Who would have thought that the Latino flavor could reach such a remote place as New Zealand, and furthermore, all the way from the top north to the bottom south. This last place has been recently covered by our Latino spice down there in Invercargill to be more exact, thanks to the first Latino coffee shop over there.
The first Latino coffee shop of Invercargill, you read that right! Kanki’s offers you products from all over Latin America from various ingredients and spices typical of Latino cuisine to all kinds of desserts of our foreign lands! Let’s know a little bit about this amazing business.
When was Kanki’s born?
This Latino coffee shop started more than 2 years ago as a marketer, only selling the Venezuelan icon Harina Pan among the Latino community, then continued with home delivery of products, where we, former La Tienda Colombiana (now Latino Foods) offered to distribute our products on the city, Kanki's studied the market and realized this empty niche in the city, which generated that Kanki's opened its first store along with other entrepreneurs.
In that 6-month process, Kanki’s meets its current Business Partner Somewhat Green with whom it moved on and opened its own Cafe Shop on the corner of 156 Tay Street.
Today, Kanki’s is a store with products from Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Peru, along with the best Colombian coffee and fresh Latin food such as empanadas, churros, papa rellena, alfajores, and cupcakes.
Who is behind Kanki’s?
One of the most interesting things about this place that makes you feel at home is the owners. Kanki’s is the product of the effort and love of a couple of Latinos: Claudia from Chile and Mauricio from Colombia.
This couple arrived in the kiwi country 4 years ago, always wanting to start a business because they both love everything related to that industry. They came to Invercargill for work and found the possibility of starting their own business, which they decided to do without a doubt in the face of an opportunity.
We had the opportunity of talking to Claudia, owner of Kanki’s, and we asked her some questions about her business and the challenges she and her husband faced starting this amazing and lovable place.
That being said, below you will find our questions and her answers!
What has been the most difficult and the most gratifying thing about starting a business in New Zealand?
“The most difficult thing of starting a business in this country has been the uncertainty caused by being an immigrant in a country with an unstable immigration policy, which generates a lot of stress when making decisions.
However, the most gratifying this that has happened to us in this journey has been the support of the Latino community, locals, and vendors who have witnessed the growth of Kanki’s.”
How is the Latino community doing Invercargill?
“The Latino community has received us in the best way, everyday we have new and loyal customers who push Kanki’s to be even better. Our coffee shop has become the meeting point of many people who enjoy Latino culture.
Our fresh food vendors are Latino community entrepreneurs, eager to grow. Kanki’s creates the space for them to become known in the market and grow as a business”.
This story is an example of the never-give-up culture of our Latinos, a sixth sense of our Latino blood that makes us be resilient and always stand out in any part of the world, fighting for our dreams and always keep trying to reach our goals.
Kanki’s invites every Latino in the Southland with a business idea who wants to bring it to life, to approach Kanki’s to share their ideas and work together to reach common goals.
We invite you to follow our friends at Kanki's on Instagram! @kankis.nz
And if you ever go to Invercargill, don't hesitate to visit them!
156 Tay Street, Invercargill 9810, New Zealand
+64221679238
You can also take a look at our many distributors across New Zealand HERE!
Thanks for reading!
Latino Foods Team.