This is a list of notable companies based in New Zealand, a country in Oceania. For further information on the types of business entities in this country and their abbreviations, see "Business entities in New Zealand".
New Zealand is a wealthy country, with a relatively high GDP per capita and a relatively low rate of poverty. Since the 1980s, New Zealand has transformed from an agrarian, regulated economy to a more industrialised, free market economy that can compete globally. Since 1984, government subsidies including for agriculture have been eliminated; import regulations have been liberalised; exchange rates have been freely floated; controls on interest rates, wages, and prices have been removed; and marginal rates of taxation reduced. The restructuring and sale of state-owned enterprises in the 1990s reduced government's role in the economy. Many of the largest companies lost ground and new enterprises were established. [1] New Zealand companies are dependent on international trade, mainly with Australia, the European Union, the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Canada. The major capital market is the New Zealand Exchange, known as the NZX.
95% of the companies entirely within New Zealand are classed as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). [2] The Financial Reporting Act 1993 [3] defines a large company as one that satisfied at least one of two criteria:
Several of the largest firms are listed below:
Name | 2022 Revenues (NZ$ million) [4] | Employees (globally) | Revenue per Employee (NZ$ thousand) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fonterra | 22,953 | 19,608 | 1171 | New Zealand's largest company. A dairy giant that controls 30% of the world's dairy exports. |
Fletcher Building | 8,498 | 20,000 | 425 | Construction company, with a market capitalisation of over NZ$7 billion. |
Woolworths NZ | 7,585 | 20,000 | 379 | Retail chain; wholly owned subsidiary of Australia's Woolworths Group |
Air New Zealand | 2,734 | 8,860 | 308 | Flag carrier of New Zealand. |
Spark New Zealand | 3,694 | 5,144 | 718 | Largest telecommunications company in New Zealand. |
This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in the country. The industry and sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organisations which have ceased operations are included and noted as defunct.
For convenience, the word "Limited", which every company registered or re-registered under the Companies Act 1993 must have at the end of its name, is reduced to the common and universally recognised term "Ltd", which is a specifically permitted abbreviation under the Act. In the New Zealand registration system, unlike those of some other countries, the term "Incorporated" is restricted to societies (generally nonprofit) under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908. [5]
Name | Industry | Sector | Headquarters | Founded | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2degrees | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications | Auckland | 2009 | Telecommunications |
AFFCO Holdings | Consumer goods | Food products | Hamilton | 1904 | Meatworks, subsidiary of Talley's Group |
AHI Roofing | Industrials | Building materials & fixtures | Auckland | 1957 | Roof tiles |
Air New Zealand | Consumer services | Airlines | Auckland | 1965 | Airline (NZX: AIR) |
Airwork | Consumer services | Airlines | Auckland | 1984 | Airline |
Alliance Group | Consumer goods | Food products | Invercargill | 1948 | Freezing works |
Auckland Airport | Industrials | Transportation services | Auckland | 1998 | Airport (NZX: AIA) |
Aurora Energy | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Dunedin | 1990 | Electricity distribution, 100% Dunedin Council-owned |
Bank of New Zealand | Financials | Banks | Auckland | 1861 | Bank, subsidiary of National Australia Bank |
Barfoot & Thompson | Financials | Real estate services | Auckland | 1923 | Property sales and management |
Black + White Mobile | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications | Auckland | 2008 | Mobile phone sales |
Blis Technologies | Health care | Biotechnology | Dunedin | 2000 | Biotech |
Bridget Williams Books | Consumer services | Publishing | Wellington | 1990 | Publishing |
Cavalier Corporation | Consumer goods | Furnishings | Auckland | 1984 | Carpets (NZX: CAV) |
