Bay of Plenty Business News November/December 2018

Bay of plenty 

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 VOLUME 3: ISSUE 11 WWW.BOPBUSINESSNEWS.CO.NZ FACEBOOK.COM/BOPBUSINESSNEWS 

Westpac Tauranga 

Business Awards 

JENKINS 

FRESHPAC’S 

INNOVATIVE 

APPROACH WINS 

TOP AWARD 

By DAVID PORTER 

Jenkins Freshpac Systems 

– which has built on its 

136-year heritage by 

incorporating a highly innovative 

approach to using technology 

in the horticultural sector 

– took out the overall win at 

this year’s Westpac Tauranga 

Business Awards. 

Jenkins Freshpac also won 

Vodafone’s Embracing Digital 

Technology Award, and the 

You Travel Service Excellence 

category. 

Major kiwifruit grower and 

post-harvest operator Seeka 

won the University of Waikato 

Corporate Leadership award. 

The company has evolved 

over the years from a post-harvest 

business to New Zealand’s 

largest kiwifruit grower and 

specialised supply chain management 

company, with operations 

around New Zealand and 

in Australia. 

A new award category of 

Corporate Sponsorship sponsored 

by Air New Zealand 

was taken out by Carrus Corp, 

against strong competition 

from many of the region’s 

leading businesses and highlighted 

the contribution the 

sector makes to the community. 

Organisers noted that the 

corporate sector’s contribution 

comes directly off their bottom 

line, and was important to 

acknowledge their contribution. 

(Detailed coverage of all 

award winners can be found 

on our special feature on pages 

12-17 of this issue). 

“This year we continued to 

see local businesses embracing 

technology as the cornerstone 

for carefully considered and 

well-structured strategy,” said 

head judge Andrew Hitchfield 

of Vodafone. 

“We felt that regardless 

of the original motivation for 

entering the awards the process, 

which combines rigour 

plus internal review and external 

assessment, makes the process 

beneficial for all.” 

Stan Gregec, chief exec- 

Jenkins Freshpac chief executive Jamie Lunam and his team 

celebrate the company’s wining of the overall award. 

utive of award organiser, 

Tauranga Chamber of 

Commerce, said the awards’ 

strength sat with the high calibre 

of judges who all put in 

hours of time and expertise 

to visit each entrant. Their 

feedback on their assessment 

is regarded as one of the 

strong benefits to entering the 

awards. 

“This year we had a very 

high standard of entrants, with 

a strong focus on technology 

and particularly in the kiwifruit 

sector,” said Gregec. 

Robotics Plus 

Yamaha ups investment in 

Bay company 

P6 

The Seeka team celebrates the Corporate Leadership win with chief executive Michael 

Franks. Photos by Natalie Murdoch Photography, courtesy Tauranga Chamber of Commerce. 

This year we continued 

to see local businesses 

embracing technology 

as the cornerstone for 

carefully considered 

and well-structured 

strategy. 

– Andrew Hitchfield, 

Vodafone, head judge 

Livingstone 

Papamoa project boosts 

builder’s Bay presence 

P18 

Franchising 

Sector still strong for new 

business owners 

P32

2 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS November/December 2018 

We support 

kiwi business. 

So you can keep 

businessing. 

To find out how 2degrees can help 

your business contact Andy Bell 

on 022 200 0256 

MC9312A 

MC9312A BUS Bay of Plenty FP ad V1.indd 1 

15/08/18 11:55 AM

BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS November/December 2018 

3 

Kiwifruit to milk for Bay’s McBride 

Zespri’s retiring chairman Peter McBride has made the step 

from one large primary producer to another with his election in 

November to the Fonterra board to fill one of three vacancies. 

By RICHARD RENNIE 

Bruce Cameron 

His election at the AGM 

sent a resounding message 

from farmer shareholders 

about their level of 

dissatisfaction with the previous 

board. 

McBride’s appointment 

accompanied that of former 

director Leonie Guiney, who 

had been muzzled by Fonterra 

directors after missing out on 

being re-elected last year. 

One director position 

remained unfilled as remaining 

candidates did not reach 

the required 50 percent level 

of support. 

Tauranga-based McBride 

announced in October his 

decision to step down from 

his five-year chairmanship in 

February 2019. 

He will be replaced by deputy 

chairman Bruce Cameron, 

a long-time kiwifruit grower 

who has been a director of 

Zespri since 2010. 

McBride’s departure from 

Zespri marks the end of a 

17-year stint on the kiwifruit 

marketing group’s board, 

and he played an instrumental 

role in the industry’s 

re-establishment in the 

post-Psa environment. 

Describing that period to 

Bay of Plenty Business News 

as the start of a “very long 

dark tunnel,” he and then-chief 

executive Lain Jager were able 

to convince growers to commit 

$25 million of their own 

cash to match the government 

dollar for dollar to get the 

industry back on its feet after 

the outbreak. 

Eighteen months after the 

November 2010 outbreak, 

Jager and McBride presented 

bankers with a road map 

to financial recovery for the 

industry, with the Gold 3 kiwifruit 

variety being the centrepiece 

as an alternative more 

Psa-tolerant variety to the devastated 

Hort16a species. 

“Really the risk was asymmetrical,” 

said McBride. “It 

was a far greater risk to do 

nothing, than to do what we 

presented, despite it being 

unproven.” 

From that point the industry’s 

fortunes have taken an 

almost unbroken upswing. 

Orchard gate returns have 

doubled, orchards are selling 

for $1.1 million per ha, and 

overseas markets are clamouring 

for a fruit variety more popular 

than the one it replaced. 

But the Psa outbreak 

was closely followed by the 

Chinese importing scandal that 

We have 

demonstrated 

time and again the 

cohesiveness of our 

[kiwifruit] industry 

and our ability to 

act in its common 

interest. 

– Peter McBride 

resulted in a Zespri staff member 

being imprisoned in China, 

Zespri repaying thousands in 

forgone customs, and being 

subjected to a Serious Fraud 

Office inquiry in New Zealand 

over possible tax evasion. That 

investigation did not find evidence 

of such activity. 

Zespri moved to become 

the “importer of record” for 

China, removing the rights 

from its China-based importer 

and taking complete control 

over the distribution chain. 

McBride said the entire episode 

taught Zespri some valuable 

lessons, particularly about 

not compromising on values, 

and learning to send clear, 

sometimes blunt, messages to 

the market about the intention 

to retain those values. 

Zespri has been committed 

to a “one company, one 

culture” philosophy, built on 

integrity in supplier-distributer 

relationships. 

Peter McBride 

“Our kiwifruit industry has 

stepped through a number of 

challenges, but we have demonstrated 

time and again the cohesiveness 

of our industry and 

our ability to act in its common 

interest,” said McBride. 

Dairying background 

McBride’s move to Fonterra 

is one he is well-equipped to 

make. He began his career as 

a sharemilker with his wife 

Linda, before moving from 

South Waikato to Te Puke 

and converting a dairy unit to 

one of the country’s first Gold 

kiwifruit orchards in 1999. 

He is also chief executive of 

Trinity Lands, a large dairying 

and orchard enterprise based 

largely in South Waikato. 

In stepping up to his new 

role at Fonterra, McBride has 

acknowledged it is still early 

days for him to get under the 

hood of the country’s largest 

company. 

However, he maintained the 

co-operative needed to have a 

better base understanding of 

what its key strategy is, and the 

reasons why it exists. 

He noted how quickly the 

co-operative has dropped its 

“Velocity” and “Volume” components 

from its “3V” strategy 

launched by previous chief 

executive Theo Spierings. 

McBride said one of his 

early tasks on the board would 

be to work on rebuilding 

farmer shareholder trust in 

Fonterra, which has been eroded 

over recent years. 

Business buyer – 

is your next adventure on this page? 

Thai Restaurant. Good Lease $89,000 

Thriving Garden Centre $1,350,000 

Tauranga 

• Great opportunity to secure a long term 

lease in fantastic location 

• Little direct competition 

• Fresh quality food - always made fresh 

Bay of Plenty 

• Excellent location on a busy road in a 

major Bay of Plenty city 

• Reliable full time and part time staff 

enthusiastic with their jobs 

• Well known profitable store 

linkbusiness.co.nz/BPW00862 

Camella Anselmi 027 445 4121 

camella.anselmi@linkbusiness.co.nz 


Mike Fraser 021 932 633 

mike.fraser@linkbusiness.co.nz 

European Travel Business $560,000 

Work On Water. $241K Profit $489,500 

Watch Your Money Grow $3,200,000 

Relocatable 

• Dream job - sustainable income while 

travelling in Europe 

• Successfully operated for 30 years 

• Earned the owners around $180,000 

profit for the 2018 financial year 


• Key service contracts in place with 

limited competition 

• Business can be relocated 

• Owner operator business with 2 x 

experienced part time staff 

Tauranga 

• Buy into a successful proven NZ-wide 

franchise - Investment purchase! 

• Situated in a busy thriving city 

• Annual revenue and net profit trending 

upwards year in year out 


Lisa Lloyd 027 685 4556 

lisa.lloyd@linkbusiness.co.nz 


Mark Robinson 021 524 766 

mark.robinson@linkbusiness.co.nz 

SOLD 


Mike Fraser 021 932 633 

mike.fraser@linkbusiness.co.nz 

No Stock, No Staff, $70K PA $171,000 

Hamilton 

• A near fully automated trading system 

with a high-tech device very much in 

demand - poised for more growth! 

• Can be run from anywhere on any laptop 

• Work up to 20hr/w - low IT skills needed 


Steve Cox 027 452 8332 

steve.cox@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Tourism Related Business $650,000 

Tauranga 

• Home based with minimum investment in 

plant and equipment required 

• $371K profit in 2018 financial year 

• Mainly administration based with 

customer service requirements 


Grant Jacobson 027 454 0432 

grant.jacobson@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Automotive Service Centre $349,000 

SOLD 

Tauranga 

• Sited on a busy road with great profile to 

passing traffic 

• Long history of over 10 years provides a 

solid customer base 

• Good lease in place until 2029 


Grant Jacobson 027 454 0432 

grant.jacobson@linkbusiness.co.nz 

Bay Business Brokers Ltd - Licensed (REAA08) 

NZ’s most awarded business brokerage 

8 OFFICES NATIONWIDE. 26 FOURTH AVE, TAURANGA 

Connecting business 

buyers & sellers since 1996 

0800 225 999 

LINKBUSINESS.CO.NZ


CONTACT 

INFORMATION 

PUBLISHER 

Alan Neben 

Ph: (07) 838 1333 Mob: 021 733 536 

Email: alan@nmmedia.co.nz 

SALES DIRECTOR 

Deidre Morris 

Ph: (07) 838 1333 Mob: 027 228 8442 

Email: deidre@nmmedia.co.nz 

EDITOR 

David Porter 

Mob: 021 884 858 

Email: david@nmmedia.co.nz 

STUDIO MANAGER 

Tania Hogg 

Ph: (07) 838 1333 

Email: production@nmmedia.co.nz 

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 

Kelly Milne 

Ph: (07) 838 1333 

Email: kelly@nmmedia.co.nz 

ADVERTISING 

INQUIRIES 

BUSINESS DIRECTOR 

Pete Wales 

Mob: 022 495 9248 

Email: pete@nmmedia.co.nz 

ELECTRONIC 

FORWARDING 

EDITORIAL: 

News releases/Photos/Letters: 

david@nmmedia.co.nz 

PRODUCTION: 

Copy/Proofs: 

production@nmmedia.co.nz 

SUBSCRIPTIONS: 

info@nmmedia.co.nz 

Neben Morris Media specialises 

in business publishing, 

advertising, design and print 

media services. 

Bay of Plenty Business News has 

a circulation of 8000, distributed 

throughout Bay of Plenty between 

Waihi and Opotiki including 

Rotorua and Taupo, and to a 

subscription base. 


Suite 4, 117 Willow Street 

Tauranga, 3110 


www.bopbusinessnews.co.nz 

12 Mill Street, Hamilton 

PO Box 1425, Hamilton, 3240 

Ph: (07) 838 1333 

www.nmmedia.co.nz 

From the editor 

It’s the time of the year when 

business awards become a 

focus for local business. 

The Westpac Tauranga 

Awards - now hosted in the 

city for almost three decades 

- drew a full house at Bay 

Arena, with Jenkins Freshpac 

Systems taking out the top 

accolade this year. 

Innovation was again a 

major awards focus. Jenkins 

Freshpac also won the 

Embracing Digital Technology 

and the Service Excellence 

Awards, as well as making 

the finals in the Customer 

Experience and Workplace 

Safety Awards. 

Jenkins Freshpac is typical 

in some ways of the businesses 

in the region. The company 

relocated from Auckland in 

2013 and opened a new purpose-built 

facility in Tauriko. 

And it has continued to 

build a strong position across 

the horticultural sector for 

its sophisticated labeling and 

packaging technology and 

services. 

Please see our cover story 

overview on page one and full 

details on pages12-17 for more 

about the local companies that 

were recognized this year. 

The Te Puke Business 

Excellence Awards have now 

been running for a decade with 

Jellicoe Industrial Park, run 

by John and Warren Dohnt, 

taking out this year’s Supreme 

Award. 

“It’s an accolade to be 

judged by the rest of your peers 

and to come out on top,” said 

John Dohnt. “It means you must 

be doing something right.” 

Meanwhile, long time 

Zespri chairman Peter McBride 

- who played a key role during 

the Psa crisis - has retired, 

effective next February. 

The interesting move freed 

him up to join the board of 

dairy giant Fonterra board. 

McBride’s election to the 

Fonterra board accompanied 

that of former director Leonie 

Guiney, who had been muzzled 

by Fonterra directors. 

And it sent a resounding 

message from dairy farmer 

shareholders about their dissatisfaction 

with the previous 

board’s performance. 

McBride will be replaced 

as Zespri chairman by deputy 

chairman Bruce Cameron. 

In a positive move for local 

agri-tech, Yamaha Motor Co 

has made a follow-up investment 

in Bay company Robotics 

Plus, bringing its total funding 

David Porter 

commitment to US$10 million 

(NZ14.6 million). 

Yamaha formed a partnership 

agreement with Robotics 

Plus in 2018, when the 

Japanese company made its 

initial investment. 

The funding will support 

the company’s growth plans, 

said Steve Saunders, co-founder 

and chairman of Robotics 

Plus, who is currently establishing 

a US subsidiary for the 

company. 

Kiwifruit growers and 

packers have welcomed the 

increase in the number of 

workers on the Recognized 

Seasonal Employment (RSE) 

scheme. 

First started 11 years ago, 

the RSE scheme allowed 

5000 workers from the Pacific 

Islands to work in the horticultural 

sector on part time 

picking and pruning work. 

That number has since 

swollen to 11,100 last year and 

is now due to increase by 1750 

for this harvest season. 

