The morning felt almost celebratory as the long-awaited blue-and-yellow giant finally swung its doors open in Sylvia Park, Auckland, drawing in crowds that had been counting down for more than two years. You could almost picture the scene: that subtle hum of excitement, families weaving their way toward the entrance, a few people joking that they’d only come for the meatballs and would somehow leave with a flat-packed living room. The company chose this moment to greet Aotearoa properly with a warm, confident Kia ora, signaling not just an opening but the start of a very long-term relationship.