Lee Kum Kee proudly sponsors Wellington Lunar Festival

Lee Kum Kee proudly sponsors Wellington Lunar Festival

January 28, 2024

Wellington will once again host the Lunar New Year Festival in 2024.

This follows sponsorship from Lee Kum Kee, a globally renowned multinational company offering authentic Asian sauces and condiments. Acton International Marketing Ltd., who manages distribution and marketing of Lee Kum Kee products in New Zealand reached out to AET (Asian Events Trust) following news that Lunar New Year celebrations for 2024 in Wellington were cancelled to due to insufficient funding.

The festival will take place on the weekend of 17-18 February 2024 at Wellington’s TSB Arena and Shed 6, with food and craft stalls and a cultural entertainment programme. There will be fireworks on Saturday night - 17th February.

Silk Flushable Wipes - Our wipes already meet the standard

Silk Flushable Wipes - Our wipes already meet the standard

September 18, 2023

An extra fresh and comfortable clean when you need it.

Centre Technique du Papier Testing – We Meet the Standards

Silk Flushable wipes have been independently tested and meet both strict NZS5328:20252 and International IDNA-EDANA standards. This means they are approved for use in New Zealand wastewater as they easily break down and are safe to flush.

You can use Silk Flushable Wipes alongside or after regular toilet paper for an extra fresh and comfortable clean every time. Silk Flushable Wipes are reliable, strong and yet cleansing and gentle on skin. You can find Silk Flushable wipes at supermarkets all over New Zealand.

*We don’t recommend use with septic tanks.

About the Standards

In 2022, Standards Australia published a new voluntary standard, AS/NZS 5328, Flushable Products.

The standard defines criteria for the ANZ market for what material can be flushed down the toilet and, therefore, what products can be classified 'flushable'.

We are pleased to report Silk Flushable Wipes ALREADY meets the new NZ5328 standards.

SILK FLUSHABLE WATER WIPES 36 PACK

Silk Flushable Water Wipes are safe to flush. These wipes are made with 99.9% water and a drop of fruit extract. These wipes are soft and gentle on skin; plant based, biodegradable* and plastic free therefore better for you and the environment. Plus, look out for the new look contemporary design will compliment any bathroom. Just look for the blue pack. Silk Flushable wipes are also handy when travelling or out and about.

*According to independent testing under controlled aerobic composting conditions. Rate of degradation in landfill may vary.

SILK FLUSHABLE 40 & 96 PACK

Silk Flushable Wipes are strong, cleansing and gentle on skin.  Silk Flushable wipes have been independently tested and meet both strict NZS5328:20252 and International IDNA-EDANA standards.  This means they are approved for use in New Zealand wastewater as they easily break down and are safe to flush. Plus, look out for the new look contemporary design will compliment any bathroom. Just look for the yellow packs. Available in 40 or 96 wipes per pack, Silk Flushable wipes are handy at home, when travelling or out and about.

Find out more here: New flushable product standards to fight fatbergs - Consumer NZ


Elevate mince meals with two new easy and delicious ready sauces

Elevate mince meals with two new easy and delicious ready sauces

June 14, 2023

These two new ready sauces make meals go further. Mince is the ultimate versatile and value for money meat cut and when you pop in seasonal or frozen vegetables it can stretch your dollar that little bit further.

Ready Sauce for Sweet & Spicy Minced Beef is a simple and traditional regional Chinese dish with complex, aromatic flavours. Mildly spicy, it's the perfect ready sauce for meat and vegetables. 

Ready Sauce for Hoisin Minced Pork is one of the most popular Cantonese cuisines. This ready sauce offers sweet and well-balanced flavours and is perfect to pair with all kinds of vegetables, grains and noodles.

MouthFresh now a Major Partner of KidsCan

MouthFresh now a Major Partner of KidsCan

December 15, 2022

Kiwi oral hygiene company, MouthFresh, has signed up as a Major Partner of KidsCan, becoming an ongoing supporter to the tune of $100k+ per annum.

The funding from MouthFresh will support KidsCan’s essential work providing food, jackets, shoes and health products to schools and early childhood centres across New Zealand.

KidsCan Founder & CEO, Julie Chapman says “We’re so pleased to have MouthFresh come on board this year as a major partner. It’s a particularly tough time for families living in poverty, who are being hard hit by the soaring cost of living. This support will make such a difference to Kiwi kids right across the country.”

Eugene Rush from MouthFresh says, “We passionately believe all New Zealand kids should have equal access to the necessities of life, so partnering with KidsCan is a natural fit.”

No strangers to helping others, for the last three years, MouthFresh has also been providing Kaibosh Food Rescue with toothbrushes and toothpaste to support whanau in making sure they have the essentials.

“Our team has already assisted with packing key essentials and can’t wait to get even more involved to support KidsCan’s great work next year.”

Sold through major New Zealand retailers, MouthFresh has been providing high quality and affordable oral healthcare products to Kiwis for the last 15 years.