However, the industry is 

facing a tough task as New 

Zealand employment figures 

reach all-time highs, achieving 

a 68 percent participation rate 

for the September quarter, and 

with the 3.9 percent unemployment 

rate the lowest since the 

global financial crisis. 

Congratulations 

to the winners of the 

Westpac Tauranga Business Awards 2018! 

Successful businesses plan ahead. At Ingham Mora our diverse 

team of business savvy experts can help you to achieve success 

and clarify your future direction. 

If you want to be an award winning business and start your new 

year off right, call our office today to book a business planning 

session with one of our Directors. 

Experience. The difference adds up. 

07 927 1200 | 60 Durham St, Tauranga | www.inghammora.co.nz


5 

Trustpower reports six 

month profit of $65 million 

Trustpower’s half year result came in at $64.9 million, down on 

the equivalent period last year, but up on 2016. The company 

has revised its guidance for the current financial year to be 

in the range of $215- $235 million on an EBITDAF basis. The 

guidance assumes average hydrology and current forward 

wholesale electricity prices. 


Trustpower chief executive 

Vince Hawksworth told 

Bay of Plenty Business 

News that the figures reflected 

the impact of selling out of 

its Australian hydro interests, 

effectively from the beginning 

of the current financial year. 

“Last year we had an 

incredibly good run of fortune 

with respect to the hydro 

inflows,” said Hawksworth. 

“When you back out the 

exceptionally high hydro 

inflows last year and high prices, 

this year, hydro inflows are 

still higher than the long term 

average,” he said. 

For the half year, generation 

volumes were up 70 GWh, 

six per cent higher than long 

run averages but 12 percent 

below the highly favourable 

levels of the previous half year 

period. 

Wholesale prices also 

trended closer to long run averages, 

resulting in Trustpower’s 

generation performance being 

lower than HY2018, but higher 

than HY2017. 

Hawksworth said growth 

in the number of electricity 

connections had been relatively 

flat, the electricity end of 

the market had been incredibly 

competitive, but growth of 

the bundled customers of telco 

connections had been good. 

Telco connections up 

Trustpower’s telco customer 

numbers reached 91,000, up 

11,000 or 14 percent on the 

same time last year. 

Total utility accounts 

reached 399,000, up 2000 

from 31 March 2018, while 

customers with two or more 

products rose two percent to 

102,000. 

Hawksworth noted the 

majority of Trustpower electricity 

customers were outside 

the Bay of Plenty. 

Overall retail revenues of 

$487.4 million were in line 

with the same period last year. 

However, retail earnings 

TRUSTPOWER SIX MONTHS 

RESULTS TO SEPTEMBER 2018 

• Operating earnings (EBITDAF) of $129.6 million, 

down 15% 

• Underlying earnings after tax of $64.7 million, down 

$17.6 million or 21% 

• Fully imputed interim dividend of 17 cents and 

unimputed special dividend of 25 cents payable on 

7 December 2018 

Vince Hawksworth: Telco 

connections increasing. 

Photo/Supplied. 

were slightly down due to 

investment in capability. 

Chair Paul Ridley-Smith 

said the company’s results 

reflected a strong retail business, 

sound management of its 

27 generation schemes across 

New Zealand and its commitment 

to delivering longterm 

sustainable value for 

investors. 

Operational highlights 

included the refurbishment 

of two generators at 

the Coleridge Scheme, and 

the successful migration of 

13,000 new customers with 

17,000 electricity connections 

over to Trustpower following 

the acquisition of the King 

Country Energy Limited retail 

business. 

Trustpower now has New 

Zealand’s fourth- largest fixedline 

internet service provider 

customer base. 

Netflix has rated Trustpower 

the best performing network in 

New Zealand for the last 10 

months in a row. 

Hawksworth said the proof 

that Trustpower was delivering 

a high-quality value add service 

was the increase in telco 

connections of five percent 

over the last six months. 

“Our loyal and strong customer 

base is taking more 

products from our offering,” 

he said. 

“More existing electricity 

customers are taking up our 

broadband service and about 

80 per cent of new customers 

are now purchasing more than 

one product. 

“Trustpower’s bundled 

proposition has allowed us to 

form a new market segment 

that provides more value to 

customers and is less competitive 

than the separate electricity 

and telecommunications 

markets. 

“Our multi-product retail 

business strategy bundling 

life’s essential utilities including 

power, gas, internet and 

phone, continues to succeed 

and we intend to build on this.” 

Hawksworth also said the 

company would be looking 

for opportunities such as its 

consolidation of King Country 

Energy. 

The expected increase in 

the use of electricity by the 

transport and other sectors 

could lead to further investment 

opportunities in generating 

plant, he said. 

“We will always be looking 

to those small incremental 

projects that stack up and that 

could be across a number of 

technologies.” 

Trustpower has also recently 

announced that it has 

secured the ability to provide 

wireless broadband and mobile 

services to their customers 

after entering into an agreement 

with Spark. 

GM markets Craig 

Neustroski said Trustpower 

had been seeking access to 

mobile services for some time, 

and was delighted to have 

secured a wholesale supply 

arrangement with Spark. 

“Mobile is increasingly 

important to our customers, 

and the ability to offer it as 

part of our household services 

bundle is exciting.” 

ABOUT TRUSTPOWER 

Tauranga-headquartered Trustpower is New Zealand’s 

fifth-largest electricity generator and fourth largest 

energy retailer by market share, with approximately 12 

percent electricity retail market share. 

It operates a multi-product retail business, including 

electricity, gas and telecommunications products with 

approximately 270,000 electricity connections, 38,000 

gas connections and 91,000 telecommunications 

connections. 

Merry Christmas 

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO ALL OF OUR VALUED CLIENTS 

ACROSS THE BAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AGAIN IN 2019! 

#1 

NUMBER ONE NETWORK 

IN TAURANGA 

WITH 90,800 

LISTENERS EVERY WEEK 

Contact our Tauranga team 

today on: 07 928 7300 

SOURCE: GFK RADIO AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT SURVEY, COMMERCIAL RADIO 

STATIONS, TAURANGA 3/2018, ALL PEOPLE 10+, MON - SUN, 12MN-12MN


Yamaha ups investment 

in BOP’s Robotics Plus 

Yamaha Motor Co has made a follow-up 

investment in Bay of Plenty agri-automation 

company Robotics Plus, bringing its total 

funding commitment to US$10 million 

(NZ14.6 million). 


Robotics Plus announced 

that Yamaha, which 

formed a partnership 

agreement and made an 

investment of US$2 million 

in March 2018, announced the 

additional $US 8 million in 

November. 

The funding will support 

the company’s growth plans, 

said Steve Saunders, co-founder 

and chairman of Robotics 

Plus, who is currently establishing 

a US subsidiary for the 

company. 

“We are very pleased to 

have continued strengthening 

our partnership with Yamaha 

Motor and secured additional 

investment to support our 

vision to grow into a truly 

New Zealand, global business 

that will transform a number 

of industries,” said Saunders, 

who is well-known in BOP 

agri-tech and Maori business 

circles. 

“This investment will allow 

us to take the company to 

the next level and attract and 

retain the world class talent we 

need,” said Saunders. 

“To stay ahead of the 

opportunity we need to scale 

quickly, not just with our 

apple packers that are already 

in market, but also with our 

new UGV (Unmanned Ground 

Vehicle) platform technology 

and other projects under 

development.” 

Making agriculture more 

sustainable 

Hiro Saijo, chief executive of 

Yamaha Motor Ventures & 

Laboratory Silicon Valley, said 

the investment would help the 

Japanese company reach a goal 

to make agriculture more sustainable, 

healthy, and secure. 

“To meet the significant 

and increasing agriculture 

demands of today and tomorrow, 

including agricultural 

labour shortage globally, we 

need to create sophisticated 

and precision robotics and 

automation technologies that 

will transform the agricultural 

industries.” 

Robotics Plus will leverage 

Yamaha Motor’s experience, 

knowledge and technologies 

in outdoor vehicles, 

factory automation, robotics, 

design for manufacturing and 

manufacturing. 

Recently appointed 

Robotics Plus chief executive 

Dr Matt Glenn said the two 

companies had developed a 

mutually beneficial commercial 

relationship. 

“We can benefit from their 

specialist knowledge in precision 

automation, manufacturing 

and access to high quality 

components to help us develop 

our technologies,” he said. 

“Yamaha Motor can benefit 

from working with Robotics 

Plus as a world leading robotics 

and automation business 

focusing on the agricultural 

and horticultural markets. 

Glenn said the New 

Zealand company had developed 

a highly skilled development 

team located close to 

orchards and other agricultural 

environments and could 

rapidly prototype new ideas, 

validate new components and 

integrate these into its robotic 

systems. 

“This will also create 

new opportunities to develop 

technologies in other 

markets.” 

In May, Robotics Plus’ 

robotic Āporo apple packers 

were the first in a suite of 

technologies to be commercially 

launched. The apple 

packer, which identifies and 

places apples in display trays, 

can safely handle up to 120 

fruit per minute. It is being 

marketed by Global Pac 

Technologies, a joint venture 

formed by Jenkins Group (NZ/ 

Australia) - whose local arm 

Jenkins Freshpac features as 

The Aporo apple packer in action. Photo/Supplied. 

The UGV: Dr Alistair Scarfe (left) and Steve Saunders. Photo/Supplied. 

Westpac Tauranga Business 

Awards overall winner on this 

month’s cover - and Van Doren 

Sales (US). The apple packer 

is already operating in packhouses 

in New Zealand and 

the USA. 

Other technologies under 

development to address major 

issues in the horticulture industry 

caused by labour shortages 

and increasing consumer 

demand for fresh fruit, include: 

an autonomous agricultural 

vehicle, robotic kiwifruit harvester, 

robotic pollinator, crop 

estimator, and a number of 

confidential projects. 

Māori heritage plays role 

Saunders says his Māori heritage 

has played a role in 

Robotics Plus’ development. 

“We have a common desire 

to meet future challenges to 

feed the world in a sustainable 

way with smart automation 

and intelligent robotics. This 

partnership and going global 

is truly exciting. The institutional 

knowledge Yamaha 

Motor brings creates a fantastic 

opportunity to develop 

our great young talent out of 

New Zealand.” 

This investment will 

allow us to take the 

company to the next 

level and attract and 

retain the world class 

talent we need. 

– Steve Saunders 

Dr Glenn said that solving 

the big agricultural issues of the 

future meant the need to support 

the horticultural and agricultural 

industries with innovative 

solutions that will enable 


The Western Bay economic 

story has been one of 

growth over the past year 

Priority One chief executive 

Nigel Tutt told attendees at 

the agency’s annual general 

meeting. 

“The headline stats are very 

impressive with six percent 

GDP growth, and we’ve led 

New Zealand for five years in 

a row,” he said. 

Tutt noted that it was significant 

that growth had been 

consistent across all sectors. 

“We’d feel concerned if we 

only had growth in a couple of 

sectors, but that’s absolutely 

not the case,” he said. 

“Our community is getting 

more sophisticated and 

we’re a popular destination for 

businesses.” 

Tutt cited examples from 

Priority One’s latest business 

survey to illustrate the confidence 

in the region. 

“What we see is businesses 

are really confident in themselves 

and in this region, as 

was the case last year,” he 

said. “Some of the business 

confidence problems you read 

them to do things differently. 

“We have the ability to 

solve big global challenges 

like this from New Zealand, 

and the way we can achieve 

that faster is with the support 

of an international company 

like Yamaha Motor.” 

Robotics Plus was well-positioned 

to deliver on its vision 

to be a world leader in robotics 

and automation technology for 

the food and fibre industries, 

he said. 

“In addition to Yamaha 

Motor, we also have commercial 

partnerships with Global 

Pac Technologies, ISO Limited 

and Trimax,” said Dr Glenn. 

Robotics Plus had also 

established valuable collaborative 

research relationships with 

the University of Waikato, 

the University of Auckland, 

Massey University and Plant 

& Food Research, and we are a 

founding partner of PlantTech, 

an industry-led research organisation 

based in the Western 

Bay of Plenty, he said. 

“Our innovation and 

growth plans are well-supported 

by our private investors 

as well as New Zealand 

Government agencies, 

Callaghan Innovation, NZTE, 

MBIE, MPI and TPK.” 

Yamaha now has a 15 per 

cent holding in Robotics Plus, 

according to the Companies 

Office. The balance of shares 

is held by Robotics Plus’s 

co-founders Steve Saunders 

and robotics PhD and chief 

technical office Dr Alistair 

Scarfe. 

Strong growth story from 

Priority One at AGM 

Priority One’s Nigel Tutt: strategy around innovation 

is progressing well. Photo/Priority One. 

about nationally don’t seem to 

be reflected in this area at all.” 

He said that 71 percent of 

the several hundred survey 

respondents were expecting 

growth to continue and were 

planning to hire more people. 

“People are very happy to 

be part of this economy. We’re 

an increasingly attractive place 

for people to bring their businesses. 

They love the mix of 

business and lifestyle you get 

from living in the Western Bay. 

They see the economy growing 

around them and they’re 

excited to be part of it.” 

But Tutt noted there was 

still work to do, given Western 

Bay was a relatively small 

region and had some infrastructure 

challenges to deal 

with and was still lagging 

other parts of the country on 

income levels. 

He also noted the strong 

investment community within 

the region, from early stage 

WNT Ventures and Enterprise 

Angels, to Oriens Capital and 

Craigs IP, providing a full 

range of capital to support 

companies. 

“Our strategy around innovation 

is also progressing really 

well,” said Tutt. 

“We want to encourage 

innovation - innovation helps 

create high value jobs, brings 

talent in, and makes us more 

resilient and technologyfocused.”

9th 

ThinkTank Media 

Corporate Health & Wellbeing Summit


Harvest relief in form 

of extra RSE workers 

The head of the country’s largest post-harvest kiwifruit operation 

and orchard business has welcomed the increase in the number 

of workers on the Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) 

scheme. 

By RICHARD RENNIE 

Seeka’s Michael Franks: All extra 

workers appreciated. Photo/supplied. 

First started 11 years ago, 

the RSE scheme allowed 

5000 workers from the 

Pacific Islands to work in in 

the horticultural sector on 

part-time picking and pruning 

work. That number has since 

swollen to 11,100 last year and 

is now due to increase by 1750 

for this harvest season. 

Seeka chief executive 

Michael Franks has welcomed 

the increase in worker numbers. 

“We would have been 200- 

250 workers short last season, 

and it is quite likely we will be 

even shorter this year,” he said. 

“We appreciate any increase 

in numbers, although it remains 

to be seen where all the workers 

will be allocated. But we are 

grateful for anything we get, and 

are working to bring more New 

Zealanders on board also.” 

However, the industry is 

facing a tough task as New 

Zealand employment figures 

reach all-time highs, achieving 

a 68 percent participation rate 

for the September quarter, and 

with the 3.9 percent unemployment 

rate the lowest since the 

global financial crisis. 

