New Zealanders are getting creative as butter prices have jumped 65% in just one year. A 500-gram block now costs around $7.42, pushing some people to drive long distances or churn their own butter at home.
In Auckland, Costco has become a hot spot for butter buyers, with people lining up and even limits placed on how much they can buy. Kaleb Halverson, nicknamed the “butter bandit,” drives 10 hours round trip to bring butter back to his community in Taranaki.
One school, Leithfield School in Canterbury, even sold butter as a fundraiser. They were surprised by the strong response, selling 19,000 blocks.
Some bakeries, like Kayes Bakery in Southland, are struggling. They use tons of butter every month but sometimes have to import it from Australia because local butter is too expensive. Owner Luella Penniall said it’s frustrating to live near dairy farms and still have to buy from overseas.
New Zealand is one of the world’s top dairy exporters, but 95% of its dairy is sent overseas. That means local prices are set by what people are willing to pay in other countries.
Experts say this helps the economy but can make life harder for local shoppers.
