Supie review
Update: As of Monday 30 October 2023, Supie is no longer in business. The online supermarket was placed in voluntary administration by its owner.
This review will remain live for reference purposes.
The breakdown
- Our price comparison research showed Supie was the cheapest for more products than Countdown, New World, or Farro.
- Filter products based on your dietary requirements or values.
- Supie has a no-waste ordering model and a strong range of sustainable and ethical products.
Author: Kevin McHugh, Head of Publishing at Banked.
What is Supie?
Supie is an online-only supermarket that sets out to offer a fairer and better way for Kiwis to do their grocery shopping.
Supie tries to cut costs, reduce waste, and ensure both customers and NZ food producers get a better deal. One of the ways it does this is by cutting out the middle man and removing the need for the brick-and-mortar stores we have been used to for years.
Launched in 2021, Supie was initially only available to those based in Auckland, but now customers from all across New Zealand can purchase from Supie via The Market. Buying through The Market does mean customers miss out on some benefits, but Supie hopes to open up the full Supie service to all Kiwis through its website soon.
How it works
As a digital supermarket, all shopping is done online with Supie. Here we look at the experience of purchasing groceries from the Supie.co.nz website.
Shopping
As with any online store, you can browse for products in different categories (fruit and veg, pantry, beverages, and so on) or simply use the search bar to type and find what you need.
But what makes Supie stand out from the competition is the ability to filter products by your diet requirements or values. As someone on a gluten-free diet, I found this made the shopping experience much more convenient and allowed me to browse freely without having to read product label after product label.
In effect, this filter function allowed me to create my own food shopping experience based on my dietary requirements. It’s also possible to apply multiple filters, meaning you can choose to view just products that are both vegan friendly and grain free, for example.
There is also no shortage of filter options. The diet filters include:
- Gluten free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Dairy free
- Preservative free
- No added sugar
- Plant based
- Soy free
- Lactose free
- Paleo
- Keto
- Nut free
Among many others. The value filters include:
- NZ made
- Organic
- GMO free
- Recyclable
- Cruelty free
- Palm oil free
- Compostable
- Free range
- Fair trade
- Halal
- Kosher
Again, this is just a selection of many value filters Supie has.
Delivery
Once you’ve filled up your cart, it’s time to check out and arrange your delivery. You’ll be presented with a range of delivery slots that are available over the next 10 days, so you can select the time and day that works for you.
As Supie is entirely online, there is no click-and-collect option.
If any of the items you ordered cannot be fulfilled (if they become out of stock, for example), you have the choice of whether you get a refund for that item or allow Supie to swap it for a similar item.
I received a reminder text message on the day of my expected delivery, and my groceries arrived as expected during the allotted 2-hour window.
All packaging was recyclable — from the cardboard boxes to the shredded cardboard wraps used to secure more fragile items like glass containers.
One box was insulated and contained chilled ‘eCryO’ tiles to keep cold and frozen food at the right temperature. These tiles can be returned to Supie and used again, plus Supie adds credit to your account when it gets the tiles back.
There were two items missing from my order so I contacted Supie’s customer service through the online chat tool on its website. I then found out that those items were not in stock and that I would have the money refunded to my card.
It wasn’t a big problem, but it would have been better to be informed that these items wouldn’t arrive before the groceries were shipped.
Supie choice
When it comes to choice, Supie is generally comparable to New World and Countdown. I didn’t find one or two items I might have typically bought, but suitable alternatives were always available in those cases.
Supie has all the major brands you might expect but also has a substantial range of smaller brands, especially those that are New Zealand based.
There’s no shortage of options if you want to make your shopping habits more eco-friendly and sustainable. If you are a fan of products from more ethically or sustainability-minded brands such as will&able, If You Care, ecostore, Reform, and many others, you’re well catered for with Supie.
Price comparison — Supie vs New World, Countdown and Farro
Price is one of the main considerations we have when grocery shopping, especially right now. So how does Supie compare with the competition when it comes to cost?
To find out, we gathered prices for 30 everyday items available at Supie, New World, Countdown, and Farro. These products were from across various categories, including fruit and veg, drinks, bakery, household products, and so on.