Bay of Plenty unemployment 

rates sit below the 

national average at 3.5 percent 

for the September quarter, 

down 1.2 percentage points, 

the second highest drop in the 

country. 

New Zealand Kiwifruit 

Growers Incorporated chief 

executive Nikki Johnson said 

the Bay could expect to get an 

allocation of an additional 300 

RSE workers, based on historic 

allocations. 

“In 2018 the BOP received 

about 2000 RSE workers from 

the national total of 11,100. 

The additional RSE workers 

will contribute to alleviating 

the shortage, but the industry 

will still need to work hard 

to attract the rest of the workforce 

required.” 

Last kiwifruit harvest, the 

sector was estimated to be 

about 500 workers short for 

the bumper 140 million tray 

harvest. 

Green to Gold shift 

The demands on the sector 

have changed with the shift 

in the ratio of SunGold to 

Green crop, with SunGold’s 

earlier harvest date requiring 

more timely, swift movement 

of the fruit from picking and 

throughout the processing 

chain to shipping. 

The BOP has also had two 

key labour resources depleted 

in recent years, making the 

increase in RSE workers even 

more welcome. The supply of 

largely Indian students studying 

English on student visas 

has dried up after Immigration 

New Zealand tightened up on 

standards, while backpacker 

tourists have also proven to be 

thinner on the ground. 

The loss of Indian students 

alone was estimated to be 

about 15 percent of the labour 

force for the 8000 positions 

usually available. 

For this reason, in the past 

kiwifruit has not typically been 

a large user of RSE staff, with 

about 5000 New Zealanders 

filling the 8000 positions, 

1000 coming from international 

students, with backpackers 

and RSE workers filling the 

remainder. 

However, that need was 

anticipated to grow this coming 

season, as most locals 

obtain full time employment 

and crop volumes for SunGold 

are anticipated to grow by 

another 10 percent to about 57 

million trays. 

Mike Chapman, chief executive 

of Horticulture New 

Zealand, said it remained to 

The additional RSE 

workers will contribute 

to alleviating the 

shortage, but the 

industry will still 

need to work hard to 

attract the rest of the 

workforce required. 

– Nikki Johnson 

be seen how the extra workers 

were to be allocated around 

the regions that needed them 

most, namely Otago, Nelson, 

Hawke’s Bay, Bay of Plenty 

and Northland. 

“While kiwifruit and apples 

are the most sought after, we are 

seeing huge growth in demand 

for avocados and cherries, as 

well as some berries.” 

The South Island has been 

struck particularly hard by 

shortages. 

Chapman said there were 

virtually no New Zealanders 

available in the South Island 

during harvest. 

Earlier this year the Bay 

of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay 

were declared labour shortage 

areas by the Ministry of Social 

Development during the apple 

and kiwifruit harvest. 

While RSE workers would 

be welcome, Immigration 

Minister Iain Lees-Galloway 

said employers had three key 

responsibilities to deal with. 

These included building 

more accommodation for 

workers to ease local accommodation 

pressure, taking 

greater responsibility for 

worker exploitation, and transforming 

horticulture from a 

low cost industry to one based 

on quality, productivity and 

high value. 

Zespri share buy-back in play 

Seeka announces 

new capital raise 

Zespri’s steps to strengthen 

the company’s share 

allocation to better 

reflect growers’ production 

proportions have started to 

take effect. 

In late October, Zespri 

closed off its targeted share 

offer and buy-back programme 

with 427 applications from 

growers to purchase more than 

12 million shares valued at $95 

million. 

The share offer followed a 

number of changes to Zespri’s 

constitution, as approved 

through the long running 

Kiwifruit Industry Strategy 

Project. KISP was supported 

by two thirds of growers two 

years ago to improve the alignment 

between total production 

and grower shareholding. 

The capital Zespri raises 

through the exercise then 

allows the marketer to fund 

a buy-back programme from 

eligible shareholders. 

These are shareholders who 

no longer grow kiwifruit, or 

shareholders who are “over 

shared” - holding greater 

than 1.5 shares per tray of 

production. 

This aspect of the programme 

has had 257 applications 

for almost nine million 

shares, valued at $70 million. 

It will result in the number of 

former growers still holding 

Zespri shares dropping by 30 

percent. 

Retiring Zespri chairman 

Peter McBride said the KISP 

review had been one of the key 

initiatives under his chairmanship, 

and the share realignment 

was a vital part to better allocate 

grower control at Zespri. 

“There was a view early on 

that it could not be done, and 

that Zespri might lose some 

of its status as a single desk 

seller with regulatory change, 

but that has not been the case.” 

He labelled the buy-back a 

milestone, particularly given 

more than 18 million shares 

valued at about $140 million 

were held by people who had 

left the industry. 

“Through this share offer, a 

good number of growers have 

taken up the opportunity to 

either become shareholders 

in Zespri or to increase their 

shareholdings in line with their 

entitlements.” 

The buy-back option 

gave eligible shareholders an 

effective option to sell shares 

without broker fees, with 

take up of the offer and buy 

back being voluntary. Shares 

were valued at $8 each. 

– By RICHARD RENNIE 

Seeka has announced 

a new capital- raising 

strategy for the next 

three years. Plans include 

a $50 million rights issue, 

a share issuance under a 

new Grower Share Scheme, 

as well as a share issuance 

under the company’s 

existing Employee Share 

Ownership Scheme. 

The purpose of the capital 

raise is to strengthen the 

balance sheet and provide 

Seeka with the financial 

flexibility and freedom to 

pursue its growth strategy, 

said company officials. 

Seeka chairman Fred 

Hutchings said the company 

was excited about Seeka’s 

plans for growth and its 

pursuit towards being New 

Zealand’s leading orchardto-market 

business. 

“Seeka will use the capital 

raised to strengthen our 

balance sheet, repay bank 

debt, undertake planned 

capital expenditure and give 

us greater financial flexibility 

and freedom to deliver 

better value for our shareholders.” 

The first step is a 1 for 

1.5 renounceable rights 

offer, due to close on 7 

December. The offer, fully 

underwritten by First NZ 

Capital Group aimed to 

raise $50 million of new 

equity. 

This included a book 

build to be undertaken at 

the end of the offer period 

for any shortfall. 

Seeka will also introduce 

a new Grower Share 

Scheme and Employee 

Share Scheme in the first 

quarter of 2019 to further 

align the interests of 

Seeka, its employees and 

grower suppliers, many of 

whom are shareholders. 

– By DAVID PORTER


9 

GST on low-value imported 

goods confirmed 

Under recently announced changes to GST on low-value 

imported goods, offshore suppliers will now have to collect and 

return New Zealand GST on goods valued below $1000 that are 

sold to consumers in New Zealand. 

REGULATORY MATTERS 

> BY GRANT NEAGLE 

Grant Neagle, a director at Ingham Mora Chartered Accountants 

in Tauranga, is a business advisor and tax specialist. He can be 

contacted on 07- 927- 1225 or grant@inghammora.co.nz 

Draft legislation is expected 

to be introduced to 

Parliament this month 

and once enacted should apply 

from 1 October, 2019. 

Currently, GST is not levied 

where the duty and GST 

amount on imported goods 

would in aggregate be less 

than $60 de minimis. This 

means goods with a landed 

New Zealand cost of less than 

$400, that do not attract duty, 

are not subject to NZ GST. 

While the government will 

be taking with one hand, it 

will be a rare case of it giving 

with the other. Tariffs and border 

recovery charges will be 

removed from goods valued at 

or below $1000. 

The growth in online shopping 

means there is a steadily 

increasing volume of offshore 

purchased goods that 

are escaping New Zealand’s 

GST net. Some $870 million 

was spent online in 2017/18 

on goods below $400 from 

offshore suppliers, with 

the value of this spending 

growing at approximately 

12 percent annually. 

The government estimates 

the change will bring 

in additional $66 million of 

GST revenue in the 2019/20 

year, increasing to in excess 

of $100 million annually in 

subsequent years. 

While the change is forecast 

to bring about significant extra 

amounts of GST revenue for 

the government, the Minister 

of Revenue has been quick 

to assert that the change is 

mostly about fairness to New 

Zealand’s retail sector and will 

help level the playing field. 

Consumer impact 

Given that the government will 

be removing tariffs/duties and 

border recovery charges, the 

GST change will not necessarily 

mean that all online purchases 

by consumers will be 

more expensive. 

In fact, goods valued 

between $400 and $1000 

would be cheaper, as would 

goods valued below $400 that 

exceed the current $60 duty + 

GST de minimis. 

It will only be goods valued 

below $400 that do not 

currently have GST, duties and 

cost recover charges collected 

that would be more expensive 

under the proposal. 

The table below from 

Inland Revenue illustrates the 

current and new treatment. 

Often purchasers of 

imported goods get a surprise 

when they learn they have 

to pay GST, tariffs and cost 

recovery charges to Customs 

when their purchases reach 

New Zealand. 

The changes will mean 

there is greater transparency 

and likely fewer surprises for 

consumers – what they pay for 

the goods when they purchase 

them online will be the actual 

price and there will be no holdups 

at the border. 

If a consumer returns a pur- 

ITEM CURRENT TREATMENT NEW RULES 

$50 

t-shirt 

$300 

jacket 

$600 

phone 

Total cost of consignment: $50 

No current charges at the border 

Total cost of consignment: $432.17 

$300 jacket + $30 tariff (10% x $300) + 

$49.50 GST ($15% x $330) + $52.67 

border processing fee 


$600 phone + $90.00 GST ($15% x 

$600) + $52.67 border processing fee 

chase to an offshore supplier, 

the supplier will be responsible 

for returning the GST. 

For goods valued at more 

than $1000, the current process 

whereby GST and any other 

duty is collected at the border 

by Customs will continue to 

apply. 

Offshore suppliers will not 

be obligated to collect and 

return GST on supplies of 

goods made to New Zealand 

registered businesses. 

Offshore supplier 

registration 

Offshore suppliers will only 

be required to register for and 


$50 t-shirt + $7.50 GST collected by the 

offshore supplier 


$300 jacket + $45 GST collected by the 



$600 phone + $90 GST collected by the 


collect GST if their total sales 

of goods and services to New 

Zealand exceed (or are expected 

to exceed) $60,000 in a 

12-month period. 

The government considers 

this offshore supplier registration 

model is the most effective 

mechanism to collect the 

GST at this time given the 

limitation of other potential 

approaches. 

Other countries have 

adopted this model, including 

Australia, which introduced it 

in respect of low-value imported 

goods from July this year. 

The government has 

acknowledged there will be 

some suppliers that will not 

comply with the rules and 

it aims to address non-compliance 

where it can through 

agreements it has with 

other countries around 

mutual co-operation and 

information sharing. 

The obligation to register 

and return GST will also apply 

to both resident and non-resident 

electronic marketplaces, 

such as websites and internet 

portals used by suppliers to 

market and sell their goods. 

Re-deliverers will also have 

a registration obligation. 

Re-deliverers are businesses 

that are used by consumers 

when the supplier does not 

offer shipping to New Zealand. 

The goods are instead sent 

to an overseas mailbox/hub 

which then in turn ships the 

goods to New Zealand. 

Inland Revenue says that 

when non-compliance is 

detected, it will register the 

supplier for GST and issue a 

default assessment of the GST 

liabilities - essentially a guess 

of what the liability is - and the 

debt would then be registered 

with the New Zealand courts. 

“Using our international 

agreements the debt would 

then be registered and pursued 

in the courts of the country that 

the supplier is based in.” 

However, Inland Revenue 

then goes on to say that alternatively 

it could order a person 

based in NZ that owed money 

to a non-compliant offshore 

supplier to instead pay those 

funds to Inland Revenue. 

It would be no surprise if 

the government issued further 

guidance for consumers on the 

new rules. 

The new online GST 

arrangements will be an 

important adjunct to the rules 

introduced in 2016 that apply 

in respect of remote services 

(such as digital products, 

streamed music etc.) supplied 

by offshore suppliers. 

The comments in this article 

are of a general nature and 

should not be relied on for 

specific cases, where readers 

should seek professional 

advice. 

BEWARE OF FOREIGN IMITATIONS. 

There’s no shortage of great ideas in New Zealand. 

But for an innovative bunch, we’re not the best at 

realising the full potential of our innovations, particularly 

when exporting them. 

At James & Wells, we can identify your competitive 

edge, offer business strategies for specific markets and 

help you own and leverage your intellectual property to 

ensure no one steals the fruit of your labour. 

www.jaws.co.nz | +64 7 928 4470


Sky NZ – 2, Sellers of ‘Kodi’ boxes – 0 

It’s been a good six months for Sky NZ. At 

least as far as its war on “Kodi” boxes is 

concerned anyway. 

Kodi boxes are set-top 

media and entertainment 

boxes so nicknamed 

because they use Kodi, 

a free, open source software 

application. 

Neither Kodi nor the 

boxes on which the software 

is installed, are in themselves 

illegal. 

It is only when software 

plug-ins or add-ons are loaded 

onto the boxes enabling owners 

to view subscription-based 

content – like Sky TV and 

Netflix – for free, that they 

become so. 

So both the District Court 

and the High Court found 

this year. 

In July, Judge Gary 

MacAskill in the Christchurch 

District Court found the 

operators of Fibre TV, a seller 

of Kodi boxes, in breach 

of the Fair Trading Act for 

misleading or deceptive statements 

concerning the legality 

of the set-top boxes they 

were selling. 

In October, Associate Judge 

Smith in the Auckland High 

Court found My Box NZ Ltd 

and its general manager, Mr 

Krishneil Von Roy Reddy, 

liable for the same breach. 

Sky NZ – 2, sellers of Kodi 

boxes – 0. 

Despite these victories, 

Sky’s worries are far from over. 

Firstly, Kodi boxes with 

the offending pre-loaded software 

can be readily purchased 

online. They’re as easy to buy 

as your groceries. 

Secondly, there are thousands 

of boxes already in 

homes around New Zealand. 

According to a survey commissioned 

by Sky TV, reported 

in the NZ Herald on 30 

September, 2018, some eight 

percent of the adult population 

or 300,000 New Zealanders 

are watching pirated versions 

of sports events, while 10 per 

cent regularly watch pirated 

movies and TV. 

The questions facing Sky 

are simple: how can it stop 

the sale of pre-loaded set-top 

boxes, and how can it stop box 

owners getting access to pirated 

content? 

Alas, the answers are not 

so simple. Stopping the sale 

of pre-loaded boxes outright 

requires a law change. 

Helpfully for Sky, this 

change is likely to come sooner 

or later with the Government 

reviewing the Copyright Act 

1994 and how it deals with 

a “rapidly changing technological 

environment which 

is impacting the way we create, 

distribute and consume 

content”. * 

Stopping box owners from 

getting access to pirated content 

is a different ballgame. 

