![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4JPB082_burtfield_s_butter_jpg.jpeg\")
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\nThe Burtfield’s brand is imported from the United States by Dairyworks and packaged at their Christchurch site in the suburb of Hornby.
\nPhoto: supplied\n<\/p>\n
Cut-price American butter on supermarket shelves is causing confusion among some shoppers because it’s packaged like the Kiwi product.<\/p>\n
The Burtfield’s & Co brand is sold at some Pak’nSave supermarkets around the country, where it undercuts New Zealand product on price.<\/p>\n
Imported in bulk by Dairyworks, it’s packaged in 500 gram blocks and wrapped in familiar yellow paper at the company’s Canterbury site in the Christchurch suburb of Hornby.<\/p>\n
Federated Farmers dairy chair Karl Dean said the American product should have clearer country of origin labelling, so consumers know exactly what they’re buying.<\/p>\n
Some people have missed the small print on the back stating the butter is packed in New Zealand and imported from the United States.<\/p>\n
“Obviously for the consumer it is a possible alternative,” Karl Dean said<\/p>\n
“But I would say the comments that have been raised online, many people find the country of origin labelling a bit hard to find.”<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4JPB0A5_american_butter_jpg.jpeg\")
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\nThe sunny yellow block (left) is New Zealand made product, while the American butter from grain fed cows is a paler tone.
\nPhoto: supplied\n<\/p>\n
Usually the international brands are typically easier to distinguish on the shelves, he said.<\/p>\n
Some consumers have been surprised when they’ve opened a block at home, because it doesn’t resemble the sunny yellow colour they’re used to seeing.<\/p>\n
“There is international butter that’s sold in New Zealand, but I think that’s in foil packaging, it’s in a smaller block, a more premium type product,” Karl Dean said.<\/p>\n
“Where as here we have a product that looks very, very similar in terms of our paper packaging.”<\/p>\n
Dairyworks head of marketing and innovation Maja Szarmach said the USA product has “certainly created some healthy debate.”<\/p>\n
“It was always intended as a test for us,” she said.<\/p>\n
“It’s actually going pretty well. We’re really pleased with how it’s been performing so far. It has been around for a month or two.”<\/p>\n
The paler product, coming from grain fed cows is priced in the range of $6.49 to $6.99 for a 500 gram block.<\/p>\n
Value focused local butter is starting at around $7.29 for home brand products in the same sized packet.<\/p>\n
The Dairyworks spokesperson said the company took advantage of a period when American butter prices were low enough to offset freight costs for the 12,000 or so kilometre trip.<\/p>\n
“If you think about NZ butter, it is a premium global product, most of the butter that is produced here is exported,” Szarmach said.<\/p>\n
“So local prices are pretty much driven by global market rates not just what it might cost to produce the butter here.<\/p>\n
“Think of it as a bit of an opportunity, or a window where the US butter price was at a bit of a low, so we could source that butter and bring it into New Zealand at a competitive price.”<\/p>\n
Dairyworks is owned by Synlait. It also imports some cheese from abroad, but it won’t be rushing to bring more in at that at this stage.<\/p>\n
“We’re pretty proud to obviously have a lot of great Kiwi cheese right at our doorstep and within our portfolio,” she said.<\/p>\n
“There’s definitely potential for that, but at the moment we’re just focussing on this butter and seeing how that goes as a trial.”<\/p>\n