Food and beverage

Why invest in Auckland’s food and beverage sector

World-leading F&B producer

As the largest city of a country renowned for its food production, Auckland is a key hub of New Zealand’s food processing industry. Our region processes produce, protein and unique native flora and fauna, grown and sourced locally and from across the country.

• 384,000 hectares of rural land in the Auckland region
• 1000 food and beverage companies in Auckland

Efficient supply chain management

Auckland’s food and beverage supply chain is highly efficient, leading to better food safety, better food availability and supply, and a cost-effective system to take produce from farm to fork.

Operators within our supply chains are also highly competitive and frequently look to innovate and add value to the product or service they provide. For example, a commercial butcher might build an onsite meat packaging facility rather than sending meat off-site for packaging – ultimately reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

Safe and traceable food

Investors can leverage New Zealand’s reputation for exceptionally high standards in food quality and freshness. Free of animal diseases and with strong biosecurity measures, our country is a recognised leader in food safety and produce traceability.

Research and development capabilities

Auckland is home to several food research institutes and networks, such as Plant and Food, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and Landcare Research. New Zealand has four major universities respected globally for their agri-food research in new fruit breeds, food safety and sustainable land use.

• New Zealand spends NZ$500 million each year on agri-food research.

Food Innovation Network and The FoodBowl – Te Ipu Kai

New Zealand’s Food Innovation Network is a national collective of science and technology facilities for the food and beverage industry. Auckland’s FoodBowl – Te Ipu Kai is part of the network and specialises in processed and fast-moving consumer goods. It features seven state-of the-art process halls that companies can hire out and produce trial runs of new products for domestic and export markets.

Investment-ready

Auckland has a large bank of industrial land available for brown and greenfield site developments in the food and beverage sector. Mostly based in the south of Auckland, the sites provide significant opportunities to build affordable plants in smaller rural communities with access to Auckland’s transport network.

Co-investment with iwi and Māori food producers

Māori and iwi food producers are influential investors in food and beverage ingredient and raw material production. Their skills and knowledge can boost the scale of Auckland-based production companies, as well as provide strategic co-investment capital. Māori and iwi investors in food and beverage production include:

• Aotearoa Fisheries: the Auckland-based seafood group that is the largest fishery company in New Zealand. Aotearoa Fisheries owns Sealord (50 per cent), Moana Pacific, OPC and Prepared Foods.
• Te Tumu Paeroa: the cornerstone investor in Miraka (a dairy processor) and the administrator of many of New Zealand’s largest dairy, sheep and beef farms.

Key companies in Auckland

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