With the risk of “asking the question is answering it”: New Zealand seems to be quite stict with bringing food into the country. When flying into NZ, does anyone have experience with bringing sports nutrion or should we just purchase everything in NZ?
Bring it with you and declare it. Should be fine.
You can read about the rules here https://www.mpi.govt.nz/bring-send-to-nz/bringing-and-posting-items-to-nz/check-if-you-can-bring-or-send-an-item-to-nz/bringing-food-to-nz/
Short version (at least my understanding of it) - processed, packaged food (like sports food) is fine. Fresh food is not. The sniffer dogs will pull you aside if you’ve got anything fresh.
Or you could support the local economy by paying twice as much for your nutrition as in your home country.
With the risk of “asking the question is answering it”: New Zealand seems to be quite stict with bringing food into the country. When flying into NZ, does anyone have experience with bringing sports nutrion or should we just purchase everything in NZ?
“For other food items, you can generally bring food into New Zealand that has been commercially prepared and packaged, is shelf-stable (i.e. is safe to eat within four months without being stored in a refrigerator), and unopened. Again, all food must be declared.”
Unopened, pre-packaged stuff is perfectly fine (ie gels, sachets of powder etc). The really strict stuff is on meats, fruit & vegetables, etc for the obvious reason that bugs and diseases could be introduced.
When you’re flying in you’ll get a form to fill out on whether you have anything to declare. Make sure to just declare it (food items) and explain to the person what it is. Shouldn’t be an issue. As long as it’s declared, even if it’s not allowed they’ll just bin it. If you fail to declare it and they find it, you’ll be fined $400 on the spot and potentially prosecuted (they take it super serious).
You can read about the rules here https://www.mpi.govt.nz/...bringing-food-to-nz/
Short version (at least my understanding of it) - processed, packaged food (like sports food) is fine. Fresh food is not. The sniffer dogs will pull you aside if you’ve got anything fresh.
Or you could support the local economy by paying twice as much for your nutrition as in your home country.
I have not checked yet what they have on course, but if there is powdered Gatorade at twice the price, I am fine to roll with that (I just concentrate powdered gatorade, table sugar and table salt then I just use whatever they have on course after that).
You can read about the rules here https://www.mpi.govt.nz/...bringing-food-to-nz/
Short version (at least my understanding of it) - processed, packaged food (like sports food) is fine. Fresh food is not. The sniffer dogs will pull you aside if you’ve got anything fresh.
Or you could support the local economy by paying twice as much for your nutrition as in your home country.
I have not checked yet what they have on course, but if there is powdered Gatorade at twice the price, I am fine to roll with that (I just concentrate powdered gatorade, table sugar and table salt then I just use whatever they have on course after that).+
Maurten Gels This is your official Hydrogel Sports Fuel. The GEL 100 and GEL 100 CAF 100 is available on-course
Told them about my energy bars and gels and stuff when I traveled there a few years ago. No issue with packaged food.
I race imnz 2x and no issues bringing in packaged food muesli soy milk gels maltodextrin stroop waffles etc just declare and they might look or might not. However I would avoid anything overtly honey eg honey stinger anything with honey clearly listed in name or as an ingredient that I know didn’t make it through for some other athletes, my stroopwaffels no issue even though I’m sure they are exactly the same product as honeystinher just because it isn’t written in the name. Friends racing in wanaka before had it confiscated (they declared it and it was taken and thrown). Ymmv.
They tend to be a bit strict with any fruit based products so I wouldn’t probably bring dried or canned fruit definitely no fresh even from the plane, you might be OK but might not.
You can buy everything in taupo for food bread fruit etc, it’s just kind of pricey in NZ everywhere for everything other than ultra low grade bread butter and on sale stuff… , gels bars drink mix co2 etc either get in Auckland, Hamilton or pay a small premium and get at the expo or local bike shops my only concern would be shortages as there are a lot of athletes. BTW The maurten rep is a nice lady she had a booth for imnz and some good deals - they are both on course and for sale at the expo, from memory 5 or 7nzd per gel drink mix etc which is less than Europe or USA by quite a bit. Free bottle too with 10 items from memory. Can buy tailwind and a few other brands online I’m guessing u could ship to your motel or residence but would be a nightmare if it arrived late.