The best souvenirs to buy in New Zealand for your friends and family overseas

What are the best souvenirs from New Zealand? As locals, we’d never dream of buying a packet of (chocolate) Pukeko Poo or a possum fur willy warmer for ourselves – but what about buying for friends and family overseas?

New Zealand boasts many special products that make for great gifts to pack in your suitcase. Here are some of the best things to buy, and where to get them.

Chocolate

It’s by no means the most original gift – but it’s the one that is guaranteed to go down a treat.

Whittaker’s, our most famous chocolate brand, is the obvious choice, and you can easily get it from the supermarket (don’t pay the airport prices), with a wide variety to choose from – opt for uniquely Kiwi flavours like Jelly Tip or Hokey Pokey Crunch, or a specialty block like Marlborough sea salt and caramel brittle or Hawke’s Bay black doris plum and roasted almonds.

For a treat they’re less likely to be able to already get their hands on overseas, check out one of the many craft chocolate makers dotted around the country, like the Wairarapa’s Lucid Chocolatier, Wellington Chocolate Factory, Nelson’s Hogarth or Dunedin’s Ocho.

And don’t miss specialist chocolate shops like Makana Confections, located in Kerikeri and Blenheim – their macadamia butter toffee crunch is to die for – Schoc Chocolates in Greytown, and Bennetts of Mangawhai.

Honey

Many of us Kiwis take this liquid gold for granted, but it’s more than just a delicious spread for your toast –it’s highly sought-after overseas, particularly mānuka honey.

Get a jar from the supermarket or head to a specialty store – one of Aotearoa’s top honey brands, Arataki Honey, has a visitor centre and shop (complete with tasting opportunities) in Havelock North. Or check out Huka Honey Hive in Taupō, or Buzzstop Bee and Honey Centre in Frankton, which both have a huge selection of honey and honey-related products.

Just be sure to check the import rules of the country you’re entering to make sure it’s OK to bring honey in.

Hot sauce

Hot sauce has become a hot commodity in recent years, and New Zealand boasts some locally-made products any connoisseur would be thrilled to add to their collection.

Kaitaia Fire, made from chilis grown in Northland, is an iconic offering – for a local flavour, grab their Waha Wera Kiwifruit & Habanero hot sauce. Or they might have heard of Culley’s hot sauces – their “F… Me That’s Hot” sauce is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, using New Zealand-grown Smokin’ Ed’s Carolina Reaper Peppers.

Wellington’s Apostle Hot Sauces are another fun option, with each bottle featuring a different “saint”.

Children’s books

Have some little people to buy for? A picture book by a New Zealand author is a great option.

Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary series are still classics, 40 years since the scruffy terrier first set off on his neighbourhood adventure, or for something a little more recent, pick up one of Kat Quin’s adorable Kuwi the Kiwi books.

For something truly unique, you can buy a copy of an internationally-beloved story that has been translated into te reo Māori, like Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Catepillar (Te Anuhe Tino Hiakai) or Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are (Kei reira nga Weriweri).

Buzzy Bee

Another cute option for young kids is the iconic Buzzy Bee toy, which a 10-month-old Prince William famously played with during his first visit to New Zealand with his parents in 1983.

Many Kiwi children grow up playing with the wooden pull-along toy, which has been around for more than 80 years (but has been updated to comply with modern safety standards). You can get them from toy retailers like The Warehouse and Whitcoulls.

Skincare

New Zealand has several skincare brands that make the most of local ingredients. Many can be easily found at supermarkets, pharmacies or department stores like Farmers.

Antipodes, Trilogy and Emma Lewisham are well-known local brands. Great Barrier Island-based company Aotea also make great products inspired by traditional Māori herbal practices, using native ingredients like kawakawa, harakeke and mānuka. Air New Zealand even uses their products in their business class amenity kits.

Pounamu

Pounamu, also known as greenstone or New Zealand jade, is regarded as a taonga (treasure) by Māori, and is traditionally given as a gift.

It’s important to note that pounamu is only found in New Zealand – many souvenir shops offer carved greenstone using jade sourced from overseas. You’ll know it’s genuine pounamu if it has a mark of authenticity from Ngāi Tahu (the legal kaitiaki, or guardians, of New Zealand greenstone), as well as a unique traceability code.

All Blacks jersey

Few shirts in world sport are as recognisable as the All Blacks’ jersey, so you’re sure to make a rugby fan’s day by giving them one.

You’ll find official jerseys, and other All Blacks merch, at Adidas, Champions of the World and RYOS stores, or head to the All Blacks Experience Store in Auckland where you can even get a personalised jersey. There are also official All Blacks Stores at Auckland and Christchurch airports.

Christmas decorations

If you’re heading to the northern hemisphere for Christmas, pack a (tiny) slice of our summer festive season in your suitcase in the form of some Kiwiana Christmas decorations.

Native birds, pairs of jandals, surfing Santas, sheep, buzzy bees, pōhutukawa baubles – all will add a cute touch of New Zealand to any Christmas tree overseas. Shops like Whitcoulls and Farmers usually have a range of Kiwi ornaments (as well as summer-focused Christmas cards, always good for posting overseas), as do design stores like Wellington’s Abstract Design.

What New Zealand souvenirs have you bought to take overseas? Share your ideas in the comments.