Cloudy Bay Vineyards | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Blenheim | 1985 | Winery – Subsidiary of LVMH |
Contact Energy | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Wellington | 1996 | Electricity generation and retail (NZX: CEN) |
Datacom Group | Technology | Software | Wellington | 1965 | IT services |
Designline | Industrials | Commercial vehicles & trucks | Ashburton | 1985 | Buses, defunct 2011 |
Douglas Pharmaceuticals | Health care | Pharmaceuticals | Auckland | 1967 | Pharmaceuticals |
Eurekster | Technology | Software | Christchurch | 2004 | Search engines, defunct c. 2010 |
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare | Health care | Medical equipment | Auckland | 1934 | Medical equipment (NZX: FPH) |
Fisher & Paykel | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Auckland | 1934 | Appliances – Subsidiary of Haier |
Fletcher Challenge | Industrials | Heavy construction | Auckland | 1981 | Diversified multi-national |
Fletcher Building | Industrials | Heavy construction | Auckland | 2001 | Construction and infrastructure (NZX: FBU) |
FMG Insurance | Financials | Full line insurance | Wellington | 1978 | Insurance |
Fonterra | Consumer goods | Food products | Auckland | 2001 | Dairy |
Foodstuffs | Consumer services | Specialty retailers | Auckland / Wellington | 1922 | FMCG |
GAS Petrol Service Stations | Consumer services | Specialty retailers | Auckland | 1999 | Fuel retailer |
Gecko Press | Consumer services | Publishing | Wellington | 2005 | Children's books |
Genesis Energy Limited | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Auckland | 1999 | Electricity generation, 51% government owned (NZX: GNE) |
Golden Bay Air | Consumer services | Airlines | Auckland | 2006 | Airline |
Griffin's Foods | Consumer goods | Food products | Auckland | 1864 | Snacks and biscuits, part of Intersnack (Germany) |
Grove Mill | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Marlborough | 1988 | Winery |
Harcourts International | Financials | Real estate services | Wellington | 1988 | Real estate sales |
Heartland Bank | Financials | Banks | Auckland | 2011 | Publicly listed registered bank and finance company |
Hubbard Foods | Consumer goods | Food products | Auckland | 1990 | Acquired by Walter & Wild, Cereals |
Infratil | Conglomerates | - | Wellington | 1994 | Airports, electricity generators and retailers (NZX: IFT) |
Invivo Wines | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Auckland | 2008 | Winery |
Jade Software Corporation | Technology | Software | Christchurch | 1978 [6] | Software |
KMD Brands | Retail | Outdoor and travel apparel, gear and accessories (NZX: KMD) | Christchurch | 1987 | Retailer Outdoor and travel apparel, gear and accessories |
Kiwi Property Group | Financials | Real estate holding & development | Auckland | 1992 | Property investment (NZX: KPG) |
Kiwibank | Financials | Banks | Wellington | 2001 | Bank, subsidiary of state-owned New Zealand Post |
Kordia | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Auckland [7] | 2003 | State-owned broadcaster |
Landcorp | Consumer goods | Farming & fishing | Wellington | 1987 | State-owned farming |
Macpac Wilderness Equipment | Consumer services | Specialty retailers | Christchurch | 1973 | Outdoors retailer |
Mainfreight | Industrials | Delivery services | Auckland | 1978 | Freight (NZX: MFT) |
McDonald's New Zealand | Consumer services | Restaurants & bars | Auckland | 1975 | Fast food chain, part of McDonald's (US) |
MediaWorks New Zealand | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Auckland | 2004 | Television |
Mercury Energy | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Auckland | 1999 | Electricity generation, 51% government owned (NZX: MCY) |
Meridian Energy | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Wellington | 1998 | Electricity generation, 51% government owned (NZX: MEL) |
My Food Bag | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Auckland | 2012 | Online retailer |
New Zealand Aluminium Smelters | Basic materials | Aluminium | Wellington [8] | 1971 | Aluminium |
Nextspace | Technology | Software | Auckland [9] | 2008 | Data management |
NZ Post | Industrials | Delivery services | Wellington | 1987 | Postal service |
NZX | Financials | Investment services | Wellington | 2002 | Exchange (NZX: NZX) |
