bought a lot of them."

His main concern was overcrowding, which ultimately resulted in an uncomfortable shopping experience.

Zaixun Deng expressed similar concerns, saying it had been impossible to find a parking space Thursday morning.

Shi believed more than 3500 visitors would visit the store on Thursday, with significantly more expected over the weekend.

Foodie joins a long list of supermarkets catering to New Zealand's Asian communities.

Established operators such as Lim Chhour, Da Hua, Tai Ping and Golden Apple sell Asian food and household items in various parts of the country, particularly Auckland and Christchurch.

These markets have become more than simple shopping destinations, turning into essential hubs where immigrants connect with one another and maintain ties to their cultural roots.

Shi said Foodie would not aim to compete directly with other Asian supermarkets, adding it offered a unique shopping experience that allowed customers the opportunity to purchase daily essentials at one location instead of visiting multiple stores.

"For example, I have to go to a Korean supermarket for barbecue ingredients and a Chinese supermarket for vegetables," he said.

"Some stores don't carry everything, so I end up going to New World or Pak'n Save for milk, bread and other essentials.

"I might need to visit four or five different stores to get everything. This is the current shopping experience for customers."

Shi hoped Foodie could meet the grocery shopping needs of Auckland's diverse ethnic groups - as well as offering takeaway shops, bakeries and milk tea stands.

"We currently offer a wide range of foods from China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and other Asian countries," he said.

"The number of products has surpassed 12,000."

Foodie planned to expand by opening additional supermarkets on Auckland's North Shore and in East Auckland.

By the numbers

• Foodie's indoor floor space measures 3800 square metres
• Investment costs are estimated at $20 million
• Around 2500 customers are expected to visit the store each day
• The supermarket stocks more than 12,000 goods from China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and other Asian countries
• It takes an average customer about 20 minutes to walk around every section of the supermarket, taking around 2000 steps in the process