New Zealand doesn’t grow rice. Every grain eaten in the country, from the jasmine rice in a Thai takeaway in Christchurch to the white rice in a Pasifika family’s pot in South Auckland, comes in by ship. That makes the job of Thai rice importers New Zealand businesses depend on a fairly simple one on paper and a fussy one in practice: bring in good rice, clear biosecurity without trouble, and keep the shelves full.
We’re De Thai Products 1989 Company Limited, a rice miller and exporter in Chachoengsao, Thailand. We mill, grade and pack our own rice and ship it worldwide. This page is our offer to Thai rice importers New Zealand wide: the grades we supply, full specifications, bags and private label, how we ship to Auckland, Tauranga and Lyttelton, the paperwork for biosecurity, and how ordering works.
Table of Contents
Who Thai Rice Importers New Zealand Supply
The New Zealand rice market is small next to Australia’s, but it’s varied for its size. The buyers we talk to usually sell into one or more of these groups:
- Asian supermarkets and grocers in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and Christchurch
- Thai, Chinese, Indian, Korean and Southeast Asian restaurants and takeaways
- Pacific Island communities, who eat a lot of white rice and buy in big bags
- Mainstream supermarket private label programmes
- Food service distributors supplying cafes, hospitals, rest homes and schools
- Food manufacturers making ready meals, sushi, snacks and rice flour products
Each group wants something slightly different, which is why most Thai rice importers New Zealand has end up carrying several grades. Jasmine and Hom Mali for the fragrant segment, white rice for everyday volume, glutinous rice for desserts, and broken rice for processing.
The Rice We Sell
| Product | Typical New Zealand use |
|---|---|
| Thai Hom Mali rice | Premium fragrant rice, Asian grocers, Thai restaurants |
| Thai jasmine rice | Fragrant rice at a lower price, supermarkets and takeaways |
| Organic jasmine rice | Health food stores and organic ranges |
| White rice 5% broken | Everyday long grain, Pacific community bulk bags |
| White rice 25% broken | Budget bags and food service |
| Thai glutinous rice | Sticky rice for Thai and Lao cooking and desserts |
| Brown rice and red cargo rice | Wholegrain and health ranges |
| Parboiled rice | Food service kitchens that hold rice hot |
You can mix any of these in one container. For smaller Thai rice importers New Zealand side, that’s usually the only sensible way to buy, since a full box of a single grade can take months to sell in a market this size.
Specification: Thai Hom Mali Rice
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Variety | Thai Hom Mali (KDML105 / RD15) |
| Grain | Long grain, milled and polished, sortexed |
| Purity | 92% minimum |
| Broken grains | 4.5% maximum |
| Moisture | 14% maximum |
| Chalky kernels | 6% maximum |
| Yellow kernels | 0.2% maximum |
| Crop year | Current season, confirmed at booking |
| Packing | 5kg, 10kg, 25kg or 50kg bags, private label available |
Specification: Thai Jasmine Rice
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Origin | Thailand |
| Grain | Long grain, white |
| Broken grains | 5% maximum |
| Moisture | 14% maximum |
| Foreign matter | 0.1% maximum |
| Purity | 95% minimum |
| Shelf life | Up to 24 months stored properly |
| Packing | 1kg, 5kg, 10kg, 25kg or 50kg bags |
Specification: White Rice 5% Broken
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Grain | Long grain, well milled, double polished |
| Broken grains | 5% maximum |
| Moisture | 14% maximum |
| Purity | 95% minimum |
| Foreign matter | 0.1% maximum |
| Damaged and discoloured | 1% maximum each |
| Chalky grains | 2% maximum |
| Packing | 5kg to 50kg bags |
If your buyers want tighter numbers, for example brokens under 3% on a premium Hom Mali line, tell us before booking and we’ll grade for it. More on how Thai grades are measured on our rice standard page.
Biosecurity Comes First
New Zealand takes biosecurity more seriously than almost anywhere we ship to, and rightly so. For Thai rice importers New Zealand clearance is the step that decides whether a shipment is a smooth one or an expensive one. Rice is a stored plant product, so it has to meet the import health standard that applies to it, and the rules are set and enforced by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
We can’t tell you the exact current conditions for your product, because they get reviewed and the importer is responsible for checking them. What we can tell you is what usually comes up:
- The rice has to be clean, free of soil, seeds of other plants and live insects
- A phytosanitary certificate from the Thai authorities, with any required declarations
- Fumigation or treatment where required, with a matching certificate
- Clean, sound containers and packaging
- Correct documents lodged before or on arrival
- Possible inspection at the border
We work to that standard every time. Containers are checked before loading, rice is cleaned and sorted, and we fumigate where required. If a load ever does get held, the cause is nearly always a document detail, so we send every document as a draft first for you or your broker to check.
Customs entry and duties go through New Zealand Customs. Thai rice usually qualifies for preferential tariff treatment under the trade agreements New Zealand has with Thailand and ASEAN, as long as the certificate of origin is right.
