OUR PHILOSOPHY

Marlborough Garlic’s key philosophy is to supply the domestic market throughout the year with in-season premium New Zealand garlic and shallots. Marlborough Garlic Limited grows all of the product that it packs and processes. 

OUR VISION

Quite simply, it is to be New Zealand’s Premier Garlic and Shallot Company, offering a sustainable supply of quality and superior tasting products to New Zealanders and abroad. 

OUR VALUES

In a few words, we value: innovation, experience, expertise, integrity,  sustainability of supply and a customer focus.

HOW WE GROW GARLIC AND SHALLOTS

Garlic is traditionally planted on the shortest day of the year, and harvested on the longest day of the year. We plant and harvest our garlic later in August/September because over time the varieties we use have adapted to New Zealand conditions. Garlic grows from a clove which dies over the course of the growing season, leaving in its place a shoot which in 6 months time becomes a bulb. Marlborough’s sunny but chilly winter conditions give garlic an ideal opportunity to grow well.

We plant garlic by machine and use a mix of machine and human labour for harvest. During harvest the leafy part of the plant is topped. Following time drying in the sun in the paddock, our garlic is cured using forced air dryers specifically built for drying garlic.

Before our garlic is ready for the market, the roots are clipped by hand and the product is cleaned in our pack house. Our field and pack-house staff are absolutely key to our operation. Their hard work and attention to detail ensures that quality product reaches your plate. 

Garlic requires very little chemical insecticide and pesticide spraying compared to other crops.

We are accredited under New Zealand’s GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) standard – www.newzealandgap.co.nz.

This means that we accurately record all chemical application, and use advanced quality assurance standards. We use approved fertiliser that is appropriate for food production.

TASTE

Our raw Marlborough garlic has a strong, pungent and slightly heated taste. A lot of people will associate garlic with having a strong, spicy flavour that mellows and sweetens when cooked. While cooking softens the flavour, roasting gives garlic a well-balanced nutty flavour.

PRODUCTS AND VARIETIES

We have a full range of fresh, dehydrated, crushed, peeled, and whole garlic products. We also have a range of garlic varieties.

We are in supermarkets and specialty stores throughout New Zealand. If the garlic you're buying is from NZ, it's probably from us.

NUTRITION

It is widely accepted that garlic can zap bacteria, keep your heart healthy, and ward off coughs and colds. New Zealand Garlic also transforms any meal into a bold, healthy and tasty gourmet experience.

TASTE

Shallots have a mild taste that combines the flavour of a sweet onion with a touch of garlic. They can be used in similar dishes to ones where garlic and onions are used, but have a more subtle gourmet taste than onions and tend to have a faster cooking time. Some varieties of shallots are more elongated than others, while some are more rounded.

PRODUCTS AND VARIETIES

We grow fresh whole Shallots and peeled Shallots. We grow a wide range of varieties from long slim ones to shorter round ones. 

We are in most supermarkets and specialty stores in New Zealand. If you have any questions about specifics or you want to stock our Shallots, click below.

TASTE

The fermentation process that produces black garlic reduces the pungent odour and strong flavour that garlic is known for. Instead, this palatable number has been compared to that of a dried fruit, smoky, sweet and slightly chewy. Others have said it tastes more like liquorice than garlic.

OUR NEWEST PRODUCT

NUTRITION

As well as inheriting the nutritional value of white garlic, black garlic has additional good stuff. The month long fermentation process that changes white garlic to black garlic creates a kind of super garlic. Black garlic has been found to have twice the antioxidant properties of conventional garlic. Moreover, the compound S-allycysteine, a natural component of fresh garlic is found in much greater concentrations in black garlic.