In December 2017, Sky prepared 

a draft application to the 

High Court, seeking to obtain 

injunctions against Spark, 

Vodafone, Vocus (primarily 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ISSUES 

> BY BEN CAIN 

Ben Cain is a Senior Associate at James & Wells and a Resolution 

Institute- accredited mediator. He can be contacted at 07 928 4470 

(Tauranga), 07 957 5660 (Hamilton), and benc@jaws.co.nz. 

trading to retail consumers as 

Orcon) and 2Degrees, requiring 

them to block websites 

allegedly hosting copyright-infringing 

material. 

Since issuing the draft, Sky 

has been working with the 

ISPs to undertake voluntary 

site-blocking. It seems to no 

avail: Spark and 2Degrees, for 

example, have recently both 

indicated they are reluctant to 

take on the role of “Internet 

police”. 

For now then, the legal status 

of, and the continued ability 

to use, ‘Kodi’ boxes remains 

uncertain. That being the case, 

you can be sure Sky’s lawyers 

will be busy. 

*https://www.mbie. 

govt.nz/info-services/business/intellectual-property/ 

copyright/review-copyright-act-1994 

Commercial 

Property 

Management 

At Bayleys, we believe relationships are what 

businesses are built on and how they succeed. 

We understand that to maximise the 

return on your property you need: 

Professional property management 

A business partner that understands 

your views and goals 

Speak to your Bayleys team today. 

Jan Cooney 

Brodie Thomas 

Ashleigh Gee 

Snr. Commercial Property Manager 

P 579 0609 027 408 9339 

jan.cooney@bayleys.co.nz 

Commercial Property Manager 

P 579 0608 027 746 9218 

brodie.thomas@bayleys.co.nz 

Facilities Manager 

P 579 0603 022 424 7308 

ashleigh.gee@bayleys.co.nz 

SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Meet and Stay 

HILTON LAKE TAUPO 

Nestled in one of the world’s most stunning natural regions, Hilton 

Lake Taupo combines Victorian charm with contemporary comfort and 

recently refurbished meeting and business facilities. 

Make the most of your time in Taupo with our 24-hour Package from $280 per 

person. Spend a productive day meeting in state-of-the-art conference facilities 

before unwinding in style in our stunning Hilton Guest Rooms, complete with 

access to the thermally heated pool, sauna, fitness centre and tennis court. 

Package includes: 

• Day Delegate Package 

• One night’s accommodation in a Hilton Guest Room 

• Full buffet breakfast 

For more information please contact your dedicated Hilton Lake Taupo sales team at 

laketaupo.sales@hilton.com 

Terms and Conditions apply. Pricing is in NZD. Subject to availability. Accommodation is based on single occupancy.

Zespri Identity Standards 

Variety Icons 

Brand Architecture 

Zespri Master Brand 

Sub-Brand Icons 

Category 

Zespri ® Green Kiwifruit Zespri ® Gold Kiwifruit Zespri ® Organic Kiwifruit

WESTPAC TAURANGA BUSINESS AWARDS 


13 

Jenkins Freshpac’s innovative 

approach wins top award 

Jenkins Freshpac Systems walked off with the 

top accolade at this year’s Westpac Tauranga 

Business Awards, which had an overriding 

focus on innovation, reinforcing a theme that 

has been developing in recent events. 

Photos by Natalie Murdoch Photography, 

courtesy Tauranga Chamber of Commerce. 


Jenkins Freshpac also won 

the Embracing Digital 

Technology and the 

Service Excellence Awards, 

as well as making the finals 

in the Customer Experience 

and Workplace Safety Awards. 

(Please see the accompanying 

table for details of all winners 

and finalists). 

Jenkins Freshpac opened a 

new purpose-built facility in 

Tauriko in 2013, when it relocated 

to Tauranga. The company 

has built a strong position 

WESTPAC TAURANGA BUSINESS AWARDS 2018 – 

WINNERS 

AWARDS 

Westpac Tauranga Business of the Year 

Corporate Sponsorship 

Sponsored by Air New Zealand 

Corporate Leadership 

Sponsored by The University of Waikato 

Manufacturing &/or Distribution 

Sponsored by Powerco 

Service Excellence 

Sponsored by YOU Travel 

Sustainable Business 

Sponsored by Bay of Plenty Business News 

Tourism & Hospitality 

Sponsored by Bay Venues 

Emerging Business 

Sponsored by Toi Ohomai 

Retail Excellence 

Sponsored by Gartshore Retail Interiors 

Social Enterprise 

Sponsored by Bay of Connections 

Customer Experience Award 

Sponsored by Trustpower 

Embracing Digital Technology 

Sponsored by Vodafone 

Business Innovation 

Sponsored by Zespri 

Workplace Safety Award 

Sponsored by ACC 

WINNERS 

WINNER: Jenkins Freshpac Systems 

WINNER: Carrus Corp 

FINALISTS: 

Holland Beckett Law 

Craigs Investment 

Farmer Motor Group 

Lysaghts 

Realty Group 

Metro Marketing 

WINNER: Seeka 

WINNER: Voyager Group 

FINALISTS: 

AJC Distribution Ltd 

A1 Benchworx 

WINNER: Jenkins Freshpac Systems 

FINALISTS: 

Quentosity 

Exceed Franchising 


Vertical Horizonz NZ 

WINNER: Fern Garden Preschool & Childcare 

Centre 

FINALISTS: 

Adam Taylor Architecture 


WINNER: Good Local Pyes Pa 

FINALISTS: 

Little Big Events 

WINNER: Road Safe Traffic Management 

FINALISTS: 

Quentosity 

Little Big Events 

WINNER: Fashion Island 

WINNER: Graeme Dingle Foundation Bay of Plenty 

WINNER: Tauranga Veterinary Services 

FINALISTS: 



WINNER: Jenkins Freshpac Systems Ltd 

FINALISTS: 


WINNER: Little Big Events 

FINALISTS: 


WINNER: Waikato & BOP Suspended Ceiling 

Services 

FINALISTS: 

Vertical Horizonz NZ 

Road Safe Traffic Management 


Jenkins Freshpac Systems on 

stage for its overall award win. 

across the horticultural sector 

for its sophisticated labelling 

and packaging technology and 

services. The award-winner is 

a wholly owned subsidiary of 

the privately owned Jenkins 

Group, a Kiwi company with 

a tradition of innovation spanning 

more than 135 years, a 

service network throughout 

New Zealand and Australia, 

and well-established international 

relationships. 

The judging panel - led by 

Vodafone’s Andrew Hitchfield 

- noted that Jenkins Freshpac 

was the clear market leader in 

labelling and packaging horticultural 

products. 

“It has been able to keep 

out larger competitors that are 

more resourced by focusing on 

its expertise and superior service 

offering,” said the judges. 

Locally, the company 

works with all the large kiwifruit 

packhouses and Zespri 

- as well as other leading horticultural 

producers - to ensure 

that processed fruit is labelled 

and packaged fit for market. 

Given the volume of packing 

during the kiwifruit season, the 

company’s round- the-clock 

technical service is critical to 

ensure its machines run with 

minimal downtime. 

Jenkins Freshpac chief 

executive Jamie Lunam told 


TP0071/BOPT/126x191/CONGRATS-2018/01 

Continues page 14 

0800 44 22 22 

trustpower.co.nz 

Seeka’s Michael Franks with University 

of Waikato’s Tim Coltman. 

Well done 

everyone 

Congratulations to all the winners 

and participants in the Westpac 

Tauranga Business Awards, and 

thanks for helping make the Bay 

a great place to be.



Daniel Pepperell, CEO and Billy Cummins, health and safety manager from Waikato 

& BOP Suspended Ceiling Services, the Workplace Safety Award winner. 

MULTI-AWARD WINNING CHILD CARE 

Call now to join our waiting list 

Phone: (07) 576 1976 or Call Free 0508 PRESCHOOL 

Email: childcare@ferngarden.co.nz 

408 Otumoetai Road, Otumoetai, Tauranga 

Hours: 7:30am - 5:30pm 

www.chrysaliscare.co.nz 

Every business 

has a story… 

Jenkins Freshpac’s innovative 

approach wins top award 

From page 13 

the company had been working 

hard over the last decade to 

develop its product offering to 

deliver a focused and specialised 

full product and service 

suite to the New Zealand horticulture 

sector. 

“This comes with all sorts 

of challenges and strains along 

the way and the team has 

worked incredibly hard to get 

to where we are at,” he said. 

“The awards are an outstanding 

and humbling nod to 

the team in recognition to having 

pulled it off with class. I 

am incredibly proud of how far 

the team has come.” 

Event organisers the 

Tauranga Chamber of 

Commerce again saw a capacity 

crowd at Bay Arena for 

the awards, which are now 

heading into their third decade. 

Chamber chief executive 

Stan Gregec said there had 

been a very high standard of 

entrants, with a strong focus 

on technology, particularly in 

the kiwifruit sector. 

“The strength of the awards 

sits with the high calibre of 

judges who all put in hours of 

time and expertise to visit each 

entrant,” said Gregec. 

“Their feedback on their 

assessment is regarded as one 

of the strong benefits to entering 

the awards.” 

Seeka wins Corporate 

Leadership award 

The Corporate Leadership 

Award this year went to Seeka, 

New Zealand’s largest kiwifruit 

grower and specialised 

supply chain management 

company, with operations 

around New Zealand and in 

Australia. 

“The company also faced 

tough economic conditions 

when PSA devastated the kiwifruit 

sector, but has come out 

the other side with renewed 

vigour and a drive to become 

more than just a kiwifruit 

service company,” the judges 

said. 

Seeka is one of the largest 

post-harvest companies 

in New Zealand, operating 

in Bay of Plenty, Northland, 

Coromandel and the East 

Coast, and is the largest kiwifruit 

grower in Australasia. 

The company packs kiwifruit, 

avocados and kiwiberry 

primarily for export. It is crucial 

that fruit is packed efficiently 

to ensure that it arrives 

in pristine condition so that 

growers can achieve high prices. 

Seeka packs around 20 percent 

of New Zealand’s export 

kiwifruit and is the largest provider 

of management services 

for kiwifruit orchards. 

Seeka chief executive 

Michael Franks said he was 

appreciative of the award. 

Fern Garden’s sustainable 

approach to early learning 

The magic is 

in the telling 

Bay of Plenty Business 

News was delighted 

to again sponsor the 

Sustainable Business Award, 

won this year by Fern Garden 

Preschool and Childcare 

Centre 

Fern Garden, based in 

Otumoetai, is one of a group of 

preschool centres in Tauranga 

and Auckland run by the 

Chrysalis Group, owned and 

operated by Nikeeta and Dr 

Darius Singh Their aim was 

to design and create world 

class, award-winning, preschool 

learning environments. 

The centres are informed by 

an educational philosophy of 

complete immersion of the 

centres into buildings and 

environments that mimic natural 

eco-systems, as well as values, 

curriculum and outcomes 

for children that model and 

connect with natural, sustainable 

systems. 

“We found ourselves 

designing nature-based play 

areas, and unique sustainable 

building concepts with solar 

power and rainwater harvesting 

systems, and learning 

spaces that model nature,” said 

Nikeeta. 

Fern Garden added modern 

facilities including audio 

visual systems to enhance children’s 

dance and music experiences, 

and its patented Roots 

and Shoots online learning 

programme. 

The Shine Collective is an award-winning, full-service public 

relations and marketing communications consultancy. 

Our skilled, specialist story tellers can help with… 

Strategic 

communications 

Crisis planning and 

issues management 

Marketing 

communications 

Copy writing 

Social media strategy, 

implementation and 

monitoring 

Media relations 

Media training 

Māori engagement 

Internal engagement 

Change management 

communication 

Community and 

stakeholder relations 

Event management 

Reputation 

management 

Project management 

and administration 

support 

Communications audit 

Extension of your 

internal team 

Contact us today 

shinecollective.co.nz 

021 577 871 

Unit 4, 144 Third Avenue, 

Tauranga 3110 

Darius and Nikeeta Singh (left) 

with the Fern Gardens team.



15 

magic money tree for any government 

in politics - it comes 

from you and the hard work 

you put in to create wealth and 

goods and services. And you 

go above and beyond that to 

provide what our community 

requires.” 

Range of talented 

businesses 

Good Local Pyes Pa’s Mel and Mark Lawrence 

win the Tourism & Hospitality Award. 

“Our growth as a company 

is a combined effort,” Franks 

said. 

“We have a great team of 

inspirational people who stand 

out from the crowd and think 

of new ways to deliver quality 

products and services. Seeka 

is proud of the team’s contribution, 

but would like to 

acknowledge that without the 

world-class growers we work 

with and for, we would never 

have achieved this level of 

success. 

“We also recognise those 

local businesses and contractors 

supporting our organisation. 

The award is a huge 

honour for everybody’s hard 

work.” 

Creating wealth, goods 

and services 

Leader of the opposition 

and Tauranga MP for the 

past decade, Simon Bridges, 

acknowledged the excellence 

of the businesses represented 

at the awards. 

“Every day you have to perform 

and provide the customers 

with exactly what they want or 

you won’t survive,” he said. 

“You need to have grit, 

determination and to have the 

vision for success. There’s no 

Toi Ohomai’s Leon Fourie with Logan Dawson and Isaac Reid from 

Emerging Business Award winners Road Safe Traffic Management. 

The Voyager Group team celebrates its 

Manufacturing/Distribution Award. 

Voyager Group won this 

year’s Manufacturing and/ 

or Distribution category. The 

company is New Zealand’s 

leading supplier of luggage and 

travel accessories. Designed in 

New Zealand and manufactured 

offshore, Voyage’s goal 

was to ensure its customers 

luggage made the journey 

safely. Voyager’s design team 

specialises in developing ranges 

that reflect the best and 

latest in local and international 

thinking. 

Good Local, a bar and restaurant 

focused on providing 

quality food, service and value 

for money to Pyes Pa locals, 

won the Tourism & Hospitality 

Award. Started by Mark and 

Mel Lawrence, who have a 

lengthy background in hospitality, 

having owned businesses 

on The Strand, relocated 

to Pyes Pa where they offer 

a range of Hamilton brewery 

Good George’s craft beer and 

cider on tap. 

Road Safe Traffic 

Management won the 

Emerging Business Award 


is owned and operated by 

Logan Dawson. With more 

than a decade’s experience in 

the traffic management industry, 

he and his wife formed 

the company after relocating 

to Tauranga. Today, the business 

has a 14-strong team, 

backed by seven traffic management 

trucks and specialist 

equipment. 

Papamoa’s Fashion Island 

won the Retail Excellence 

Award. The popular outdoor 

shopping centre features 

a blend of high street 

fashion, outlet and lifestyle 

stores. Shoppers can access 

everything from new season’s 

looks at leading fashion stores 

such as Max, Jacqui E, Just 

Jeans, Dotti, NZSale, Merric, 

Jay Jays, Portmans and Elim, 

as well as outlet stores for 

Bendon, Amazon, Thanks and 

Brands. 