In our price comparison, Supie proved to be the cheapest option for more items than any of its competitors.
| Store | Cheapest item count | Total price (for 30 items) |
|---|---|---|
| Supie | 10 | $265.03 |
| New World | 9 | $279.15 |
| Countdown | 7 | $262.72 |
| Farro | 5 | $269.40 |
The online supermarket was either the cheapest or joint cheapest for 10 out of the 30 items. New World was second with 9, Countdown was cheapest for 7 items, while Farro was cheapest or joint cheapest for 5 items.
However, when looking at the total price for all 30 items, Countdown was a couple of dollars cheaper than Supie ($262.72 vs $265.03).
Research note
All prices were gathered on 1 February 2023. Full details on the items compared and individual prices for each can be found in this spreadsheet.
This price comparison represents a snapshot in time and involves a limited product selection. Your experiences at each store may vary.
Delivery prices
Supie’s delivery fee is $15, which is in line with the other big supermarkets. However, unlike Supie, other stores offer a click-and-collect service, which is cheaper than delivery. Note that Pak ‘n Save does not have a delivery option.
| Store | Delivery free |
|---|---|
| Supie | $15 |
| New World | $15 for orders $1 to $199.99 $10 for orders $200 and over |
| Countdown | $14 |
| Farro | $15 |
Top Supie features
Supie is a little different from the pack for a number of reasons.
Commitment to sustainability
Supie demonstrates its commitment to sustainable practices in a number of ways.
- It has a no-waste ordering model in which it only orders from its producers when needed.
- All delivery materials are recyclable and/or reusable, including its eCryO chiller tiles.
- It features a strong range of brands that offer more sustainable and ethically sourced products.
I also like Supie’s no-waste food bundles that let consumers buy products close to their use-by dates for a discounted price.
Excellent product filters
I like Supie’s comprehensive list of filters allowing consumers to shop according to their dietary requirements and values.
For people with particular dietary requirements or limitations, this not only makes shopping easier, but it also lets them browse for new products they haven’t tried before without having to obsessively check the ingredients of each.
This is true also for values. Whether you’re committed to organic or GMO-free products or want to support NZ producers, the values filtering options give you those choices, among many others.
Supie+
Supie+ is a membership option that offers subscribers several benefits, including:
- Free delivery on orders over $70
- Cashback of 2-10% on all products
- Priority delivery during peak periods
- Access to exclusive deals and discounts
- Free sample products.
Supie+ membership costs $99 per year, but shorter-term options with a lower equivalent value are available ($49 for four months and $14 for one month).
Price Promise
If you find a product cheaper at either Countdown, New World, or Farro (hint: we found some in our product comparison section above), Supie will refund the difference. You will just need to provide proof of the lower price elsewhere, such as a screenshot.
They will also credit your account with $5 ‘Supie Cash’ for your next shop.
Supie’s price promise only applies to products at Countdown, New World, or Farro stores in the Auckland region.
Referral programme
Supie also has an attractive referral programme called ‘Give $20, Get $20’.
It works like this:
- You refer a friend to Supie using a link available when you log in
- Your friend gets $20 to use on their first order. This order must be for at least $100.
- When they make their first shop, you’re rewarded with a $20 credit to your account.
There is no limit to the number of friends you can refer, but remember that the $20 expires three months after being added to your account.
Pros and cons of Supie
Pros
- Supie has a commitment to sustainability, from its no-waste ordering model and recyclable delivery materials, to its support of sustainable and ethical brands.
- An excellent filtering system makes shopping by dietary needs and values easy.
- Supie’s prices are often lower than other supermarkets.
- Find an item cheaper at either Countdown, New World, or Farro, and Supie will price match and give you a $5 credit.
Cons
- No click-and-collect option.
- The full Supie experience is currently only available to those in Auckland.
The verdict
Supie wants to disrupt the supermarket duopoly that many feel is shortchanging New Zealanders. And it’s off to a great start.
The supermarket start-up combines a demonstrable commitment to sustainability with a great shopping experience (its diet and value filters should become the norm) and competitive prices.
Its online-only model may not appeal to those who like to wander the aisles of their local store, but Supie should be able to win over plenty of new shoppers — especially among those that care as much about sustainable shopping practices as they do about getting the best price.
