US Butter imported by PaknSave as cheaper than NZ Brands

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wellygary

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#3468064 9-Mar-2026 10:52

trig42:

The US butter at Pak n Save is whiter (and saltier) than NZ Grass fed butter, but it's still butter.

Some people, and butter is a staple, may care about the politics but can't afford to be fussy. I have seen that butter at $6.49 and every dollar counts.

I think I'd still buy the Pam's at $7.19, but luckily for me I can afford to make that choice (I actually stocked up on Costco butter a couple of weeks back at $12.99 for 4x226g (so, the US butter is actually better value than that too).

CostCo butter is likely either Westland or Open Country...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/360696358/what-westland-milk-products-supplier-costcos-low-price-butter

https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/open-country-opens-butter-plant

Klathman

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#3468070 9-Mar-2026 11:06

Personally, I wouldn't buy it, but then we've decided not to buy Australian meat either due to their steroid usage, which doesn't need to be listed in either AU or NZ. We have the same rules for NZ meat, but due to exporting to countries that ban steroid use, the meat works largely won't accept any animals treated with steroids. I believe there is one that accepts it, but it's only for the export market.

The US not only has higher usage of steroids compared to Australia, but also doesn't have the same withholding periods for drugs that we do.

I'd prefer we didn't have it here, but I understand the politics of the situation too. At least I'd like to see products from animals treated with steroids, or that don't meet our drug policies, have that information on the packaging. Until that happens, I'll refuse to buy meat from AU or either meat or dairy from the US, despite the price difference.

old3eyes

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#3468210 9-Mar-2026 21:11

If it's cheaper I'll buy it.

Regards,

Old3eyes

gzt

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#3468213 9-Mar-2026 21:14

old3eyes: If it's cheaper I'll buy it.

Once maybe - I doubt you'll like it.

huckster

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#3468216 9-Mar-2026 21:26

gzt:
old3eyes: If it's cheaper I'll buy it.

Once maybe - I doubt you'll like it.

I won't be buying it again! 😁

pdh

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#3468229 10-Mar-2026 00:31

Well I had 30+ years of eating Canadian butter - and I can assure you that there's very little grass feeding there for more than half the year ;-)

When I came to NZ, I didn't have any sudden joy from our butter (and I like my butter)
If I travel in N America I don't seek out NZ or Danish 'premium' butter.

In the cheese domain, I would take a Canadian Black Diamond cheddar (which is a mass-market brand) over any of our Tasties and Canada has a few good speciality cheeses - like Oka (made about 2 miles away from where I grew up). But aside from a few small family cheesemakers, NZ is still at the stage of making bland knock-off Gruyere's, Bries, Camemberts & Parmesans - which are not much cop on the originals.

(Felt like I was channelling Mike Palin in 'the Cheese Shop', there for a minute.)

So it is possible to start with the best ingredients (our milk) and come out with a pretty meh product.

Our ice cream, on the other hand... was (and is) sublime.

So, is it grass feeding or technique ?

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