Northport | Industrials | Transportation services | Marsden Point | 2000 | Port – 50% owned by Port of Tauranga |
NZ Bus | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Wellington | 1992 | Public transport provider. |
One NZ | Telecommunications | Mobile telecommunications, Fixed telecommunications | Auckland | 1998 | Telecommunications, 100% New Zealand owned. Formerly Vodafone NZ |
Pacific Edge | Health care | Medical equipment | Dunedin | 2001 | Bladder cancer diagnostic tools (NZX: PEB) |
Pernod Ricard NZ | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Auckland [10] | 1975 | Winery |
PGG Wrightson | Industrials | Industrial suppliers | Christchurch | 2005 | Agricultural supply (NZX: PGW) |
phil&teds | Consumer goods | Durable household products | Wellington | 1994 | Baby care products |
Pike River Coal | Basic materials | Coal | Wellington | 1982 | Coal mining – Defunct 2017 |
Port of Tauranga | Industrials | Transportation services | Tauranga | 1988 | Port (NZX: POT) |
Ports of Auckland | Industrials | Transportation services | Auckland | 1988 | Port |
Pumpkin Patch | Consumer services | Apparel retailers | Auckland | 1990 | Retail chain, defunct 2016 (NZX: PPL) |
Pushpay | Technology | Software | Auckland | 2011 | Mobile payment software |
Rakon | Technology | Software | Auckland | 1967 | Technology (NZX: RAK) |
Restaurant Brands | Consumer services | Restaurants & bars | Auckland | 1989 | Fast foods (NZX: RCD) |
Rocket Lab | Aerospace manufacturing and space launch services | Rockets, satellites | Auckland | 2006 | Technology (NZX: RAK) |
Ryman Healthcare | Health care | Health care providers | Christchurch | 1984 | Retirement villages and aged care (NZX: RYM) |
State Insurance | Financials | Full line insurance | Auckland | 1990 | Insurance, part of Insurance Australia Group |
SilverStripe | Technology | Software | Wellington | 2000 | Software |
Skellerup Holdings | Industrials | Diversified industrials | Christchurch | 1910 | Industrial/rubber (NZX: SKL) |
Sky Network Television | Consumer services | Broadcasting & entertainment | Auckland | 1987 | Television (NZX: SKT) |
Skycity Entertainment Group | Consumer services | Hotels | Auckland | 1996 | Hotels, casinos (NZX: SKC) |
SLI Systems | Technology | Software | Christchurch | 2001 | eCommerce solutions, search engines |
Solid Energy | Basic materials | Coal | Wellington | 1987 | State-owned coal mining, defunct 2018 |
South Canterbury Finance | Financials | Consumer finance | Timaru [11] | 1926 | Financial services, defunct 2010 |
Spark New Zealand | Telecommunications | Fixed line telecommunications | Auckland | 1987 | Telecom, formerly called Telecom New Zealand (NZX: SPK) |
Summerset Holdings | Health care | Health care providers | Wellington | 1996 | Retirement villages and aged care (NZX: SUM) |
Talley's Group | Consumer goods | Farming & fishing | Motueka | 1936 | Fishery |
Te Mata Estate | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Havelock North | 1919 | Winery |
The Warehouse Group | Consumer services | Broadline retailers | Auckland | 1982 | Retail stores (NZX: WHS) |
Todd Corporation | Oil & gas | Exploration & production | Wellington | 1884 | Energy |
Tourism Holdings | Consumer services | Travel & tourism | Auckland | 1984 | Tourism (NZX: THL) |
Tower Insurance | Financials | Full line insurance | Wellington | 1864 | Insurance |
Traffic Design Group | Industrials | Transportation services | Lower Hutt | 1976 | Traffic consulting |
TR Group | Finance | Heavy vehicle rental and lease | Auckland | 1992 | Also driver training, vehicle sales |
Trimax Mowing Systems | Industrials | Diversified industrials | Tauranga | 1981 | Turf equipment |
Trustpower | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Tauranga | 1993 | Electricity generation (NZX: TPW) |
Vector | Utilities | Conventional electricity | Auckland | 1999 | Electricity distribution (NZX: VCT) |
Vend | Technology | Software | Auckland | 2010 | Retail software |
Vista Group | Technology | Software | Auckland | 2014 | Cinema industry software (NZX: VGL) |
Wellington International Airport | Industrials | Transportation services | Wellington | 1998 | Airport, joint venture between Infratil and the Wellington City Council |
Westland Milk Products | Consumer goods | Food products | Hokitika | 1937 | Dairy products, part of Yili Group (China) |