The Social Enterprises 

Award went to the Graeme 

Dingle Foundation’s Bay of 

Plenty arm. Originally founded 

as a charity in1995, the foundation 

established its Bay branch 

in 2004. The charity runs the 

Kiwi Can, Stars and Project 

K school-based programmes, 

helping 3200 young people in 

the region every year. 

Tauranga Veterinary 

Services, led by managing 

director David McDonnell, 

won the Customer Experience 

Award. The community-fo- 

Continues page 17 



congratulates all category winners, 

finalists and entrants in the 2018 

Westpac Tauranga Business Awards. 

We would like to thank the Tauranga Chamber 

of Commerce, all of the sponsors and all of our 

supporters. 

We are truely humbled. 

Westpac Tauranga Business 

of the Year 2018 

We look forward to seeing you 

again next year.



17 

Customer Experience Award team from Tauranga Veterinary Services. 

From page 15 

cused company now has clinics 

in Tauranga, Papamoa, Te 

Puna and Katikati. 

Little Big Events won the 

Business Innovation Award. 

Founded by Rachel and Chris 

Duffy, who originally began 

with the launch of the Little 

Big Markets in the Mount in 

2009. Little Big Events now 

runs a range of community-focused 

events across the city. 

It aims to help people 

become more aware of 

their abilities to be involved 

in building a confident and 

vibrant community. Little Big 

Events’ latest proiect is Our 

Place, the temporary container 

market in the CBD. 

The winner of the 

Workplace Safety Award was 

Waikato and BOP Suspended 

Ceiling Services - also known 

as the “Good Buggers.” The 

company specialises in complete 

commercial fit outs 

delivered by professionally 

qualified tradespeople. Mark 

and Rachel Pepperell started 

in business 30 years ago and 

now have more than 70 staff 

working over two branches in 

Tauranga and Hamilton. They 

are involved in many of the 

region’s major fitouts, including 

the new University of 

Waikato campus in Tauranga. 

Westpac area commercial 

manager Clare Basire said the 

bank was proud to be associated 

with an event that recognised 

outstanding business 

Business Innovation Award winners Chris 

and Rachelle Duffy from Little Big Events. 

achievement. 

“The Westpac Tauranga 

Business Awards have always 

been about taking time out to 

acknowledge business excellence 

– this is about recognising 

the smartest, strongest 

and most sustainable businesses 

in the community. 

Congratulations to the winners 

– we’re sure this is a stepping 

stone to even greater business 

success.” 

New award reflects corporate 

contribution to community 

This year saw the introduction 

of a new award 

sponsored by Air New 

Zealand aimed at recognising 

and encouraging corporate 

sponsorship. 

Carrus Corp won in a category 

that saw well-known local 

companies Holland Beckett 

Law, Craigs Investment Partners, 

Farmer Motor Group, Lysaghts, 

Realty Group and Metro 

Marketing also make the finals. 

Carrus Corp founder Paul 

Adams, one of the region’s 

best-known property developers 

and who has played a 

major role in bringing the new 

Paul Adams receives the new Corporate Sponsor 

Award on behalf of Carrus Corp from Air New 

Zealand’s Bill Reeves. 

University of Waikato campus 

in Tauranga, accepted the award 

on behalf of the company. 

The award organisers 

noted that it was important 

to acknowledge the corporate 

sector’s contribution to 

the community, which came 

directly off their bottom line. 

“The sector is already 

extremely generous, without 

which a huge number of 

events, both sporting, and culture 

and amenity within the 

city simply would not happen,” 

said the chamber’s Anne 

Pankhurst, who has been the 

hands-on organiser of the 

awards for many years. 

“It would be very difficult to 

quantify the amount that is contributed 

through the corporate 

sector, but if you were doing the 

sums on the back of a postage 

stamp, it would be safe to say it 

was in the millions. Imagine for 

a moment a world without that 

contribution.” 

But while the dollar contribution 

was extremely 

important, the award was also 

about the support, the voluntary 

hours and the understanding 

of how important it 

was to give back, she said. 

– By DAVID PORTER 

The Experts in Traffic Control 

Roz Irwin, centre manager Fashion Island and Brett Williams, Comac 

Retail Property Group, with Fashion Island’s Retail Excellence Award. 

Put your traffic control in the 

hands of one of the leading 

traffic management companies 

in the Bay of Plenty. 

This year Road Safe Traffic 

Management was named 

winner of Emerging Business 

by Toi Ohomai at the Westpac 

Tauranga Business Awards. 

Owner and operator Logan 

Dawson says it’s amazing to 

have been awarded Emerging 

Business among a category 

with many other excellent 

businesses. 

“To come out and win 

Emerging Business and be a 

finalist in the ACC Workplace 

Safety Award is really awesome 

and just proves all our hard 

work is paying off,” says Logan. 


is a two and a half year 

old business that assists 

with expert road traffic 

management and event 

traffic management for small 

businesses through to large 

construction companies. 

“I would like to say a massive 

thank you to all the staff for 

their commitment to the 

job and everyone who has 

supported us, the Tauranga 

Chamber of Commerce, 

Westpac and the award 

sponsors.” 

Dan Allen-Gordon, regional manager and Fran Stubbins, trustee from 

Social Enterprise Award winner Graeme dingle Foundation BOP. 

Call us today - Tauranga 

and the Bay of Plenty Region 

027 696 9047 | 07 543 4881 (Office) 

6am-6pm - Monday to Sunday 

24 Paerangi Place, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty 

www.facebook.com/roadsafetm 

www.roadsafetm.co.nz


LIVINGSTONE 

Excelsa highlights Livingstone’s 

growing presence in the Bay 

Livingstone’s presence in the Bay of Plenty 

is expanding with the construction of 

the high profile Excelsa Centre in Golden 

Sands, Papamoa. 

One of a number of 

major construction 

projects the company 

has secured since starting 

its operation in the Bay in 

2006, Livingstone Bay of 

Plenty - whose head office 

is located within Hamilton - 

has constructed the new bar 

and restaurant Papa Mo’s and 

boutique three-screen Tivoli 

Cinema, as well as several 

other establishments now open 

for business at Excelsa. 

Set on the shores of 

Papamoa Beach the new 

Excelsa Centre, which is due 

for completion early next year, 

has brought a much-needed 

hub of community amenities 

to the fast-growing area, says 

Livingstone BOP Regional 

Manager Blanton Benjamin. 

“Across the last 12 months 

we have seen substantial 

growth within the region. Our 

team has increased by 300 percent 

and we have managed 

to secure a lot of new work,” 

he says, noting they have also 

worked with such well-known 

brands as Metlifecare and City 

Fitness. 

“With Papa Mo’s, the cinema 

and several other restaurants 

and services open, the 

centre is getting a lot of traffic, 

helping Golden Sands and 

Papamoa develop its own identity. 

Local people no longer 

need to drive long distances to 

access amenities.” 

Papamoa’s population 

has grown to 20,000-plus 

as a result of major housing 

development and the new 

roading infrastructure, and 

it is now Tauranga’s biggest 

suburb. Tauranga Chamber of 

Commerce Chief Executive 

Stan Gregec says the need for 

another shopping centre to service 

the newer residential areas 

is “a no-brainer”, especially 

considering future growth projections 

for Papamoa. 

“It’s the fastest-growing 

suburb in Tauranga, and the 

chamber is only too aware 

of the opportunities out that 

way,” says Gregec. “We have 

connected with many new 

businesses that have set up or 

based themselves in Papamoa.” 

Key hub for Bluehaven’s 

Golden Sands 

development 

Livingstone carried out the 

main base build for the three 

core Excelsa Centre buildings 

for developer Bluehaven. 

The complete fit-out for Papa 

Mo’s was also carried out by 

Livingstone. 

The Bluehaven Group is 

responsible for the Golden 

Sands housing development 

in the area and is one of the 

largest land developers in the 

region with significant land 

holdings in the Papamoa East 

Wairakei Growth Area. 

Bluehaven Chief Executive 

Nathan York says the opening 

of the Excelsa Centre is another 

milestone for the Golden 

Sands area, which has seen 

high demand for new housing 

because of its desirable coastal 

location, the variety of housing 

BUILDING EXCELLENCE 

In the Bay of Plenty 

PROUD CONSTRUCTION PARTNER OF THE EXCELSA CENTRE 

www.livingstonebuilding.co.nz

LIVINGSTONE 


19 

with beautiful views to the sea 

all year round.” 

Full fit-out for Papa Mo’s 

options and the good public 

amenities. 

“Excelsa and its new tenants 

are really enhancing the 

area.” 

Excelsa also reflects 

Bluehaven’s development 

approach, to ensure the new 

hub fosters innovation by 

introducing modern concepts. 

“We have had the opportunity 

to place in a number of 

state-of-the-art features such 

as the respite seating areas 

with overhead fairy and festoon 

lights, and charging stations 

for Tesla electric cars 

and E-bikes,” says Project 

Manager Brook Carrington, 

who has enjoyed working on 

the centre’s development. “It’s 

been a great place to work, 

Livingstone carried out the full 

fit-out for Papa Mo’s. Luke 

van Veen, General Manager 

and co-owner with Matt 

Palmer of Papa Mo’s, says 

working alongside Livingstone 

made what could have been a 

tricky greenfield development 

much smoother. 

“The guys on the ground 

did a great job,” he says. 

“Livingstone was amazing 

to work with and made 

our lives a lot easier. The end 

result was much better than 

could ever have been expected 

in terms of the finished 

product.” 

Van Veen also paid tribute 

to the contribution of architects 

First Principles. 

The response to Papa Mo’s 

had been excellent from day 

one, he says. 

“We’re really rapt with the 

way the community has supported 

us and showed interest 

from when we opened. I think 

we’ve got the offering right for 

the community and we’re still 

working every day to make 

sure we achieve that.” 

Van Veen says the community 

focus is a big thing for 

Papa Mo’s, which has a nautical 

theme. 

“It’s more than just a bar and 

a restaurant,” he says. “It’s about 

making a venue that’s suitable 

for any occasion, whether it’s a 

birthday party, a casual gathering 

or an anniversary.” 

Papa Mo’s aim is to create 

a family, kid-friendly environment, 

with everything from big 

screen TVs to watch live sports 

events, to Little Mo’s ice 

cream and takeaway coffee, 

and the Horizon Bar upstairs 

where customers can enjoy the 

ocean views that are a massive 

part of the suburb’s attraction. 

“We want people to come 

and gather with friends or family,” 

he says. “And it’s not just 

locals - we’re also getting customers 

travelling from across 

Tauranga to come and see us.” 

Full range of amenities 

When completed next year, 

the Excelsa Centre will offer 

over 4000sqm of leased space 

with a contribution of two double 

storey and one single storey 

buildings. Excelsa is argu- 

Continued page 20 

The team at Turner 

Painting Contractors are 

proud to be associated 

with the team at 

Livingstone 

For all enquiries 

Phone Paul 0272734868 

The Team at The Flooring Room is proud 

to be associated with Livingstone and 

Papa Mo's new Build 

www.theflooringroom.co.nz 

The Flooring Room 

Corner of 11th Ave & 

Cameron Road, Tauranga 

Phone 07 571 1114


LIVINGSTONE 

Excelsa highlights Livingstone’s 

growing presence in the Bay 

From page 19 

ably the most significant and 

major suburban centre on the 

coastal belt itself. The current 

phase is 2485 sqm. 

Existing tenants include 

the Henry and Ted Café, 

Unichem Pharmacy, Papamoa 

Beach Family Practice and 

Team Dental Papamoa, while 

this year has seen the opening 

of Papa Mo’s and the Tivoli 

Cinema. The Four Square 

superette will be completed 

early next year. 

The 135-seat cinema is the 

second under the Tivoli brand, 

co-owned by Shane Jarrett and 

Karan Focas, who opened their 

first cinema in Cambridge 

in 2014. 

Restaurateur Deniz 

Bektas has now also opened 

Mediterranean restaurant Grill 

and Green, and Bishnu Aryal 

has established another of his 

Great Spice chain of Indian 

restaurants. Rise Artisan 

Bakery will open at the end 

of 2018, with more tenants 

set to occupy the centre, says 

Carrington. 

Benjamin says the project 

has been completed to a high 

level commercial architectural 

finish and said it would be 

fully open within two years of 

the construction process beginning. 

The redesign work was a 

result of new tenants requiring 

specific changes to meet their 

needs, but construction has 

proceeded smoothly. 

“All the buildings have 

been finished to a high standard 

and we’ve used quality 

building materials,” he says. 

“It’s a beautiful location, a 

great community, and has an 

overall nice feel. 

“The Bay of Plenty region 

is thriving, which is allowing 

us to become more involved 

in the area. We’ve now directly 

employed around 30 staff 

including myself, project managers, 

quantity surveyors, site 

managers, as well as carpenters 

and apprentices. We are certainly 

looking forward to being 

involved in a number of major 

projects in the coming year.” 

ABOUT LIVINGSTONE 

Livingstone’s history dates back to 1947 in Te Awamutu, 

with brothers David and Mike Livingstone taking 

ownership of the company in 1982. 

Livingstone’s head office is based in Hamilton. 

The Bay of Plenty office was the first office outside 

Waikato and was established in 2006. 

Livingstone has a nationwide presence, with five offices 

across four regions. 

Proud to be associated 

with the Excelsa project 

and the Livingstone team 

We are a NZ Certified Steel Fabricator so rest easy in the 

knowledge we manufacture structural steelwork according 

to international best practice 

Proud to have partnered with Livingstone 

Rod Cook - Phone 027 277 4079 

For more information please visit www.steelfab.co.nz 

info@steelfab.co.nz | 16 Carters Crescent, Cambridge, PO Box 604 | 07 827 4223

LIVINGSTONE ... 21 


Roofing the Bay Ltd are pleased to be involved with 

another successful Livingstone's project 

Call Neville today 021 767 448 | www.roofingthebay.co.nz 

GRINDKING HAS BEEN POLISHING 

CONCRETE IN THE BAY OF PLENTY FOR 

OVER 15 YEARS EARNING THE TRUST OF 

MANY HAPPY CUSTOMERS 

LOVING LIFE 

IN PAPAMOA 

• Quality polished concrete 

• All aspects of prep work 

• Highly experienced team 

• Showroom viewing by 

appointment 

PROUD TO BE PART OF THE TIVOLI 

BUILD AND THE LIVINGSTONE TEAM 

• Earthworks • Drainage • Driveways and 

Car Parks • Site work • Subdivisions and 

retirement homes • Commerical Sites 

Showroom 

17A Amber Crescent Judea, Tauranga 3110 

e: info@grindking.co.nz p: 07 579 9118 

www.grindking.co.nz 

10/11 Ashley Place Tauranga | 07 542 0419 

www.baycivil.co.nz


Managing equity market volatility 

In last month’s issue I outlined six ideas to soften the blow of a 

hypothetical downturn in equity markets. Well, October saw a 

hypothetical downturn become the biggest monthly market fall 

since 2010. What caused the downturn and how successful would 

the ideas have been to soften it, had they been implemented 

beforehand? 

