Importer and distributor William Aitken & Co is marking its 70th anniversary as a fourth-generation owned family company.
Bill Aitken established the Ponsonby, Auckland, based enterprise in 1944 after observing European migrants fleeing from World War II, bringing with them new food ideas and tastes to New Zealand.
However once here, they struggled to get the products required to enable their traditional cooking.
“Returning Kiwi soldiers, who had served in places like Italy, had broadened their own tastes and many returned keen on trading in the old mash potato for Italian dishes like pasta,” managing director Graham Aitken says.
“In the 1940s, together with the arrival of new European migrants, Kiwi tastebuds began to change.
“The 1960s saw the first licensed restaurants open offering everything from steak to pasta dishes. Two decades later, diet crazes saw the popularity of olive oil boom.
“Move forward another two decades and New Zealand is now experiencing a wave of cooking shows further expanding the food habits of Kiwis all keen on trying new tastes.”
Aitken is one of the largest independent food importers and has exclusive importing rights for the market-leading Lupi olive oil and balsamic vinegar, as well as Barilla pastas and sauces
The core portfolio of mainly Mediterranean foods is now supplemented by items from Australia, China and South America.
“There’s always competition and the market is always changing,” Mr Aitken says.
“Our secret has been to keep our traditional values but never stop evolving. Those who survive in the FMCG sector are those who have an ability to adapt to change and trends.
“My grandfather saw a gap in the market 70 years ago, and our challenge today is to stay at the top of the market. We’re very confident that the world-class quality of our products will enable us to do just that.”
NBR Food Industry Week
Thu, 25 Sep 2014
Thu, 25 Sep 2014
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Aitken celebrates role in Kiwi culinary trends
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