Made in Nelson Tasman: Neudorf Black, New Zealand Black Garlic

Welcome to a new We Love Local supplier story, where we delve into the heart and soul behind New Zealand’s local treasures. Through insightful email interviews, our cherished small-batch producers tell us more about their inspiring journeys, their deep connections to the community, and the unique spark that sets them apart. Join us as we uncover the passion, challenges, and sustainability ethos that drive these local food heroes, alongside their favourite products and where to find them.

Introducing Neudorf Black based in the Nelson Tasman Region, where a passion for New Zealand’s best black garlic turned into a mission. From saving a beloved local product to creating a brand that’s become synonymous with quality and culinary innovation, they’re enhancing Kiwi meals and health with the umami flavour that is black garlic.

Could you share with us the story behind starting your business?

We spent 8 years living in Asia, the birthplace of black garlic. However, our first tasting experience of Black Garlic was 40 minutes from our New Zealand home, at the local market in Nelson, New Zealand.

While still overseas, we heard that the black garlic producer whom we had met at Nelson Market was looking for a buyer before closing down his business. Unwilling to let New Zealand’s best black garlic fade into the sunset, we bought his black garlic oven and recipe. We moved home to our property on Neudorf Road, Upper Moutere in December 2019, excited to make something we loved and could sell with integrity. We chose Neudorf Black as a brand that leverages and contributes to the reputation of Neudorf Road in the Tasman region and encourages brand recognition when you think about New Zealand black garlic.

What do you love most about running a small business in your region, and how are you involved with the community?

Nelson Tasman is a melting pot of amazing food and beverage producers. Our local business chamber and agencies recognise the importance of small businesses to the region and support our efforts to build businesses that enhance the region’s profile. Networking and collaborating with other local producers has helped us come a long way in a relatively short time. We support local chamber initiatives, and Noël is currently the chairperson of the Moutere Artisans, which is a collective of 17 artisans based in the Moutere, a small countryside area. We also support the nationally renowned Nelson market every Saturday.

What do you believe sets you apart, and what are you most proud of?

We set out to surprise and delight food lovers with New Zealand black garlic, and we are grateful we’ve been able to raise the profile of such nutritious food and create black garlic products that people can use every day while enhancing the flavour of their meals.

Your favourite local product?

It’s hard to choose just one favourite local product! You’ll always find two jars of Pic’s peanut butter in our pantry, though—one smooth and one crunchy.

Where can people buy your products?

We attend as many food shows up and down the country as we can, so folks can taste our black garlic range for themselves and work out which product suits them best. Good specialty grocers and delis around the country should stock our product, and you can always purchase directly from our online store. Otherwise, you will always find us at Nelson Market on a Saturday.

At We Love Local, sustainability is a core value. How does your business align with these values, and what future initiatives do you have planned to further these goals?

Sustainability is important for Neudorf Black too. We are currently certified as a carbon-friendly business, which means we estimate and offset our carbon emissions on an annual basis. We aim for a zero-waste process and carefully consider the impact of all our decisions, especially our packaging and shipping choices.

Running a small business comes with its unique set of challenges. Could you describe some of the obstacles you’ve encountered and how you’ve overcome them?

Navigating regulations and compliance to operate a business within the NZ Food Act framework was a steep learning curve to begin with, and perhaps it was a blessing that we had no idea how difficult it would be when we started! We got there though, mostly by tapping into the knowledge base of other local producers.

Thank you for sharing your inspiring journey with us. We’re thrilled to feature Neudorf Black’s exquisite products in the following NZ gift boxes, bringing a taste of innovation to homes nationwide: