Te Mata Figs is a Hawke’s Bay based producer specialising in the cultivation of fresh figs and the creation of an award winning range of fig based pantry products. Based at “The Figgery” in Havelock North, the brand is built around the biological diversity of the fruit, growing nearly 30 different varieties, and a “waste not” philosophy that transforms every part of the harvest into high value functional foods.
Origin: Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay
Category: Pantry / Preserves, Spreads & Well being
Availability: Online, The Figgery Cafe, and selected NZ stockists
Website: tematafigs.co.nz
What Te Mata Figs actually makes
Te Mata Figs centres their range on the seasonal lifecycle of the fig. While the fresh fruit is a high demand seasonal delicacy available in late summer and autumn, their year round authority comes from their processed pantry range.
The Salame di Fichi (Fig Salame) is their signature technical achievement. Unlike meat based salami, this is a concentrated roll of dried figs and nuts. They have designed it to be sliced thinly, offering a dense, “chewy” texture and a deep, honeyed sweetness that acts as a structural anchor for cheese boards.
Beyond the preserves, they have pioneered functional products like Fig Powder. Developed as part of a sustainability initiative to ensure no fruit goes to waste, they use this powder to capture the dietary fibre and antioxidants of the fruit in a stable form. Their range also extends into Caramelised Fig Balsamic and Fig Bar snacks, each focusing on maintaining the integrity of the fig’s unique cellular structure, specifically that characteristic “crunch” of the seeds and the jammy density of the pulp.
Where Te Mata Figs fits in a real kitchen
Te Mata Figs sits firmly in the “pairing and enhancement” category. These aren’t products designed to be hidden in a complex recipe; they are designed to provide a specific sensory contrast, sweetness against salt, or softness against crunch.
The products work best when:
- They are paired with high fat components to balance the acidity.
- They are used as a textural element on a “shared table” or grazing platter.
- The goal is to add a concentrated fruit note without the water content of fresh produce.
You’ll see them used in:
- Charcuterie boards: Where the Fig Salame provides a non meat savoury sweet alternative.
- Gourmet breakfasts: Using their fig preserves or powders to add a “sun concentrated” sweetness to yoghurt or granola.
- Glazed meats: Using their Caramelised Fig Balsamic to finish roasted lamb or pork, where the sugars lacquer the meat under heat.
Ideas on how to use
Use their Fig Salame as a technical substitute for quince paste. Slice it into rounds and pair it with a strong blue cheese or a hard manchego. The tannins in the figs interact with the “funk” of the cheese to create a cleaner finish on the palate.
Their Caramelised Fig Balsamic should be treated as a finishing glaze. Rather than cooking it down, drizzle it over a finished salad of goat cheese and bitter greens. The acidity cuts through the fat of the cheese, while the fig solids provide a lingering, floral sweetness.
For the Fig Powder, think of it as a nutritional “boost” that doubles as a thickener. It can be whisked into smoothies or folded into muffin batters, where it adds a subtle earthy base note and improves the moisture retention of the bake.
Product highlights
The Salame di Fichi is the defining product for the brand. It is an exercise in preservation, concentrating the flavours of dozens of figs into a single, sliceable log. It is shelf stable and highly versatile for entertaining.
Their Fresh Figs are the ultimate luxury. Because figs do not ripen once picked, their proximity to the orchard ensures the fruit is harvested at the peak of its sugar concentration. They are fragile and require immediate consumption, making them a true “boutique seeker” item.
The Fig & Walnut Preserve brings a different profile. It is less about the “snap” of the seed and more about the “velvet” melt of the fruit pulp, punctuated by the earthy, bitter crunch of the walnut.
What separates Te Mata Figs from other preserve brands
The main difference comes down to varietal diversity and the “Figgery” ecosystem. Most commercial fig products use a single, high yield variety. They grow nearly 30 varieties, ranging from the large, honey sweet Brown Turkey to smaller, more acidic varieties. This diversity allows them to blend different flavour profiles, balancing sugar, acidity, and tannin, much like a winemaker blends grapes.
There is also a technical focus on minimal intervention processing. Because they own the orchard and the commercial kitchen, the “field to jar” time is negligible. This prevents the fermentation or bruising that often plagues figs transported over long distances.
In a supermarket jam, you often lose the “architecture” of the fruit, it becomes a uniform syrup. Te Mata Figs maintains the integrity of the fruit’s anatomy. When you eat their products, you can still identify the seeds and the skin, which provides a more sophisticated mouthfeel that signals high quality craft rather than industrial manufacturing.
Buying notes
Start with their Fig & Almond Salame if you are an entertainer; it is the most reliable “wow” factor for a cheese board. If you are looking for a daily pantry staple, their Fig & Ginger Jam offers a sharp, warming edge that works as well on morning toast as it does as a glaze for roast chicken.
Check the season before looking for fresh fruit. The main crop typically hits in late February through April. Outside of this window, focus on their “well being” range like the Fig Powder or the Fig Bars, which offer the same nutritional profile in a more accessible, year round format.
Editor’s take
Te Mata Figs only really makes sense if you appreciate the art of the pairing. If you eat one of their fig preserves on its own, it is just sweet. But when you place it next to a sharp, salty feta or a peppery salami, the “technical why” of the brand becomes clear. The fig acts as a bridge. It has enough acidity to lift heavy fats and enough earthiness to ground sharp acids.
They force you to be a more intentional cook. You aren’t just “adding jam”; you are adding a structural component that changes how the rest of the plate tastes. It is about the reality of a shared table, simple, high impact ingredients that do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to.
First image source: Te Mata Figs