Silk Baby has a cute new look

Silk Baby has a cute new look

October 18, 2022

Everyone’s parenting journey is different but there’s one aspect of it that you will all have in common – wiping up messes!

When it comes to choosing baby wipes, trusted brand Silk Baby now has a fresh new look. With playful designs featuring sweet animal characters, their refreshed packaging now makes it even easier to choose the right products to help keep your baby feeling comfortable and fresh.

Infused with 99.9% water with a hint of fruit extract, Silk Baby Water Wipes are made from plant-based, plastic-free material so they’re good for your baby’s skin. Just look for the pack with the large whale on the front, in three packs of 20, 60 or 100.

Silk Baby Ultimate Ultra-Thick® Wipes are ultra-absorbent and 20% thicker making them perfect for those big wipe-up jobs, especially as your baby grows and of course, they’re made from plant-based, plastic-free material too. Look for the pack with the small whales on front, in packs of 72 or 100.

Both products are biodegradable (according to independent testing under controlled aerobic composting conditions – rate of degradation in landfill may vary).

As your child gets older and starts eating solids, moving and exploring, the mess ratio and variety increase too. Wiping almost every inch of them after meal times as well as the surrounding area becomes a three-times daily (at a minimum) occurrence. Painting, play dough, crayons and outdoor play all generate a mess of their own. The car seat and surrounding area are also a favourite for crumbs and sticky somethings and snotty noses are a special reoccurring feature throughout childhood.

Whatever messes you need to clean up, Silk Baby has the wipe for you. The new turtle pack is fragrance-free with added baby lotion. The elephant pack is lightly fragranced and contains aloe and chamomile. While the bunny pack contains aloe and chamomile and a hint of rosehip fragrance. All three are alcohol and paraben-free and the ph balance means they’re gentle on baby’s skin. Available in packs of 80, the fragrance-free turtle pack also comes in packs of 140.

Illustrated with adorable sea creatures on the pack, the Silk Baby range also features toiletries to help keep your baby’s skin hydrated, soft and clean. Silk Baby Body Wash and Silk Baby 2-1 Shampoo & Conditioner are perfect for bath time, and follow up with Silk Baby Oil – a fun, sensory and soothing way to bond with your baby. All toiletries are free of nasties, meaning no parabens, phthalates, silicones or sulfates.

Written by Kidspot NZ

Sunshine Pegs are now made from 100% recycled plastic

Sunshine Pegs are now made from 100% recycled plastic

October 11, 2022

Sunshine Pegs have made another commitment to the environment by making the switch to recycled plastic.

The plastic used is recycled PET - or rPET. So technically, what exactly is rPET? It's an engineering polymer that belongs to the polyester family of polymers and typically has good mechanical strength and properties even in recycled form.

Diverted from the waste stream, the rPET now used in Sunshine Pegs was plastic previously used for Coke bottles and meat trays. rPET is incredibly strong and durable, doubling the lifespan of the pegs. They still have all the other qualities we have come to love; proudly made in New Zealand, UV Resistant and a non-rust spring. Initially the change will affect the cartons of 20's but will roll out to the cartons of 48's in the coming months.

By moving to cardboard boxes in 2021 and now the switch to rPET, Sunshine Pegs are removing 16.5 tons of plastic annually from the environment. Now that's something to be proud of.


Auckland chef crowned winner of Developing Chefs Challenge

Auckland chef crowned winner of Developing Chefs Challenge

October 10, 2022

Aspiring Auckland chef Julius Caesar has taken out top place at the Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge 2022.

A senior chef de partie at Ponsonby Road Bistro, Caesar competed alongside three other young chefs at the final event held in Auckland this week.

Open to all chefs under the age of 40 either working or training in New Zealand, the competition saw entrants submit a Chinese or Chinese-inspired dish and video online, using a minimum of three Lee Kum Kee sauces or condiments.

The four finalists selected to compete included:

  • Julius Caesar, 35, senior chef de partie at Ponsonby Road Bistro, Ponsonby. Julius presented a dish of crispy pork belly, pork mince, noodles and crispy wontons
  • Luke Gardiner, 31, chef and owner at Auckland-based food truck Catchya Cookout. Luke served up Dai Pai Dong-style wok tossed clams in black bean garlic sauce
  • Zeeshan Babwani, 24, sous chef at The Hangar, Henderson. Zeeshan presented judges with a dish of Szechuan-spiced, butter-poached monkfish
  • And 2021 competition winner Jacob Aomarere-Poole, 24, a sous chef at The Strongroom, Fielding. Jacob served up a chilli crusted beef eye fillet, with choy sum, prawn wonton, seared onions, chilli gazpacho and pepper gel

Battling it out in front of a live audience at Main Course in Auckland on Monday, the finalists had 90 minutes to make and present their dish to a judging panel made up of Main Course owner Sonya Oyston, Waitakere Licensing Trust head chef Paulie Hooton, and Mark Dronjak, a seasoned chef with over 40 years’ experience and a wealth of published work.