Food Labelling
Retail packs sold in New Zealand have to meet the joint Australia and New Zealand food standards for labelling: product name, net weight, country of origin, importer name and address, lot or date marking and so on. Most Thai rice importers New Zealand based sell under their own brand, so we print your artwork, but it’s your label and your compliance. Send us the final approved text and we’ll match it exactly. If you sell into Australia as well, we can print one bag that works for both markets.
Bags and Private Label
- 1kg and 2kg consumer packs, vacuum packs on request
- 5kg and 10kg printed laminated bags, with handles if you want them
- 25kg PP woven or laminated bags for food service
- 50kg PP woven bags, mostly for white rice going to bulk buyers
- Your brand, English and any community language you need
- Plain export bags with standard marking for repacking
The process is simple. You send artwork, we prepare a proof, you approve, we print. First print runs take a little longer. After that, we can keep printed bags in stock at the mill for repeat orders.
Shipping to New Zealand
For Thai rice importers New Zealand shipments we load at Laem Chabang and Bangkok. Most rice to New Zealand goes via a transhipment hub such as Singapore or Port Klang, or sometimes through an Australian port.
| Port | Approx. transit from Thailand |
|---|---|
| Auckland | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Tauranga | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Wellington | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Lyttelton (Christchurch) | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Port Chalmers (Dunedin) | 4 to 6 weeks |
These depend on the line and the routing, so we confirm with the carrier before you sign. A 20ft container takes about 25 tons, or a little less with small retail packs. Our page on how many tons of rice fit in a 20ft container has the details. Delivery terms are usually FOB Thailand or CFR your port under the ICC Incoterms rules.
Minimum Order
One 20ft container, and you can mix grades and bag sizes in it. A lot of Thai rice importers New Zealand side take something like half Hom Mali or jasmine, a quarter white rice and the rest glutinous rice or broken rice. That spreads the stock across what actually sells. See our minimum order quantity page for more.
Pricing
We don’t publish fixed prices for Thai rice importers New Zealand buyers, or anyone else. Rice moves with paddy supply, the baht and the Kiwi dollar against the US dollar, export policy in other origins, and freight. Freight to New Zealand in particular can be a big share of the landed cost because of the distance and transhipment, so always compare CFR prices, not just FOB.
What changes your price:
- Grade. Hom Mali costs more than jasmine, jasmine costs more than white rice.
- Bag size and printing. Small printed packs cost more per ton.
- Organic certification
- Delivery terms and port
- Volume and how regularly you order
For background, see Thai Hom Mali rice price per ton, Thai jasmine rice price per ton and FOB vs CIF rice price. The Thai Rice Exporters Association publishes weekly reference prices if you want to watch the market.
Documents We Provide
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Bill of lading
- Certificate of origin for preferential tariff treatment
- Phytosanitary certificate
- Fumigation certificate where required
- Certificate of analysis, and independent survey report on request
- Halal certificate, organic certificate and non-GMO declaration on request
For Thai rice importers New Zealand customs brokers usually want documents early, so we send scans as soon as the vessel sails and originals by courier straight after.
How an Order Works
- You send grades, tonnage, bag sizes, port and terms.
- We send a dated offer and arrange samples by courier.
- You cook and test the samples.
- We agree a contract with the spec written in.
- Deposit or letter of credit is arranged.
- We mill, pack, check and load.
- Documents go to you, your broker or your bank.
For Thai rice importers New Zealand orders in plain bags, loading usually happens two to four weeks after contract. Printed retail packs add some time on the first order.
Payment Terms
New buyers usually pay a deposit by bank transfer with the balance against copy documents, or open a letter of credit at sight. Repeat buyers can talk about other terms. One rule we’d give any of the Thai rice importers New Zealand has: never pay 100% up front to a seller you’ve never traded with and can’t check. Fake rice sellers target small importers every year.
7 Proven Tips for Thai Rice Importers New Zealand Based
1. Get your biosecurity paperwork sorted before you order
Check the current import conditions for each product with MPI or your broker. Then tell your supplier exactly what the phytosanitary certificate and treatment certificate must say.
2. Mix your container
In a small market, a mixed container keeps stock fresh. Fragrant rice especially loses aroma if it sits too long.
3. Watch the crop year on fragrant rice
New crop Hom Mali smells and cooks noticeably better. Ask for the crop year in writing.
4. Cook the samples in a rice cooker
That’s how most of your customers will cook it. Then leave it on keep-warm and see how it holds.
5. Compare landed cost, not FOB
Freight and transhipment add a lot on the way to New Zealand. A cheap FOB price can end up expensive at the wharf.
6. Get the label right first time
Check the food labelling rules before you approve bag artwork. Reprinting bags is slow and costly.
7. Start with one container
Test the whole chain once, from our mill to your warehouse, then build a regular programme.
Mistakes We See
The common one is a held container because a document didn’t quite match. A different consignee name, a missing declaration on the phytosanitary certificate, a container number typed wrong. Another is buying too much fragrant rice at once and having it go flat on the shelf. And some Thai rice importers New Zealand side buy on the lowest FOB quote without checking the freight, then find the landed price is worse than a dearer offer with better routing.
