As a mission-led company, Forty Thieves aims to 'fuel everyday and epic adventures'.
The brand believes that heading outdoors and overcoming challenges is what makes life worth living. This has helped define its values, which are woven into all decision-making.
“Not only do we ensure that our products are the best fuel for these adventures, but our deep respect for nature means we choose recyclable and recycled materials to reduce our impact on the environment,” said Shyr Godfrey, co-owner of Forty Thieves.
The brand recently attended the ‘Taste of New Zealand’ fair in Singapore, which enabled direct engagement with local shoppers and offered real-time feedback on the Forty Thieves range.
Attending the event provided networking opportunities with Cold Storage's Category Managers, General Manager, NZTE, the Trade Commissioner, and several other New Zealand manufacturers who were also going through a similar journey.
Being part of a New Zealand-focused event strengthened the brand’s prominence, quality and natural ingredients, enhancing trust and visibility in a competitive market.
“We made a number of store visits to Cold Storage, Forty Thieves' largest retailer in Singapore. It's a well-planned and designed supermarket chain offering high-quality produce and premium groceries,” said Godfrey.
“Unlike New Zealand, where a lot of food is made locally, approximately 90 percent of the food in Singapore is imported from 150+ countries. This means there is a wide variety of different brands and products on offer and lots of competition.”
Forty Thieves products are also available in various online stores in Singapore, including RedMart and Shopee. Godfrey mentioned that the brand was experiencing up to 40 percent growth through these channels.
Visiting Singapore gave Godfrey a better understanding of the country’s diverse population and their specific shopping habits, including price comparison online before purchasing.
Due to the large number of brands and products on offer, Godfrey shared her thoughts on the importance of packaging design and call-outs.
“Our playful visual branding has helped in getting us a spot on premium supermarket shelves like Cold Storage as well as attracting customers to give them a try.”
She added that while plastic remains the dominant packaging material in Singapore due to its cost and convenience, offering Forty Thieves in sustainable options like glass is well-suited to Cold Storage shoppers with evolving values towards more sustainable products.
In addition to its packaging choices, Forty Thieves measures and offsets its carbon emissions, supporting the restoration of native forests. As Singaporean shoppers become more conscious of their environmental impact, the brand wants to ensure that its products meet their expectations, without compromising on value or flavour.
Based on Auckland’s Hibiscus Coast, the Forty Thieves factory produces quality yet affordable products that are both healthy and delicious. Across roasting, milling, mixing, bottling, and labelling, their staff perform a range of checks throughout the production process so that every product is consistently excellent.
Godfrey said the quality of their products comes from ingredient selection, roast, texture and getting the ratios of each ingredient just right.
“Whether it be a touch of pink salt in our Peanut Butter Crunchy or the right amount of crunchy seeds, herbs and black pepper in the SuperFood Butter, this is what makes the difference,” added Godfrey.
“We’re experiencing a great level of growth both locally and overseas. The next few years will see Forty Thieves expanding production capabilities, closing distribution gaps and continuing to show up for our customers so they can fuel their everyday and epic adventures.”