Economic fundamentals 

are very strong, particularly 

in the US. 

However, a combination of 

investors’ concerns resulted in 

October’s market sell-off. 

These concerns included: 

uncertainty over whether an 

orderly exit of Britain from the 

EU can be achieved; increased 

trade tariff concerns between 

the US and China; uncertainty 

around the US mid-term election 

result; fears of the impact 

of increased interest rates in 

the US (and the end of quantitative 

easing in Europe); and 

concerns around the impact of 

higher oil prices. 

Note that the word “uncertainty” 

is prevalent, and is 

something that investors do 

not like. 

Added to these concerns is 

the increasing use of computer 

generated trading, which tends 

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR MONEY 

> BY BRETT BELL-BOOTH 

Investment Adviser with Forsyth Barr Limited in Tauranga, and an 

Authorised Financial Adviser. Phone (07) 577 5725 or 

email brett.bell-booth@forsythbarr.co.nz. 

to accentuate swings in market 

movements. 

The six ideas listed last 

month to position portfolios a 

bit more defensively were: 

1) Reduce equity weightings 

towards a neutral asset 

allocation. 

2) Remain well-diversified 

across global markets. 

3) Reduce exposure to small 

and mid-caps in preference 

to large-caps. 

4) Reduce over-weights in 

growth stocks and add to 

quality and value stocks. 

5) Avoid owning businesses 

that you wouldn’t be 

comfortable holding through 

an economic or market crisis. 

6) Consider investment 

strategies with a lower 

correlation to market 

returns. 

Taking each point in turn: 

Reducing equity weightings 

before an equity market downturn 

would result in less of a 

reduction in value, simply by 

having less invested in those 

types of assets “before” a 

downturn. 

Remaining regionally 

diversified would not have 

materially lessened the impact 

of the market downturn, with 

the NZX50 Index down 6.4 

percent in October (compared 

to the US Standard & Poors’ 

500 Index down 6.8 percent in 

USD), the UK FTSE 100 Index 

down 4.9 percent (in GBP), the 

Japan Nikkei 225 Index down 

9.1 percent (in Yen), and the 

generally accepted measure of 

the world markets, the MSCI 

World Accumulated Index 

down 8.5 percent (in USD), 

and in New Zealand dollar 

terms down 7.4 percent. 

In terms of moving more to 

larger companies from smaller 

and mid-size companies, over 

October in New Zealand, Large 

Caps were actually down 7.0 

percent compared with Mid- 

Caps which were down 5.6 percent, 

and Small-Caps, which 

were down 2.4 percent. 

Over the three month period 

to the end of October, in 

New Zealand there has been 

little difference in performance 

between companies of different 

sizes, with Large Caps 

down 2.1 percent, Mid-Caps 

down 1.2 percent, and Small 

Caps down 1.9 percent. 

The US market did show 

the opposite effect however, 

as Large Caps were down 5.18 

percent, compared with Mid- 

Caps which were down 7.94 

percent and Small-Caps which 


Moving from growth stocks 

to quality and value stocks 

would also have paid off in 

October, with the relevant indices 

in the US market showing 

growth stocks down 7.64 percent, 

compared with quality 

stocks which were down 5.74 

percent and value stocks which 


The types of companies 

also influenced the extent 

of price movement. In New 

Zealand energy companies 

were down 13.6 percent and 

financial companies were 

down 9.4 percent, compared 

with the NZX50 Index, which 

was down 6.4 percent. 

The style of investment 

fund may have contributed to 

a softening of the impact of the 

market downturn, depending 

on how they managed their 

exposures to those sectors, 

regions, and companies that 

were more affected, and the 

extent of cash they held in their 

portfolios. 

Overall, applying the above 

strategies would most likely 

have softened the impact of the 

market downturn, but not completely 

avoided a reduction in 

the value of your investment 

portfolio. Of course, investing 

in equities is not necessarily 

optimal over shorter time 

periods. Successful returns, 

relative to your investment 

objectives, are best achieved 

through diversification and 

time invested in the markets, 

to ensure volatility such as we 

saw in October can be effectively 

managed. 

This column is general in 

nature and is not personalised 

investment advice. This 

column has been prepared 

in good faith based on information 

obtained from sources 

believed to be reliable 

and accurate. Disclosure 

Statements for Forsyth Barr 

Authorised Financial Advisers 

are available on request and 

free of charge. 

Exceptional People 

Exceptional Care 

Care rooms available now 

At Radius Care, we know that moving into care can be a big 

upheaval, not just for new residents, but for family members too. 

That’s why we do all we can to minimise the stress, and make 

the transition as smooth and comfortable as possible. Plus, once 

you’ve moved in, everything you need, from excellent amenities 

to expert care (including residential and hospital level), is right 

here, onsite. Giving you peace of mind, that whatever the future 

brings, your future health and wellbeing needs will be met. 

Radius Althorp 

9 Grantston Drive, Pyes Pa 

Ph (07) 543 2912 

Radius Matua 

24 Levers Road, Matua 

Ph (07) 576 2802 

www.radiuscare.co.nz 0800 737 2273 

With 22 locations, 1500 staff and 1700 residents nationwide, Radius Care is one of the 

largest providers of aged care in New Zealand, and also considered one of the best.


23 

Spend your Christmas 

break at Baypark 

Baypark is counting down to Christmas 

when the festival season is expected to 

bring teeming crowds. 

There is a sizzling lineup 

of some of the biggest 

events ever to come to 

the Bay of Plenty. For entertainment, 

atmosphere and 

splendour, Baypark is the 

place to be this Summer. 

There will be hosting a 

range of international artists 

guaranteed to get you in the 

mood to party. The season 

kicks off with New Zealand’s 

biggest New Year’s festival, 

Bay Dreams 2019. This has 

grown in just three years 

into a sold-out festival and 

30, 000 revellers are set to pass 

through the gate on 2 January, 

2019. 

Bay Dreams will feature 

some of the hottest acts in 

the world CARDI B, MIGOS, 

Tash Sultana, Shapeshifter, 

Sticky Fingers, Peking Duk 

(Live), $uicideboy$, Macky 

Gee, Pnau and Katchafire. To 

ensure you make it in 2020, 

book in for next year as soon 

as possible. For more information 

visit www.baydreams. 

co.nz. 

Bay Dreams 2019 is sold 

out, but note that there are still 

tickets available for the official 

Bay Dreams Pre-Party on 1 

January. A standalone festival 

in its own right, the pre-party 

will set the scene for the main 

event. Featuring some of the 

most notable names in music, 

including UK dance duo Chase 

& Status (DJ set), Miami rapper 

Smokepurpp, and hip-hop 

legend Grandmaster Flash. 

Electronic maestros Hybrid 

Minds, who sold out their 

entire previous NZ run, are 

onboard, with Tomorrow 

People, Chores and T1R flying 

the Kiwi flag. They’ll 

join the already announced 

Shapeshifter, L.A.B and State 

of Mind. With more acts still 

to be revealed, it’s gearing up 

to be the best pre-party yet. 

Tickets available from www. 

ticketfairy.co.nz 

Hot on the heels of Bay 

Dreams, A Summers Day 

Live hits Baypark 9 January 

2019 headlined by Toto with 

Jefferson Starship and Kiwi 

favorites Dragon. It’s without 

question that legendary chartoppers 

Toto are currently in 

the middle of a major resurgence 

around the world. Loved 

for hits such as Rosanna, 

Africa and Hold The Line, the 

band has released 17 studio 

albums, and sold more than 

40 million records worldwide 

since forming in the 1970s. 

Kiwi rockers Dragon are 

also a major drawcard for the 

concert series. As the band 

behind hits such as April Sun 

in Cuba, Are You Old Enough, 

Rain and Still In Love With 

You, Dragon is one of New 

Zealand’s most popular live 

acts. Tickets available at www. 

theticketfairy.com 

And if that wasn’t enough, 

the following night 10 January 

sees A Summers Day Disco 

groove onto the main stage. 

Disco legends band together 

for a one-off New Zealand 

show. The Jacksons, Kool 

& the Gang, The Pointer 

Sisters, Village People, Sister 

Sledge and The Sounds of 

the Supremes will grace the 

stage over the eight hour event. 

Make sure you book your tickets 

now from www.theticketfairy.com 

If high octane action is 

more your thing, then there’s 

no shortage of thrills to be had 

at Baypark. 

Baypark Family Speedway 

has four meets over Dec-Jan, 

get your friends and family 

down and experience the 

excitement of speedway. For 

corporate hosting opportunities 

contact us at events@bayvenues.co.nz 

or phone 07 577 

8560. 

D1NZ drifting first round 

kicks off at Baypark 11–13 

January, 2019 so check out 

New Zealand’s best drifters 

battling it out in the stadium, 

sliding along the concrete 

walls and turning tyres into 

smoke. This is one of the best 

events of the D1NZ season 

and showcases just how far the 

sport of drifting has come. 

For a full list of all events 

held at Baypark visit www. 

asbbaypark.co.nz or call 07 

577 8560. 

Cycling classics a boost for fans and regional tourism 

Cycling takes centre 

stage in Cambridge in 

January, with the town 

set to host the Tissot UCI 

Track World Cup, the world 

cycling body’s flagship track 

cycling series, as well as New 

Zealand’s only UCI- accredited 

road cycling tour, the 

Grassroots Trust New Zealand 

Cycle Classic. 

Starting on Friday, 18 

January, the Avantidrome will 

hold three days of Track World 

Cup competition, showcasing 

the best of international track 

cycling. 

Teams from more than 30 

countries, from as far afield 

as Canada, Belgium and Italy, 

will descend on Cambridge, 

bringing with them squads full 

of talented sprint and endurance 

riders. 

Competition will be fierce 

as nations race for valuable 

qualifying points for next 

year’s world championships 

in Poland, and ultimately the 

2020 Olympics in Tokyo. 

The Tissot UCI Track World 

Cup’s return to Cambridge 

comes off the back of the successful 

2015 event, which saw 

339 riders, 7500 spectators 

and 100 volunteers immerse 

themselves in the track cycling 

experience. 

As well as international 

superstars such as Kristina 

Vogel and Jason Kenny, fans 

also got to witness their local 

heroes with the then men’s 

team pursuit world champion 

quintet showing off their coveted 

rainbow stripes in front 

of the sell-out New Zealand 

crowd. 

The 2019 event will see 

three time men’s team sprint 

world champions Eddie 

Dawkins, Ethan Mitchell and 

Sam Webster included in a 

New Zealand squad bursting 

with proven and emerging 

talent. 

Following closely on the 

heels of the international track 

event is the Grassroots Trust 

New Zealand Cycle Classic. 

This has been moved from 

the Manawatu to Waipa to 

become the feature event of the 

inaugural Three Peaks Manuka 

Honey RIDE New Zealand’s 

Cycling Festival. 

Billed as “a carnival of 

cycling,” it incorporates 

cycling events for participants 

and spectators of all ages, running 

from January 22 to 27. 

The UCI 2.2 New Zealand 

Cycle Classic has been a road 

cycling institution for more 

than 30 years and is recognised 

as the premier international 

road cycling event in 

New Zealand. 

The race has become 

synonymous with unearthing 

exciting new talent, with 

a number of riders going on 

to win stages in the Tour de 

France, the Tour of Italy and 

world championships in the 

following years. 

The two events will bring 

entertainment, vitality and an 

economic boost to the region 

that extends far beyond the 10 

days of racing. 

Many international teams 

are expected to fly in from 

the beginning of the new 

year, setting up camp in order 

to prepare well for the first 

World Cup of the 2019 calendar 

year. 

Coupled with domestic rid- 

ers coming for the five day 

UCI 2.2 Grassroots Trust New 

Zealand Cycle Classic, and 

spectators coming from far 

and wide, this double header 

of cycling action is set to kick 

off the New Year well for local 

hospitality, accommodation, 

retail, tourism and transport 

CAMBRIDGE 

NEW ZEALAND 

18-20 JANUARY 2019 

providers. 

Having two events of this 

scale held in our region puts 

the Waikato on the world stage, 

with news media broadcasting 

the racing to a large domestic 

and international audience, 

highlighting Cambridge and 

the wider region as an attractive 

destination for visitors. 

Don’t be surprised if you 

see folks swapping the sand, 

sunscreen and swimming togs 

for hot cycling action in late 

January. 

With such a bumper line up, 

these are two events not to be 

missed! 

trackworldcup.nz 

BE THERE.


HR, MANAGEMENT AND RECRUITMENT 

Do women bear the heavier load in 

collaborative work environments? 

By CATHY HENDRY 

In collaborative 

projects, women may 

be more likely to take 

on additional work and 

experience burnout. 

Women are more likely to 

voluntarily assist colleagues, 

nurture new recruits, and take 

on jobs such as meeting preparation 

on behalf of the wider 

team, according to a study 

undertaken by the Harvard 

Business Review. Men are 

inclined to focus on achieving 

their own goals, while women 

work toward the aims of the 

team, with little in the way of 

recognition or compensation. 

This can result in women 

feeling overworked and at risk 

of burnout, which raises questions 

around whether it is necessary 

to look at the impact of 

collaborative work on specific 

individuals, both in the short 

term and going forward. It may 

be important for companies to 

cross-examine their own policies 

and practices. 

What affect does it have 

on the workplace and 

female colleagues? 

In the study, women were 

tending to end up with fuller 

loads and not actually getting 

what they needed to get done 

because they were trying to 

help everybody else at the 

same time. This can generate 

issues around the opportunity 

and desire for promotion. 

If women are experiencing 

burnout at their current level, 

they may be less inclined to 

go after a promotion or ask for 

remuneration increase on the 

basis their workload will get 

worse. It's possible this could 

impact conversations around 

too few women in high-level 

positions too. 

On a broader level, it 

affects the efficiency of team 

projects, could impact levels 

of sick leave, and may be part 

of a wider company culture. 

How should a company 

address the issue? 

Uneven workload and its 

associated issues is likely to 

be very specific to individual 

workplaces and more of 

a problem in organisations 

where collaborative working 

is the norm. Where people are 

working individually, these 

issues are less likely to come 

through. 

The task for management 

is to identify overload by 

being on the lookout for how 

projects are being divided 

and for colleagues who are 

working late or not hitting 

deadlines. It's also important 

that colleagues who feel they 

are overworked recognise the 

issue and learn to constructively 

address it. 

Organisations can also 

consider policy around working 

style. Working uninterrupted 

for an hour to 90 

minutes every day without 

monitoring chats, emails or 

phone calls so that everyone 

has time to deal with their own 

workload can be implemented 

at management level. It is also 

worthwhile looking at the pros 

and cons of different working 

styles when it comes to collaborative 

projects and looking at 

how performance is reviewed. 

