Barker's Foodstore comes to Auckland

2023-11-03

Barker’s of Geraldine has come to Tāmaki Makaurau! We’ve opened our third Foodstore & Eatery in Ponsonby, Auckland, adding to our Geraldine and Melbourne locations.

Any Aucklander will tell you that Ponsonby is a Foodie’s heaven and we’re excited to be positioned right in the centre of it all, at 8 Brown Street, Ponsonby Central. It’s a unique space, with a modern industrial feel inside and a beautiful private courtyard overlooking Brown Reserve.

Like the Geraldine and Melbourne eateries the food and beverages on offer showcases the Barker's range.

Our talented team put a lot of pride in our offering with a selection of pies, Southland cheese rolls, and toasted and fresh sandwiches, in the cabinet for those quick, easy lunches as well as a range of sweet treats. A brunch menu is on offer on weekends from 9AM to 3PM, including our fan-favourite house-made granola only available at the Barker's Foodstore.

There's a complimentary tasting station where you can make your own drinks with a selection of Barker's syrups. And choose your own condiments for your food too. If you find a new favourite, a select range of products are available for purchase from the Foodstore.

Our Foodstore Manager, Ford, a Barker's veteran, managed this project from start to finish. Ford has been with Barker's for 9 years, starting out in the factory, then onto the dispatch warehouse and Geraldine Foodstore. He was born in Tāmaki Makaurau and said he has a lot of family here so the move from Geraldine to New Zealand's biggest city didn't scare him. Ford says, "the best part of the process was seeing the plans on paper come to life as the fit-out took place and our café was built."

When asked how he would describe Barker’s of Geraldine to an Aucklander who had not heard of the brand before, Ford said “How have they not heard of Barker’s????!! Barker’s is an iconic Kiwi brand producing amazing sauces, chutneys, syrups and marinades... not just jam! Barker's has almost everything you could ever want in your fridge or pantry!"

Anette is our Front of House Manager. She lived in Canterbury for 13 years and says that Geraldine was always a mandatory pit stop on road trips further South. Her favourite Barker’s product is the Blood Orange, Lime & Bitters Premium Mixer Soda Syrup. She recommends adding it to crushed ice, topped with soda water, a slice of grapefruit, and a splash of gin (on weekends). Anette exudes warmth and positivity, and we are grateful to have this ray of sunshine in our Ponsonby team.

Introducing Martina, our Chef. If you think you’ve seen her down in Geraldine, you’d be correct. She spent three months earlier this year working at the Geraldine Foodstore and loved exploring the variety of Barker’s products and all the things she could make with them. When she knew she was moving up to Tāmaki Makaurau and heard about the Ponsonby Foodstore opening, she wanted to be a part of the Barker’s team again- and we’re glad to have her back! Martina says her favourite Barker’s product is the Dulce de Leche. Back in Argentina she used to have it with everything. She was happy to find a taste of home in Aotearoa.

Introducing Renzo, our Barista. Coming from Te Waipounamu/the South Island, he already knew of and loved Barker’s, particularly the Dulce de Leche, and the Fruit Compotes. At home, his favourite thing to cook is fish, or any kind of baking. We love having Renzo in our Ponsonby team.

For more information on our new Foodstore, follow @barkersfoodstore_ponsonby and check out the new Ponsonby Foodstore webpage.