Langdon backs third culture cuisine with NZD $15m hub

Global food ingredients supplier Langdon will invest more than NZD $15 million in a new warehousing and distribution facility in South Auckland as demand grows for so‑called third culture cuisine.

The company has commissioned Calder Stewart to build a 3,500 sq m site at Drury South Crossing. The development includes a 3,000 sq m warehouse and 500 sq m office and canopy.

The new facility will replace Langdon's existing Auckland warehouse. It will have more than double the capacity of the current site.

Langdon operates distribution businesses in seven countries. The company has supplied ingredients in New Zealand for around three decades.

Third culture cuisine describes dishes developed by people who grow up across more than one culture. These consumers combine family food traditions with local influences. The trend is creating new flavour profiles that now appear in mainstream food manufacturing.

Younger tastes

Langdon NZ Country Manager Kenny Pihema said younger consumers were reshaping New Zealand's eating habits at speed.

"Gen Z are the first generation to discover new flavours online rather than at home. Many of them are trying chillies, spices and global cuisines for the very first time through TikTok, food challenges and multicultural friend groups. That discovery loop is completely different from older generations and it is rapidly reshaping what manufacturers need.

"They want flavours that reflect who they are and where they come from. That shows up everywhere from fusion restaurants to ready meals. New Zealand food manufacturers and exporters are among the world's most innovative however, they need access to ingredients that simply were not part of the country's pantry a decade ago. This expansion is a direct response to that," said Pihema.

Pihema said many younger consumers came from multicultural households and sought flavours that match their blended identities. He said this was lifting demand for global spices, botanicals and natural powders.

He said social media trends were changing the way ingredients entered the market. Global heat challenges, spice tastings and cross‑cultural food formats were pushing named chillies and specific heat profiles into the mainstream.

"Heat is exploding at the moment, Gen Z are driving the chilli culture and experimenting at a scale we have never seen.

"Thirty years ago when we first launched in New Zealand, we offered less than a handful of chilli varieties. Today we supply more than 30 different formats and varieties. The pace of diversification is extraordinary and it is being driven by consumers who want global flavour experiences.

"Our Australian pantry has more than 2,500 ingredients. New Zealand isn't at that scale yet, but this warehouse takes us a long way toward giving manufacturers the diversity they now need," said Pihema.

Pihema said Langdon's customer base in New Zealand was split evenly between manufacturers and the food service and hospitality sectors. Both segments were showing signs of renewed momentum after several difficult years, he said.

He said rising interest in nutrition, gut health and clean label formulations was also influencing product development across the company's range.

"We're seeing positive signs of steady growth in hospitality. People are being more selective about where they dine but they are willing to invest in quality and experience. That influences what chefs create and what manufacturers produce, and ultimately it filters back into the ingredients we need to supply, he says.

Pihema said Langdon had signed a long‑term lease over the Drury site. Construction is scheduled to start in March, with completion expected in November next year.

Drury growth

Calder Stewart is New Zealand's largest industrial property and construction company. It is responsible for several large developments in the Drury South Crossing industrial precinct.

Sam Smith, North Island Development Manager at Calder Stewart, said the building design included a controlled aromatic zone and humidity systems.

"When you are working with ingredients like chillies, spices and coffee you cannot risk aroma transferring into a dairy or bakery input. The separation zones and climate control ensure product integrity and support the kind of innovation manufacturers are now delivering," said Smith.

Smith said Drury presented cost advantages for occupiers of large industrial sites. He said a similar project in other Auckland industrial hubs such as Mangere, Wiri or East Tamaki would incur an annual rent around 30-40 percent higher.

"A similar build in locations like Mangere, Wiri or East Tamaki would cost around 30 - 40 percent more in annual rent. Drury provides real value for long term occupiers while still giving excellent access to customers and transport networks.

"The new site sits on a high-profile corner with access for distribution and room for future expansion. The facility's higher stud height gives Langdon Ingredients significantly greater cubic capacity than its Mount Wellington site, aligning the local operation more closely with the company's larger flagship Australian warehouse," said Smith.

Smith said Calder Stewart used a vertically integrated delivery model on its projects. The company controls structural steel fabrication and logistics within its supply chain.

"We control the supply chain, including our own structural steel fabrication and logistics. That removes risk and gives occupiers confidence from design through to completion, which is crucial in the current environment."

Drury South Crossing has become one of the country's most active industrial zones. Calder Stewart is also developing facilities there for Briscoes Group and Wesfarmers subsidiary NZ Safety Blackwoods.

Calder Stewart has around seven hectares of developable land remaining in Drury. The company is in discussions with long‑term tenants and owner‑occupiers seeking facilities from 3,000 sq m to more than 20,000 sq m.

"Recent interest has been strong for our land holdings in Drury. We're in discussions with a range of both long term tenants and owner occupiers, with requirements from 3,000 square metres to over 20,000 square metres. As interest rates ease and construction costs stabilise, we expect activity to lift even further," said Smith.

Smith said changing consumer tastes were now influencing decisions in industrial property.

"When a global supplier expands at this scale, it shows how fast the food sector is shifting. Facilities like this give manufacturers the foundation they need to meet the new tastes transforming the country," said Smith.