Originco Asian Mart is an Asian supermarket at 160b Victoria Ave, Tangiwai, in the Ruapehu district, holding a 4.4 rating from 34 Google reviews — a handy find in a small rural settlement. Asian supermarkets are worth browsing slowly, because the pantry shelves are the point: several kinds of rice, soy and fish sauces from different regions, noodles, spice pastes and frozen dumplings that turn a plain cut of meat into dinner. Fresh stock usually moves fast in small community stores, so what is out front tends to be fresh. Regulars ask the staff what has just arrived and stock up on staples while they can, since rural shops tend to get deliveries less often than city ones. Lesser-known regional brands are often better value than the familiar names. For a village the size of Tangiwai, a dedicated Asian supermarket on Victoria Ave is a welcome thing, and well worth a stop.