An Auckland bakery, Pakuranga Bakery, ceased selling its popular horse-meat pies, known as lo’i hoosi—a traditional Tongan dish—after Auckland Council inspectors found the horse meat was sourced from an unregistered supplier not approved for human consumption. The bakery had purchased pre-prepared filling from a local Tongan individual to meet customer demand but did not make the dish themselves. While eating horse meat is legal in New Zealand, commercial sale requires meat to come from a registered processor, of which only one exists nationally. The council emphasized that unapproved meat poses health risks due to potential contamination and disease.

This incident has sparked broader conversations about preserving Pacific food traditions within New Zealand’s strict food safety regulations. Prominent figures like Tongan Olympic champion Dame Valerie Adams have openly discussed horse meat as a cultural delicacy. Although no illnesses have been reported, New Zealand Food Safety is investigating the meat’s source, and legal penalties for selling unfit meat can be severe. The case highlights the ongoing challenge for Pacific communities to maintain cultural culinary practices while complying with food safety laws.