This page lists places in the Waikato where locally produced food can be bought.
I do my best to keep the information up to date. Suggestions and updates are appreciated.
Farmers’ Markets
The first place to look for locally produced fruit, veges, meat, fish, eggs, bread, honey, cheese and more.
www.waikatofarmersmarkets.co.nz
Hamilton Farmers’ Market: 3 Brooklyn Rd, Claudelands, every Sunday morning 8-12 noon
Cambridge Farmers Market: Victoria Square, cnr Victoria St and Alpha St, every Saturday morning 8-12 noon
Retailers
Made shopping and food precinct
The Made precinct, at 401 Grey St, Hamilton East, has local food stockists including Volare breads and baking; and Red Kitchen. See the subject listings for more info about these.
Whole Heart
A small independent food store with an excellent range of organic, free-range and/or spray-free food.
Queenwood Village, Shop 15, Queenwood Ave, Hamilton
Phone: 07 855 4558
Organic Nation
Specialist organic food retailer.
245 Commerce St, Frankton, Hamilton (on the corner at the railway end of Commerce St)
www.organicnation.co.nz
Bin Inn Dinsdale
Owner-operated grocer and bulk foods store that stocks locally produced food as much as possible.
Shop 34, 47 Whatawhata Rd, Dinsdale, Hamilton www.facebook.com/bininndinsdale11
Phone (07) 847 7045
Locally grown meat
Wholly Cow
Real butchers, selling good quality free-range meat, mostly grown in the Waikato. (Their chicken and pork comes from further afield, but it’s all produced in New Zealand.)
Cambridge shop at 47 Victoria St, Cambridge, Phone 07-827 6651
Soggy Bottom Holdings
Only at the farmers’ markets. Great free-range bacon, sausages, pork pies, also free-range beef and lamb.
The Organic Food Shop
Certified organic and locally grown meat, available at local farmers’ markets, and online via their website. They also sell certified organic free range eggs – order via the website. https://theorganicfoodshop.nz
Grandad’s Beef
Premium quality, nutrient dense beef produced on Maureen and Cliff Bayliss’s Te Uku farm, using regenerative farming methods. Available ivia their website and possibly at selected local retailers.
Local milk producers
Here are two excellent milk suppliers that I use regularly.
They are all small-scale producers by the standards of the huge New Zealand dairy industry.
Jersey Girl Organics
Matamata-based Jersey Girl Organics produce certified organic, A2 full-cream milk. They sell their milk at the Waikato farmers’ markets, and also through selected local retailers and supermarkets.
Dreamview Creamery
Dreamview Creamery, near Raglan, produce both raw and pasteurized milk in glass bottles. (Although they don’t have organic certification.)
Dreamview Creamery milk is available at selected retailers, including my local Hamilton East Bin Inn. They also offer home deliveries.
Kaipaki Dairies
Kaipaki Dairies milk is produced on a family farm on Kaipaki Road, south of Hamilton, and distributed in refillable glass bottles and through stainless steel taps at cafes and other businesses.
Bread and baking
Volare
Classic European-style breads, using traditional sourdough methods.
Their main bakery is at 45 Gallagher Drive, Hamilton; 07 847 1206; open Mon-Sat 7 am to 2 pm.
They have various outlets in the Waikato (check their website), including at the Made shopping and food precinct, 401 Grey St, Hamilton East.
Volare are also at the farmers’ markets.
Du Pain & Du Pain
Excellent European-style sourdough bread, made with organic flour. Available at the local farmers’ markets. Here’s their Facebook page: Du Pain & Du Pain
Local cheese producers
There are several small-scale cheesemakers in the region.
The Gouda Cheese shop
The two Hamilton shops sell a great range of award-winning Meyer cheeses, made in Hamilton, plus other New Zealand and international cheeses, and Volare bread (also made in Hamilton).
Hillcrest: 245 Cambridge Rd, phone (07) 856 6633
Rototuna Retail Centre: Shop 3, Thomas Rd, phone (07) 855 4433
Over The Moon Dairy Company
31 Tirau St, Putaruru
They are also at Hamilton Farmers’ Market.
Cilantro
Artisanal goat and sheep milk cheeses. Available from the factory at Ruakura.
Seasonal veges
NB this list is being updated. Suggestions welcome.
Local CSAs
I know of two local growers offering CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) vege box orders: Earth Stewards, based in the north of Hamilton; and Tomtit Farm, at Matangi, south of Hamilton.
Earth Stewards
Certified organic produce. They have a weekly vege box scheme – see the website for details..
They also have a farm shop at Rimu Cottage 66A Te Manatu Drive, Hamilton 3210, open every Tuesday
12pm – 5pm (or Wednesday, if Monday is a public holiday).
And, their produce is available at Red Kitchen’s Larder in the Made shopping and food precinct, 401 Grey St, Hamilton East.
Tomtit Farm
Certified organic veges, herbs, salad greens and micro-greens and flowers, grown in Matangi. Produce is available at the farm fridge located at 165c Matangi Road, at the Front Paddock Cafe. They also deliver locally – see website for more info.
Tomtits have seasonal PYO flowers, and other events and offers.
Pirongia Mountain Vegetables
Veges (including potatoes, garlic and other seasonal produce) grown using regenerative agriculture practices.
Pirongia Mountain Vegetables sell regularly at the farmers markets. Deliveries available.
Catos.co.nz Check their Facebook page for info about deliveries.
Tender Fresh Produce
Sell a range of vegetables, including potatoes and seasonal greens, at the farmers’ markets.
Greenfern Asparagus
Certified organic asparagus in season, and carrots, beets and other veges year-round. At the local farmers’ markets.
Greenfern website: greenfern.co.nz/
Southern Belle
Sweet capsicums, chillies, feijoas in season.
Rivendell Gardens
Tomatoes, beans and capsicum. At Cambridge Farmers’ Market and Hamilton Farmers’ Market in season.
Vegetills
Seasonal vegetables and fruit at Hamilton Farmers’ Market.
Suncakes Gardens
Sell a wide range of spray-free fresh seasonal vegetables at the farmers’ markets.
GoodBugs
Sauerkraut and other fermented vege products www.goodbugs.co.nz Nationwide deliveries. Check their facebook page for updates.