Cathy Hendry 

Senior Consultant, Tauranga 

P: +64 7 834 6581 M: +64 27 498 9812 

E: cathy@strategicpay.co.nz 

HELPING ORGANISATIONS 

SUCCEED THROUGH THE 

PERFORMANCE OF PEOPLE 

Strategic Pay is New Zealand’s largest 

source of remuneration knowledge 

We have a team of nationwide experts and solutions 

to suit every New Zealand Business. 

As your local Senior Consultant based 

in Tauranga, Cathy Hendry is an 

experienced HR Consultant who has worked 

with a range of public, not for profi t and private 

sector clients in New Zealand and overseas. 

Contact Cathy today: 

Cathy.Hendry@strategicpay.co.nz 

07 834 6581 

027 498 9812 

Specialising in remuneration consulting for over 

10 years, Cathy’s experience includes: 

• market benchmarking 

• equal pay audits 

• job analysis 

• incentive design 

• pay structure design 

• pay equity concerns 

• job mapping 

• job evaluation 

www.strategicpay.co.nz | info@strategicpay.co.nz 

Auckland | Hamilton | Wellington | Christchurch | Dunedin 

StrategicPay

HR, MANAGEMENT AND RECRUITMENT 

Crossing Christmas 

party lines 

HUMAN RESOURCES 

> BY KELLIE HAMLETT 

Director, Recruitment & HR Specialist, Talent ID Recruitment Ltd 


25 

The office Christmas party 

is an occasion many 

Kiwis look forward to all 

year. It’s the ideal opportunity 

for employees and employers 

to get together in a more 

relaxed environment and toast 

the year that has been. 

For some though, the grey 

area between social outing 

and work function can easily 

become blurred. Especially 

when sun and alcohol are in 

the mix. 

It is the employer’s job to 

ensure everyone knows the 

behavioural guidelines of the 

event and how attendees are 

expected to behave. 

Unfortunately, without 

guidance, some can take the 

relaxed feel of the event too 

far. Sometimes the result is just 

Monday morning gossip. 

But sometimes the outcome 

can be much worse and 

can include disciplinary processes 

and occasionally even 

dismissal. 

Which means that setting 

Hydrographers recognise Bay man’s 

30-plus year career 


Greg Cox’s decades-long 

career in hydrography 

was acknowledged 

by international peers at the 

Australasian Hydrographic 

Society’s HYDRO18 

Conference in November. 

The Mount Maunganuibased 

hydrographic survey 

expert and director of 

Discovery Marine (DML) 

recently received the society’s 

Award of Merit for Career 

Achievement in Hydrography. 

The award is presented to people 

who have made significant 

contributions to the industry 

and related sciences. 

Cox said it was “very humbling” 

to receive the award. 

But he also praised his team’s 

work. 

“We have a great team at 

Discovery Marine so I really 

see this award as acknowledgement 

of the work they do 

and the teamwork we bring to 

each of our projects.” 

Hydrographic surveying is 

the science of measuring and 

describing marine features. 

The information provides 

to end-users, typically those 

involved with marine navigation, 

coastal engineering, construction, 

and monitoring. It 

usually involves surveying the 

sea bed, lakes, rivers, shorelines, 

tides, currents, and submerged 

objects. 

Naval background 

Cox started DML in 1998 

after 13 years in the Royal 

New Zealand Navy, where he 

was assistant hydrographer 

navy and achieved the rank 

of lieutenant commander. He 

has since built the company 

from a start-up to a team of 12 

full-time staff and additional 

seasonal contractors. 

The team works on a variety 

of hydrographic survey projects 

throughout Australasia 

and the Pacific Islands. 

Their diverse client base 

includes central government, 

regional councils, engineers, 

coastal scientists, public utilities, 

infrastructure and port 

authorities. 

We work in a 

relatively small and 

niche industry, so 

one of our goals 

has always been 

about growing the 

skills of our staff. 

– Greg Cox 

DML is also a panel supplier 

to Land Information New 

Zealand, New Zealand’s nautical 

charting authority. 

Cox and his team’s work 

in collecting bathymetry - the 

measurement of water depth - 

and other related data is used 

to help ensure safe ship operations 

in New Zealand waters. 

The information also assists 

with coastal erosion monitoring, 

tsunami modelling, 

marine construction projects 

and port operations. 

“The technology in this 

industry is always evolving, 

and with that we are constantly 

evolving and learning too,” 

said Cox. 

“I’ve been doing this work 

for more than 30 years and 

I still don’t know everything 

there is to know about hydrographic 

surveying – this definitely 

isn’t a job where you 

stay static.” 

Ongoing professional 

development is a priority for 

Cox, as is helping the next 

generation of hydrographic 

specialists come through the 

ranks. 

“We work in a relatively 

small and niche industry, so 

one of our goals has always 

been about growing the skills 

of our staff so they’re equipped 

to take on whatever the job 

throws at them.” 

And while there is a big 

technical component in the 

work, Cox said that soft skills 

were just as important. 

“You’re out on the water 

dealing with the elements so 

you need a certain amount of 

adaptability and the ability to 

make decisions on your feet 

and that’s something we really 

encourage from our team.” 

Recent projects for DML 

have included surveying the 

East Cape of New Zealand, 

including areas around White 

Island, for navigational safety 

purposes. In the past couple 

of years they have collaborated 

with NIWA in the delivery 

of New Zealand’s first multidisciplinary 

survey of Queen 

Charlotte Sound, and in 2017 

worked with navigation solutions 

provider iXBlue to survey 

the entire Kaikoura coast 

post-earthquake. 

Annual surveys of the Port 

some simple rules in advance 

and sharing these with all 

who are attending will help to 

ensure everybody’s their safety 

of Tauranga and local marinas 

continue to keep Cox and his 

team busy, and they’re also 

considering options for a survey 

project of Pelorus Sound, 

in the Marlborough Sounds, 

in 2019. 

Cox said New Zealand 

was better for private hydrographers 

than some countries, 

where the type of work DML 

carried out was constrained to 

government departments. 

“There’s a lot of opportunity 

for us and I’m looking forward 

to seeing what that looks 

like in the years to come.” 

and enjoyment. 

Providing food, itineraries, 

safe transport options 

and leading by example are 

the basics of a strong plan of 

action that will help the event 

run smoothly. 

Many employers choose to 

give their staff a little leeway 

during the Christmas party. 

But it is vital that they 

can read the signs when an 

employee is edging towards 

crossing Christmas party lines, 

and that they know when to 

interfere. 

Tactfully removing people 

from the situation can often 

be the best way to diffuse an 

issue. 

Morally, the safety of staff 

is within the hands of the 

employer. Be aware of when 

an employee is feeling uncomfortable, 

unsafe or unwell, 

and aid them so their situation 

doesn’t get uncomfortable or 

dangerous. 

The employer doesn’t need 

to necessarily view their role 

as that of a baby-sitter. 

But they do need to see 

themselves as ensuring everyone 

is safe and comfortable 

when bringing everyone 

together in a carefully planned 

out event that represents their 

brand and company ethos. 

Team building and bonding 

activities, with family invited, 

can be a great alternative to the 

classic office party’ 

So remember that an occasion 

that can be the year’s 

highlight for some, can be 

problematic for both employers 

and employees. 

Management, guidelines 

and action plans will ensure the 

office Christmas function runs 

as smoothly as possible this 

year and make sure it something 

every employee looks 

forward to for years to come. 

The DML team: Award an acknowledgement of the 

team, says Greg Cox (far left, front). Photo/Supplied.


The carrot vs the stick 

There has long been a debate in business regarding the carrot 

and the stick, as in what works better - an incentive to behave 

properly, or a disincentive to misbehave. When it comes to credit 

management there are definitely two distinct schools of thought. 

CREDIT MANAGEMENT 

> BY NICK KERR 

Nick Kerr is Area Manager BOP for EC Credit Control NZ Ltd. 

He can be reached at nick.kerr@eccreditcontrol.co.nz 

OPTION 1: The Carrot 

- the prompt payment 

discount 

This approach is used by many 

power companies, amongst 

others. When a client pays at 

or before the due date, they 

get up to a 15 percent discount, 

which is a strong incentive 

indeed and works for a 

large corporation that has large 

administrative overheads. 

The client question “what’s 

in it for me” is asked and 

answered swiftly. And because 

it is a common industry practice, 

very little market education 

is needed and the amount 

of clients paying late compared 

to similar providers that do 

not offer the prompt payment 

discount would be markedly 

different in my view. 

The issue with applying 

this to the small and medium 

enterprise market is that 

typically a client will pay the 

lowest amount communicated. 

Therefore the need to 

have very strong yet easily 

understood contractual terms 

is essential. Added to this, it 

will require a large amount of 

client education as it is shift in 

standard practice, which may 

make it cumbersome. 

The other issue with the 

above is one of margin. To 

shift the engrained behavior of 

a typical SME client, the discount 

will need to be considerable. 

In my experience anything 

less than 10 percent has 

little or no effect, which leads 

to an interesting situation. 

The average client these 

days of any product or service 

is more educated and has 

access to more instant information 

than ever before, including 

wholesale prices for goods, 

industry average charge rates 

for time, IRD vehicle running 

cost recommendations and the 

like. If a provider wants to 

adopt the prompt payment discount 

option they have two 

options - swallow a 10 percent 

reduction on gross margin or 

try and build in a 10 percent 

buffer to all priced jobs, while 

still trying to remain viable 

and competitive. 

OPTION 2: The stick 

- the finance company 

approach 

As everyone knows well, if you 

have a loan with a finance provider 

and you miss a scheduled 

payment there is a financial 

penalty. Almost every business 

person or individual has 

accessed a loan or funding of 

some kind, or knows a person 

who has experienced the consequences 

of not adhering to the 

terms that have been agreed. 

Using this approach in an 

SME business is relatively 

elementary. If the agreed 

payment is due in seven days 

or by the 20th of the month 

following and is not made, 

then there is a late payment 

fee or interest is applied to 

the account and this reoccurs 

at agreed intervals until the 

principal amount plus any late 

payment fees and interest is 

paid in full. 

Of course this is only legal 

if agreed terms are in place and 

have been legally disclosed; 

large fines can potentially be 

levied against businesses that 

do this incorrectly. The benefit 

of this “carrot” approach is 

that it stops invoices devaluing 

each month and preserves 

cash flow level once paid. 

However, businesses often 

neglect to charge the late payment 

fees and interest even 

when they have agreed terms 

with the legal right to do so. 

This leads to not only a devaluation 

of the invoice, but also 

does not encourage improved 

client payment behavior. Tools 

only work when you use them 

properly. 

The advantage of the second 

option is that is very easy 

to administer through any common 

accounts management system 

such as Xero, MYOB or 

Quickbooks and allows the provider 

to retain pricing integrity, 

which allows them to be more 

competitive. The second advantage 

is that late payment fees 

are an accepted and wellknown 

device that most if not all clients 

have been exposed to. It is generally 

seen as a natural and automatically 

applied consequence 

of the client’s own decision and 

not a selective punishment. 

I have implemented the second 

option into thousands of 

businesses and on average we 

have seen a reduction in payment 

times of around 11 days in 

habitual late paying clients and 

in some extreme cases improvements 

of 30 days or more. 

Just a thought. 

Red Stag development selected as gluelam showcase 

Clearwater Quays 

Apartments, part of 

the Red Stag group of 

vertically integrated wood 

processing and development 

businesses, has been selected 

to showcase the use of engineered 

mass timber in mid-rise 

buildings. 

The Ministry of Primary 

Industries (MPI) has 

announced a partnership with 

Red to deliver Mid-rise Wood 

Construction, a four-year, 

$5 million Primary Growth 

Partnership (PGP) programme. 

Red Stag Investments is 

contributing $3 million (60%) 

and MPI $2 million (40%) 

over the four-year term of the 

programme. Clearwater Quays 

is the first of two builds under 

the programme and will be a 

showcase example of the use 

of large format glue laminated 

(glulam) beams and cross laminated 

timber (CLT) panels. 

The system makes for a lightweight, 

strong and rapid building 

system, using components 

that are precision engineered 

off-site. 

“Combining CLT, glulam 

and panelised framing timber 

is a cost-effective, fast, resilient, 

and sustainable system 

for mid-rise construction,” said 

Red Stag Group chief executive 

Marty Verry. 

“Our PGP programme aims 

to encourage widespread adoption 

of precision-engineered 

timber in mid-rise building 

construction in New Zealand.” 

Boosting wooden 

construction 

The new programme aims 

to boost mid-rise building construction 

using New Zealandengineered 

and panelised 

framing timber and deliver a 

range of regional, social, environmental 

and other benefits.. 

The five-storey apartment 

in Christchurch is being built 

by NaylorLove with completion 

expected in the summer 

of 2019-20. 

The programme will assemble 

a collective of excellence – 

a pool of New Zealand professionals 

experienced in mid-rise 

wood building design and construction 

– to help share and 

grow knowledge and expertise 

within the broader industry, 

according to MPI. 

The two mid-rise wooden 

buildings will act as reference 

sites and inform case studies. 

Steve Penno, director 

investment programmes at 

MPI, said benefits from the 

PGP programme will be felt 

beyond the co-investors. 

“Engineered timber provides 

the opportunity for New 

Zealand to add significant 

value to New Zealand grown 

timber,” he said. 

“It’s also a natural and 

sustainable resource. The 

programme aims to substantially 

increase demand for 

engineered wood products in 

buildings, which will have 

associated flow-on benefits 

across the entire supply chain. 

This will create new regional 

jobs and renewed investment 

in forestry, processing, manufacturing, 

construction, and 

prefabrication.” 

Verry said the apartments 

had been designed to both 

showcase the materials used, 

as well as be ideal for those 

looking for a spacious, warm, 

single-level apartment that 

owners don’t need to worry 

about if they travel for extended 

periods of time. 

The building has eight boutique 

apartments ranging from 

150sqm to 235sqm with three 

already sold. The developer 

Clearwater Quays: A showcase for 

glulam construction. Graphic/Supplied. 

plans to sell just two more 

prior to construction. Red 

Stag will also be developing 

an integrated health spa, gym 

and café/restaurant near to the 

boutique apartment building. 

Verry said mass timber had 

proven very popular overseas 

and was starting to be recognised 

more in New Zealand as 

a high performing solution in 

earthquake zones and as a clean 

green method of building. 

“As a large-scale wooden 

system it also performs well in 

fires, although we will be adding 

sprinklers for additional 

peace of mind. Australian and 

UK research has also proven 

wood and natural materials 

to have significant health and 

relaxation effect on occupants, 

so that is something we and the 

government are also very keen 

to promote.” 

