Christmas critter: Extra surprise in bag of Pak'nSave buns

Lee Durham just needed a few more supplies for a Christmas party he was planning at the weekend, but wasn't expecting on taking home an extra.

Running around inside a freshly made bag of Pak'nSave baps from the Silverdale store in Auckland, he says was a cockroach.

Shocked, Durham's wife Sokha ran and grabbed her husband, Lee, who couldn't believe his eyes.

"We didn't know about it until we got home because it was hiding itself in between the rolls and as she turned the bag over, as she was about to open it, the thing ran out.

"She left the bag closed."

Foodstuffs said this seemed to be an isolated incident as an investigation found the Pak'nSave store was up-to-date with its pest control protocols.

Durham said after taking pictures and a short video, he emailed and then called Pak'nSave to tell them of the find.

"We bought it on Saturday because we were having a Christmas party on Sunday. I kept the bag with the cockroach in it."

This bag of baps from Pak N Save Silverdale carried an extra surprise for Lee Durham. Photo / Lee Durham

Durham said the cockroach is now dead but is today still inside the bag with the buns.

"I went back to the supermarket and they said they've gone all through all of their procedures, and we've got our records of when the pest people came and we're trying to make sure that this doesn't happen again, we're very sorry and they offered a $25 voucher.

"I didn't want a $1000 but $25 is an insult."

He said he wasn't complaining to get any sort of compensation but felt $25 wasn't enough.

"The way they went around it kind of ground me the wrong way. If they'd offered $50 or $100, that's no skin off their nose, they're a big company.

"I wasn't doing it for money but they took so long to do it. It took four days for them to come back with an answer."

Durham said he turned down their offer of the $25 voucher.

Spokeswoman for Foodstuffs New Zealand, Antoinette Laird, said after Durham alerted the Silverdale store to his find, they'd spoken to him a number of times and investigated.

"The investigation showed the store is up to date with their pest control protocols and there are no indications of any current issues.

"This does seem to be an isolated incident and fortunately neither staff nor other customers have encountered any similar issues."

Laird said at this time of year, they encouraged vigilance around food storage.

"The heat and humidity can play havoc with food if it is not stored correctly and unsavoury little critters can make an appearance if not kept covered or refrigerated."

The $25 voucher was above the standard store approach which is to refund and replace any product that is not acceptable, Laird said.