Taking home a $3,000 cash prize and the title of 2022 Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chef, the judges described Caesar as a “talented chef with a mature palette and a big future”.

While the competition was strong, Julius’s dish stood out for its depth of flavour, said Dronjak.

“The pork belly was beautifully moist. The crispy crackling, wontons and bean sprout slaw all provided great texture. It was total umami. I literally wanted to sit down and eat the whole thing.”

Oyston said each element worked really well together but could stand on its own also.

“I really liked the way he rendered down the pork fat and used that to flavour the noodles.

“The original recipe came from his grandmother’s mother and is one Julius has gone on to refine, so there is a nice story behind it too.”

While Hooton was impressed with Caesar’s understanding of flavour combinations and cooking techniques. 

“It was interesting to watch him make his five spice visually rather than measuring it out. He obviously had a process and really knew his flavours and wasn’t frightened to use spice.

“The guy clearly has a very mature palette, understands food trends and flavour combinations and is a really confident cook.”

The judges noted this year’s finalists had all found creative ways to hero the Lee Kum Kee ingredients, so it was only fitting that each walked away with more than $200 of Lee Kum Kee products.

Delighted to see Caesar take out the top prize, Eugene Rush, Marketing Manager at Acton International Marketing, said the New Zealand competition is part of a global initiative by Lee Kum Kee to help nurture Chinese culinary talent.

“We may be a small player on the global stage, but New Zealand has a strong tradition in Chinese cooking and there is real innovation happening across Asian cuisines here, whether it be Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Filipino, Japanese or Asian fusion.

“Competing against the best provides the finalists with a real opportunity for growth and inspiration, and the winner gets both recognition for their talents and a cash reward.”

Gilmours Marketing Lead Nadia Lopes congratulated Caesar on the win on behalf of event sponsors Gilmours and Trents. “As suppliers to thousands of restaurants and hospitality venues across the country, Gilmours and Trents are delighted to help support both the growth of developing chefs like Julius and Asian cuisine here in New Zealand.”

Held earlier this year due to Covid delays, the 2021 challenge saw 24-year-old Jacob Aomarere-Poole - a sous chef from Amayjen in Palmerston North at the time - take out top place with his dish of sweet and sour fish stuffed tofu, and daikon soy salad.

Renowned for inventing oyster sauce more than 130 years ago, Lee Kum Kee is one of the world’s most recognisable makers of authentic Chinese sauces and condiments and has been popular in both commercial and home kitchens across New Zealand since the 1970s. Acton International Marketing is Lee Kum Kee’s sole distributor in New Zealand.

The 2022 Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge has been proudly supported by Gilmours and Trents.

2022 New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge - calling for entries

2022 New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge - calling for entries

June 09, 2022

Entries are now open for Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge 2022

Have you got what it takes to compete at a national level?

The Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge is back, and organisers are looking for aspiring young chefs to compete for a $3,000 cash prize and the title of this year’s developing chef.

Would-be contestants have until 31 July to get their entries in. Open to all chefs aged 40 years and under and who are either working or training in New Zealand, entrants must first submit a Chinese or Chinese-inspired dish and video online, using a minimum of three Lee Kum Kee sauces or condiments.


Lee Kum Kee receives Coeliac New Zealand endorsement

Lee Kum Kee receives Coeliac New Zealand endorsement

March 28, 2022

Lee Kum Kee are proud to have several of their sauces recently endorsed by Coeliac New Zealand.

The Crossed Grain logo is a symbol nationally and internationally identified by those who need to follow a gluten free diet.

The logo gives consumers a quick reference point when shopping and faced with the uncertainty of hidden gluten in a product without the need to read the nutritional information panel.

By carrying the crossed grain logo, consumers can be assured that products are tested and certified to be gluten free, therefore ensuring there are choices on the shelves and in restaurants for everyone.

Lee Kum Kee is working with Coeliac New Zealand to have more of its range certified gluten free in the coming months.

Palmerston North chef takes out Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge

Palmerston North chef takes out Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge

February 22, 2022

Aspiring Palmerston North chef Jacob Aomarere-Poole has taken out top place at the Lee Kum Kee New Zealand Developing Chefs Challenge 2021.

Aomarere-Poole, a sous chef at Palmerston North’s Amayjen, competed alongside other finalists to take the top prize at the competition held in Auckland on February 21, 2022.


Sustainable packaging for Sunshine Pegs

Sustainable packaging for Sunshine Pegs

January 13, 2022

In an effort to reduce plastic packaging waste, we’ve upgraded the packof our Sunshine Pegs. The new cardboard cartons are sustainably sourced, recyclable, biodegradable, compostable and produced right here in New Zealand.
Acton donates to those in need

Acton donates to those in need

September 21, 2021

Acton have proudly donated pallets of Indomie noodles to a charity preparing food boxes for families in South Auckland that have been adversely affected by Level 4 lockdown. Over 3,000 food boxes have been distributed so far and have been warmly welcomed by those receiving them.