Thai Rice Compared With Other Origins
New Zealand gets rice from Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, the United States and others. Australian medium grain is strong in mainstream supermarkets. Indian and Pakistani basmati owns the basmati shelf. Vietnam competes on price with its own fragrant rice. Thai Hom Mali is still the benchmark for jasmine-style rice, and that’s why Thai rice importers New Zealand wide keep it as their premium line. Customers who grew up on Thai fragrant rice notice the difference, and they’ll pay for it.
Our Quality Control
Every lot we ship to Thai rice importers New Zealand wide is tested for moisture, brokens, chalky, damaged and discoloured grains and foreign matter before packing. Rice is cleaned, de-stoned, polished and colour sorted. Fragrant rice is packed close to milling to keep the aroma. Containers are checked for cleanliness and dryness before loading, which matters a lot for New Zealand biosecurity. We keep retained samples from every shipment. See our quality control page.
Storage Advice
- Keep bags on pallets, off the floor and away from walls
- Keep the warehouse cool, dry and ventilated
- Store fragrant rice away from strong smells, it picks them up
- First in, first out, especially for Hom Mali and jasmine
- Check regularly for insects
White rice keeps well for up to two years, which suits Thai rice importers New Zealand buyers who hold safety stock. Fragrant rice is best sold within a year for full aroma.
Pacific Communities and Big Bags
One part of the market people outside New Zealand often miss is the Pacific community. Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands, Niuean and Fijian families, churches and community groups cook rice in big quantities, for Sunday lunch, funerals, weddings and fundraisers. They buy white rice in 20kg, 25kg and even 50kg bags, and they care a lot about price per bag.
For Thai rice importers New Zealand side who serve South Auckland, Porirua or parts of Christchurch, white rice 5% or 25% broken in big bags can move real volume. It’s not glamorous, but it turns over fast. We’d suggest a strong woven bag with a clear brand, because the bag gets reused and people remember it.
Restaurants and Takeaways
Thai restaurants are everywhere in New Zealand, from city centres to small towns. They want fragrant rice that cooks the same every day and holds in a warmer through a busy dinner service. Most buy 25kg bags through a distributor. If you supply them, consistency matters more than anything. A restaurant that gets a different-smelling rice from one week to the next will change supplier. That’s why Thai rice importers New Zealand restaurants rely on usually stick with one mill for their fragrant rice, and why we keep the same paddy sources and milling settings for regular customers.
Retail and Supermarkets
Supermarket buyers care about the bag, the barcode, the price point and steady supply. They’ll ask for food safety certifications and they’ll ask for continuity. If you’re pitching a private label rice to a chain, talk to us early. We can give you specs, certificates and a sample run of packs for the range review. Thai rice importers New Zealand chains work with need to show they can keep the shelf full for a year, not just fill the first order.
A Buyer Example
An Asian grocery distributor in Auckland started with one mixed container: 10kg Hom Mali in his own bag, 25kg jasmine for restaurants, some glutinous rice and a few hundred bags of white rice for a Pacific church group that bought in bulk. The Hom Mali sold fastest, and the glutinous rice was gone before Songkran. On the second order he doubled the Hom Mali and cut the white rice to a pallet. That’s how most Thai rice importers New Zealand has learn their mix. Order, watch what moves, adjust.
Planning a Steady Supply
With four to six weeks of transit, running out is easy and fixing it is slow. Set a regular volume with us, maybe a container every month or two, and keep a few weeks of safety stock. We’ll plan milling and printed bags around your schedule so loading is quick when you need it. Thai rice importers New Zealand wide who order on a fixed rhythm almost always pay less and stress less than those who buy only when the warehouse is empty.
How to Check a Thai Supplier
Ask for the mill address and visit it, or ask for a live video tour. Ask for company registration and export licence. Ask for references. Ask for samples from the real lot with a sealed counter-sample kept at the mill. Any genuine miller will be comfortable with that. Thai rice importers New Zealand based should be wary of anyone who won’t show the mill, quotes far below market, or wants full payment before shipping.
Seasons Worth Planning For
A few dates move rice in New Zealand. Chinese New Year and Diwali lift demand from Asian grocers. Songkran in April pushes sticky rice for Thai and Lao families. Christmas and the long summer break slow down food service in some places and speed it up in tourist towns. Pacific church events run all year but peak around holidays. With transit taking over a month, Thai rice importers New Zealand side need to book festival stock at least two months ahead. Tell us your calendar and we’ll plan around it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you sell directly to Thai rice importers in New Zealand?
Yes. We sell straight from our mill to importers and distributors.
Can you print our own brand?
Yes. Private label is standard for us.
Can I mix grades in one container?
Yes, and most New Zealand buyers do.
Do you supply organic rice?
Yes, organic jasmine rice with certification.
How long does shipping take?
Usually three to six weeks, depending on port and routing.
Can I visit the mill?
Yes, or we can do a live video tour.
Work With a Mill That Supplies Thai Rice Importers New Zealand Wide
Send us the grades, tonnage, bag sizes and port. We’ll come back with a dated offer and samples. You can also browse our products, our brands and about us, or read Thai rice importers Australia and how to import rice from Thailand.
De Thai Products 1989 Company Limited. Email info@dethairice.com, WhatsApp +66 81 034 6390, or use our contact page.
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