Step into the story of Lian Huat — from a tiny Mt. Roskill noodle shop in 1992 to a trusted name in fresh noodles and dumplings across New Zealand. A tale of family, flavour, and growth.
A Small Shop with a Big Dream
In November 1992, the smell of freshly made noodles drifted out from a modest Asian grocery on Stoddard Road, Mt. Roskill. Inside, the front of the shop welcomed customers looking for everyday pantry items, while the back held a humble noodle-making unit.
It wasn’t just a business — it was a family mission. Two factory workers and six family members worked in rhythm, producing noodles twice a day: before sunrise and again in the late afternoon. Each batch was packed fresh and delivered to the greater Auckland area, one box at a time.
Choosing the Noodle Path
Back then, Auckland’s Asian community was small, and retail demand for groceries was limited. The turning point came when we decided to close the store and focus entirely on noodle manufacturing.
It was a bold choice — and it meant starting from scratch to perfect our recipes. We began with Fresh Noodles, Hokkien Noodles, and Rice Noodles, experimenting with flour blends, textures, and colours until each product met our standards.
Adapting to a Changing New Zealand
As New Zealand’s food scene evolved, so did we. Southeast Asian migrants loved fresh and rice noodles, while newer arrivals from China brought a taste for Yang Chun-style noodles. We listened, learned, and added more variations, eventually expanding into Udon and Wonton Noodles too.
In the early days of marketing, there were no Facebook ads or email newsletters — just persistence. We hand-delivered samples to restaurants and cafés, then followed up with phone calls. Soon, our noodles were appearing in the aisles of Taiping, Dahua, Lim Chhour, and Fresh & Save.
The Big Move
By 2005, we had outgrown our small space. Moving to 5A Enterprise Drive in Henderson gave us a fully certified food-grade facility with two production lines — one for rice noodles and pre-cooked noodles, the other dedicated to Hokkien and Udon.
With more staff and more delivery vans, our reach extended beyond Auckland to Hamilton, Napier, Gisborne, and Dargaville.
Welcoming the Dumpling Era
A surge in immigration in the early 2010s brought new tastes and traditions to New Zealand. We embraced the opportunity by launching wonton wrappers and dumpling pastry in 2013 — a natural fit alongside our noodles. These products quickly found their way into homes, cafés, restaurants, and hotels from Whangarei to Wellington, Taupo to Christchurch.
From Local Favourite to Household Name
Today, our products are proudly stocked in Woolworths, New World, and Pak’nSave. What started in the back room of a small shop is now part of meals all over New Zealand.
What Hasn’t Changed
Our facilities are bigger, our product range is broader, and our delivery network is nationwide. But our promise remains the same:
- Freshness you can taste.
- Consistency you can trust.
- Care in every step, from dough to delivery.
Because for us, making noodles and dumplings isn’t just business — it’s a way to connect people through food. Every pack tells a story, and we’re proud to share ours with you.