Wētā FX | Entertainment | Film | Wellington | 1993 | Digital visual effects |
Wētā Workshop | Entertainment | Film | Wellington | 1987 | Visual effects |
Woolworths NZ | Consumer services | Food retailers & wholesalers | Auckland | 1949 | Grocer chain, subsidiary of Australia's Woolworths Group |
Xero | Technology | Software | Wellington | 2006 | Accounting software (ASX: XRO) |
Yealands Estate | Consumer goods | Distillers & vintners | Seddon | 2008 | Winery – Subsidiary of Marlborough Lines Limited |
Z Energy | Oil and Energy | Fuel, oil & diesel | Wellington | 1911 | Founded as Shell New Zealand |
Zespri | Consumer goods | Food products | Tauranga | 1997 | Fruits |
The economy of New Zealand is a highly developed free-market economy. It is the 52nd-largest national economy in the world when measured by nominal gross domestic product (GDP) and the 63rd-largest in the world when measured by purchasing power parity (PPP). New Zealand has one of the most globalised economies and depends greatly on international trade, mainly with China, Australia, the European Union, the United States, and Japan. New Zealand's 1983 Closer Economic Relations agreement with Australia means that the economy aligns closely with that of Australia. Among OECD nations, New Zealand has a highly efficient and strong social security system; social expenditure stood at roughly 19.4% of GDP.
A public limited company is a type of public company under United Kingdom company law, some Commonwealth jurisdictions, and the Republic of Ireland. It is a limited liability company whose shares may be freely sold and traded to the public, with a minimum share capital of £50,000 and usually with the letters PLC after its name. Similar companies in the United States are called publicly traded companies.
A joint-stock company (JSC) is a business entity in which shares of the company's stock can be bought and sold by shareholders. Each shareholder owns company stock in proportion, evidenced by their shares. Shareholders are able to transfer their shares to others without any effects to the continued existence of the company.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is the central bank of New Zealand. It was established in 1934 and is currently constituted under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 2021. The governor of the Reserve Bank, currently Adrian Orr, is responsible for New Zealand's currency and operating monetary policy.
A private limited company is any type of business entity in "private" ownership used in many jurisdictions, in contrast to a publicly listed company, with some differences from country to country. Examples include the LLC in the United States, private company limited by shares in the United Kingdom, GmbH in Germany and Austria, Besloten vennootschap (BV) in The Netherlands and Belgium, société à responsabilité limitée (SARL) in France, and sociedad de responsabilidad limitada (SRL) in the Spanish-speaking world. The benefit of having a private limited company is that there is limited liability.
New Zealand's Exchange, known commonly as the NZX, is the national stock exchange for New Zealand and a publicly owned company. NZX is the parent company of Smartshares, and Wealth Technologies.
A privately held company is a company whose shares and related rights or obligations are not offered for public subscription or publicly negotiated in their respective listed markets. Instead, the company's stock is offered, owned, traded or exchanged privately, also known as 'over-the-counter'. Related terms are unlisted company, unquoted company and private equity.
A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared goals.
Vista Group International Limited is a multinational tech conglomerate that provides technology for film distribution, exhibition and analytics globally. They are made up of eight businesses with more than 630 staff across offices in Auckland, Sydney, Los Angeles, London, Shanghai, Beijing, Mexico City, South Africa, the Netherlands and Romania. Its software is installed in cinemas in 116 countries. Vista Group is listed on both the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) and Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
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Serko Limited, known as Serko, is a travel management and expense technology company headquartered in New Zealand.