Can I bring Coffee and Coffee Products to New Zealand?
Coffee and Coffee Products→New Zealand
⚠️ Allowed with Conditions
General Rules Apply
We don't have specific rules for Coffee and Coffee Products yet. Below are the general rules for Tea and Coffee that apply to Coffee and Coffee Products.
📋 Carrying Limits
- Quantity Limit:2 kg per tea or coffee product type per consignment, including packaging (1 kg if the product contains meat or egg). All food in a personal consignment must total no more than 40 kg including packaging; this is not a 40 kg tea or coffee allowance. Green coffee beans can only be imported under the separate SPP.HUMAN standard; confirm the requirements with MPI.
✅ Declaration Requirements
⚠️Declare all tea and coffee, like any food, on the New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD). Every traveller must complete an NZTD, including New Zealand passport holders, babies and children; it is free and can be done on the online form, in the NZTD app or on a paper declaration. By air it can be submitted from 24 hours before your trip to New Zealand starts until you reach passport control; by sea, from 24 hours before the vessel leaves its last foreign port until it berths at its first New Zealand port. Declared products will be inspected by a biosecurity officer and clearance is not guaranteed.
Form needed: New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD)
📌 Quick Summary
🔗 Official Information Source:
Last Updated:October 23, 2026
📝 Important Notes
- ⚠️ CONDITIONAL — Must Declare
- Allowed if Conditions Are Met: Tea and coffee must be identifiable, unable to grow into plants, and clean and free of bugs, soil or disease.
- Packaging: Tea (tea bags and loose-leaf tea), herbal teas and whole roasted coffee beans must be commercially manufactured and packaged and in their original unopened packaging; homemade or repacked products do not meet this condition. Ground coffee and instant coffee do not need to meet this commercial-packaging requirement but must meet the other conditions.
- Additional Conditions:
- * Products containing honey, egg or meat must be commercially manufactured and packaged, unopened, not require refrigeration, and be labelled as containing less than 2% honey, 5% egg and/or 5% meat.
- * Products containing citrus (such as dried peel) must be dried and either powdered, preserved in brine or syrup, contained in infusion bags, or less than 5% of the product's weight.
- * Whole seeds in tea must be listed as “Basic” in the Plants Biosecurity Index (PBI) or heat treated under MPI-approved treatments (with a treatment certificate if treated offshore).
- * Green (raw) coffee beans can grow and can only be imported under the separate SPP.HUMAN import health standard; confirm the requirements with MPI before bringing them.
- Limits: 2 kg per product type per consignment, including packaging (1 kg if it contains meat or egg). All food in a personal consignment must total no more than 40 kg including packaging; this is not a 40 kg tea or coffee allowance.
- Declaration: Declare all tea and coffee on your New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD). A biosecurity officer will inspect them on arrival and clearance is not guaranteed. Non-compliant products may be treated, reshipped or destroyed at your expense. An incorrect biosecurity declaration risks an instant NZ$400 fine; serious breaches can bring fines up to NZ$100,000 or up to five years in prison.
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- NZ Coffee Culture: World-class, especially Wellington and Auckland. Excellent specialty roasters.
About Coffee and Coffee Products
When bringing Coffee and Coffee Products, ensure compliance with New Zealand Customs Service & MPI regulations. Bringing Coffee and Coffee Products for entry? Food items are always a focus for customs as they involve plant and animal quarantine risks. Confirming allowed types of Coffee and Coffee Products and declaration needs is the best way to avoid confiscation. 💡 Pro-Tip: Choose food items with full English commercial labeling to speed up customs inspection.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does Coffee and Coffee Products need to be vacuum-sealed for entry?
Vacuum sealing can significantly reduce the risk of confiscation, especially for meat or dried products. Additionally, Coffee and Coffee Products with complete commercial labeling and ingredient lists is more likely to pass inspection.
What should I consider when bringing Coffee and Coffee Products?
The most important thing when bringing Coffee and Coffee Products is to confirm if it exceeds the duty-free allowance or declaration threshold of your destination. It's recommended to keep purchase receipts and ensure Coffee and Coffee Products is in its original packaging for easier customs inspection. If the Coffee and Coffee Products is of high value, always use the red declaration channel.
❓ More Questions
Can I bring tea to NZ?
Yes, if conditions are met. Tea must be identifiable, unable to grow into plants, and free of bugs, soil or disease. Tea bags, loose-leaf tea and herbal teas must be commercially manufactured and packaged and in their original unopened packaging. Whole seeds in tea must be listed as “Basic” in the Plants Biosecurity Index or heat treated; tea containing citrus must be dried and either powdered, in infusion bags, in brine or syrup, or less than 5% citrus by weight; tea containing honey, egg or meat has extra packaging and labelling conditions. Limit: 2 kg per product type including packaging (1 kg if it contains meat or egg). Declare all tea on your NZTD; it will be inspected and clearance is not guaranteed.
What is a flat white?
Espresso-based coffee. Steamed milk over double espresso with thin microfoam. NZ's signature coffee.
Best coffee in NZ?
Wellington is the coffee capital. Try Flight Coffee, Customs Brew Bar. Auckland: Allpress, Kokako.
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