Verry said engineered timber 

provided a very strong, low carbon 

and comparably low-cost 

alternative to steel and concrete. 

“It’s easier to transport, 

relatively light and has outstanding 

earthquake and fire 

resilience. The use of prefabrication 

can speed up construction 

by as much as 30 percent 

and reduce cost to help meet 

New Zealand’s acute need for 

more accommodation.” 

Time for change? Be your own boss. Talk to us today. 

Importer - Fully Managed Kiwifruit Investment 

BP Service Station 

Bethlehem Bakery 

$1.3M Cash Surplus - Bay of Plenty International Patents - Bay of Plenty Premium Brand - Bay of Plenty High Profile Location 

More Business Wanted 

• Service Businesses • Hospitality 

• Import / Distribution / Wholesale 

• Childcare 

This is an impressive opportunity to 

buy this vibrant business that has and 

is experiencing significant growth. 

Ideally suited to an investor looking for 

a governance role in a thriving business 

with scope to grow. It is a Importer, 

Distributor, Wholesaler and Retailer - it’s 

the whole package. 

Asking $4,500,000 

Nico Wamsteker 021 933 313 

Ref 30070 

Available for purchase is the intellectual 

property for this award-winning 

machine with Patents in the major 

Kiwifruit producing nations of New 

Zealand, China, Europe, and Chile. New 

cutting-edge technology PollenSmart is 

the way forward for Kiwifruit farming and 

represents a great investment. 

Price by Tender 

Murray Kidd 021 368 441 

Ref 29985 

This BP is really pumping! A new owner 

will walk into a turn key operation with 

business issues sorted and customer 

experience the day to day priority. As 

part of the BP 2Go independent dealer 

network, you benefit from the strategic 

branding initiatives to boost Income. 

Asking $945,000 

Nico Wamsteker 021 933 313 

Ref 30170 

AUCKLAND WAIKATO BAY OF PLENTY ROTORUA - TAUPO HAWKES BAY MANAWATU WELLINGTON CANTERBURY OTAGO 

An attractive offer has come to market 

with prime State Highway frontage in the 

heart of Bethlehem. Rent is unheard of 

at just 1.58% of annual turnover! A solid 

foundation has been set for new owners 

to take over and capitalize on this busy 

bakery! First time to market in 10 years! 

Call Wayne for more details. 

Asking $495,000 

Wayne Ronald 021 064 7355 

Ref 30201 

e 

e 

e 

Murray Kidd 

021 368 441 

murrayk@abcbusiness.co.nz 

Nico Wamsteker 

021 933 313 

nicow@abcbusiness.co.nz 

Wayne Ronald 

021 064 7355 

wayner@abcbusiness.co.nz 

www.businessesforsale.co.nz 

Licensed REAA 2008


27 

How a coach can help a business 

Business in many senses is much like a sport It’s competitive 

and it requires focus, strategy and ongoing support from those 

who in a similar position or have walked in those shoes before. 

You don’t often find sports 

teams without a coach 

nearby, someone the 

team can approach for advice, 

support and direction. Why 

then are businesses very often 

competing alone? 

Progressive accounting 

firms are now utilising their 

extensive understanding of 

business to act as business 

coaches. 

Experience is drawn from 

both running a business hands 

on and pulling insights from 

businesses they deal with on a 

daily basis. 

While compliance still 

remains an integral part of an 

accounting firm’s daily workload, 

advisory and coaching 

are now becoming highly 

sought after services. 

Business coaches will take 

a bird’s eye view of a business, 

take time to understand what 

makes it tick and where its 

points of improvement are. 

This usually requires 

a series of discovery meetings. 

Businesses will talk 

through their current position, 

what they are good at and 

where they have room for 

improvement. 

Quite often coaches will see 

opportunities a business hasn’t 

even considered. 

These insights are one of 

the benefits of working with 

someone who is not part of 

the businesses’ day-to-day 

operation. 

Businesses can then be 

assisted in formulating plans, 

strategies and KPIs to implement, 

monitor and refine new 

or improved processes. 

There are multiple measures 

of a businesses success, 

such as productivity, financial 

outcomes or customer 

satisfaction. 

These are all points which 

accounting firms are experienced 

in interpreting. 

Business coaches 

will take a bird’s 

eye view of a 

business, take time 

to understand what 

makes it tick and 

where its points of 

improvement are. 

The attraction of accounting-based 

coaches is that they 

have the ability to cross reference 

coaching with business 

results. 

Clients like to see that when 

a strategy is implemented, a 

result is seen in the form of 

profit increase or increased 

efficiency. 

Quite often business coaching 

goes beyond the analytical 

side of business. 

A business owner may find 

themselves a part of the business 

where family life and 

extra curricular activities take 

a back seat to the day-to-day 

running of a business. 

Coaches can implement a 

strategy that will allow key 

business owners and managers 

to be able to temporarily step 

away from operations without 

disruptting productivity. 

Engaging a business coach 

can be a big decision. 

It can involve discussing 

your business’s most vulnerable 

points and digging to the 

core of how the company can 

be run more effectively. 

To ensure a coach is a 

good fit for your business a 

no obligation and free discussion 

is common, so feel free 

to get to know your potential 

coach and make sure they are 

a good fit. 

Michelle Hill is advisory 

partner at BDO Rotorua 

and one of Rotorua’s leading 

business advisory coaches.Talk 

to Michelle and the 

team at BDO about how they 

can help you to achieve your 

business goals. 

MONEY MATTERS 

> BY MICHELLE HILL 

Director and Partner at BDO Rotorua, Chartered Accountants 

and Advisers. To find out more visit bdorotorua.co.nz or email 

rotorua@bdo.co.nz


TE PUKE BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS 

Jellicoe’s father and son team 

take out Te Puke awards 

Jellicoe Industrial Park, run by John and 

Warren Dohnt, took out the Supreme 

Award at this year’s Te Puke Business 

Excellence Awards. 

All photos courtesy of Te Puke Business Awards. 


John Dohnt said the awards 

provided good recognition 

for local businesses. 

“It’s an accolade to be 

judged by the rest of your 

peers and to come out on top,” 

he said. “It means you must be 

doing something right.” 

For the full list of winners, 

please see the accompanying 

table. 

The awards night was 

well-supported with a crowd of 

120 at the Te Puke Memorial 

Hall, and featured a special 

Sikh theme in recognition of 

the significant commitment 

they made to the local business 

community. 

“The awards are in their 

twelfth year now and it’s always 

a celebration of excellence 

and achievement and has solid 

support,” said Mark Boyle, 

from event organiser Te Puke 

Economic Development Group. 

“Our sponsors are terrific.” 

Lance Ewens, from 

Bennetts proactive, which has 

been a long-term principal 

sponsor of the awards, said 

the local business characteristics 

could be summed up by 

the words “diversity, innovation, 

success, development and 

growth.” 

Supreme Award Winners 

Jellicoe - which also won 

the Zespri Agricultural, 

Horticultural and Industrial 

Award - owns and leases out 

premises to a diversified variety 

of businesses in buildings it 

has developed or improved on 

the site of the former Te Puke 

dairy factory. 

The industrial park is located 

on Jellicoe St, opposite 

Donovan Park and includes the 

It’s an accolade to 

be judged by the rest 

of your peers and to 

come out on top. 

– John Dohnt 

Supreme winner Jellicoe Industrial Park. (from 

left) Bennetts Proactive’s Michelle Oldfield, 

Jellicoe’s Jenni, John and Warren Dohnt, and 

Bennetts Proactive’s Lance Ewens. 

Waipuna Hospice on its site. 

“We bought it several 

years ago and have slowly 

brought it up to standard,” said 

John Dohnt. 

“We make an effort for our 

tenants - you have to make 

sure you look after them well.” 

Jellicoe also has other commercial 

properties in Te Puke. 

John Donht said he brought 

his son Warren into the business 

three years ago when he 

completed 18 years of naval 

service after reaching a senior 

ranking. 

“Since I brought my son 

into the business as general 

manager we’ve expanded and 

have done another five buildings 

in Te Puke,” said Dohn. 

He added that Warren had 

brought to the business systems 

and management experience 

and expertise from his time serving 

in the navy and had made a 

big difference to Jellicoe’s. 

The judges said the supreme 

winners operated with excellent 

systems and were committed 

to the wellbeing, growth 

and development of Te Puke. 

Retail Award winner Maree Cooper 

of Street to Surf Clothing. 

Significant business scale 

“They are a business of significant 

scale with plans for continuing 

growth,” the judges said. 

A highlight of the evening 

was a special presentation given 

to Des and Shirley McGregor, 

who came to Te Puke in 1960 

TE PUKE BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS – 

WINNERS 

Des and Shirley McGregor, recognised 

for long community contribution. 

Award categories 

Winners 

Bennetts Proactive Supreme Award 

Jellicoe Industrial Park 

WBOPDC Retail Award 

Street to Surf Clothing 

Bupa Food & Beverage Award The Daily Cafe 

Zespri Agricultural, Horticultural and Industrial Award Jellicoe Industrial Park 

Trevelyan’s Service Award 

Dobsons 

Te Puke EDG Emerging Business Award 

Kansai Sushi 

NZ Parliamentary Services Employee of the Year Award Jenny Wotton 

www.westernbay.govt.nz | Te Kaunihera a rohe mai i nga Kuri-a-Wharei ki Otamarakau ki te Uru 

Employee of the Year Jenny Wootten.

TE PUKE BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS 


29 

Emerging Business Award 

winners from Kansai Sushi. 

Food & Beverage Award winners The Daily Team. 

to purchase a grocery business 

on Jellicoe Street. 

They have since gone on 

to play a major role in the 

Te Puke business community 

with the Te Puke Hotel, and 

the couple received a standing 

ovation in acknowledgement 

of their 58 years of service and 

business life in the community. 

Guest speaker and former 

Sevens Rugby coach Sir Gordon 

Tietjens spoke of how both business 

and sport revolved around 

values like honesty, respect, 

humility and leadership. 

He’s a believer in the 

TEAM acronym – “together 

everyone achieves more” – 

and said he believed victories 

came from the best teams, not 

the best players. 

Jellicoe’s Dohnt said that 

the completion of the new 

highway and bypass had initially 

been met with “doom 

and gloom” in Te Puke. 

“But we’ve found we’re 

seeing five or six businesses 

who came from the Mount and 

established themselves over 

here,” he said. 

“There is plenty of space, 

the traffic isn’t as bad as the 

Mount, we’re close to the port 

and the rental cost per sqm is 

cheaper than the Mount. 

“That’s why a lot of people 

have been looking to re-establish 

themselves in Te Puke.” 

The team from Service Award winners Dobson. 

TERMS 

OF TRADE 

CREDIT 

CHECKING / 

MONITORING 

DEBT 

COLLECTION 

Nick from 

EC Credit Control 

is the Bay of 

Plentys leading 

debt prevention 

expert. 

CREDIT 

MANAGEMENT 

TRAINING 

FOR A NO OBLIGATION MEETING CALL OR EMAIL NICK TODAY 

nick.kerr@eccreditcontrol.co.nz | P: 027 713 2128 

0800 EC GROUP | www.eccreditcontrol.co.nz


CONNECTING 

BUYERS AND 

SELLERS OF 

QUALITY 

BUSINESSES 

First on the scene 

Pictures from recent Bay networking events. 

Photo courtesy of Helen Chapman Photography, Natalie Murdoch Photography and Exceed. 

When is the right time to sell 

your business? Right now. 

At TABAK, we promise to guide 

you through the sales process 

with focus, integrity and 

complete confidentiality. 

1 

1 Stan Gregec, Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, with Alana Tyrell and Meta Tyrell (far right), Alignz Recruitment. Alan and 

Meta won tickets to the recent Dionne Warwick concert at Bay Arena from Sante Fe and Bay Blinds owners Paul and Gail 

Christie (3rd and 4th right). 2 Overview of Sante Fe’s BA5 event. 

2 

FOCUS • INTEGRITY 

CONFIDENTIALITY 

3 

3 Dinesh Kuruwaitage and Peter Marks, Santa Fe. 4 Vinnie Smith and Mark McGarva, Bay Blinds. 

4 

WHY TABAK 

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE 

REALISTIC APPRAISALS 

TEAM APPROACH 

5 

6 

5 Nick Kerr, EC Credit Control, with David Porter and Pete Wales, Bay of Plenty Business News at the Westpac Tauranga 

Awards. 6 Matt Dovey, AJC Distribution, Cliff Tolley, Quinovic, Lisa Ford, Business Mentoring, Robyn Pickerill, Franchise 

Association of NZ chief executive, Margaux Tolley, Quinovic, and Karen Wagstaff, Money Metrics, at the recent FANZ BOP 

meeting at Exceed. 

PRE-QUALIFIED BUYERS 

P5177Y 

147 Cameron Road 

p. 07 578 6329 

e. tauranga@tabak.co.nz 

w. tabak.co.nz 

7 

7 Karen and David Dovey of Exceed with Pete Wales, Bay of Plenty Business News (centre). 8 River Jermyn, Quentosity, 

Campbell Giacon, AJC Distribution, Mathew Burton, Kitchen Studio, and Steve Smith, Embroid Me. 

8


31 

Exposing the myths 

of aged care 

Gone are the days where facilities would be described as 

smelling “like cabbage”, or you would hear of residents being 

restrained to keep them seated, and bed rails used to confine 

them to their beds. 

AGEING AND WELLNESS 

> BY MELISSA HARRIS 

Melissa Harris is the Facility Manager of Radius Althorp in 

Tauranga, Radius Residential Care Ltd. Phone (07) 5432912 or 

email Melissa.Harris@radiuscare.co.nz 

We no longer accept 

the institutionalised 

approach of requiring 

all residents to be up, showered 

and in the lounge by 9am 

for newspaper reading. 

Aged care in today’s world 

paints a much brighter picture 

of putting people first. 

Today’s residents are 

encouraged to stay in their 

own homes as long as possible, 

resulting in significantly older 

people with more complex 

needs now commonly being 

admitted to aged care facilities, 

according to reports. 

The challenge here is 

accepting that by the time an 

older person is admitted to care, 

their quality of life has often 

diminished to the point where 

the resident is unable to participate 

in the innovative and 

inspiring programmes offered, 

due to health limitations or disease 

process progression. 

If that person had come into 

care at an earlier stage, their 

quality of life may have been 

more social, stimulating and of 

a much higher standard. 

A “one size fits all” approach 

no longer is acceptable. 

The “institution” concept is 

now a myth, and is frowned 

upon in today’s world, as providers 

are expected to consider 

individual needs and goals, 

and to tailor care packages to 

meet these. 

One challenge with ensuring 

this is employing proactive 

staff who think and interact 

outside the box, and leave the 

world in a better place than 

when the day started. 

Care staff work incredibly 

hard, and creating a culture 

of celebrating little wins each 

day is vital to reinforce to staff 

that they are valued and do an 

amazing job. 

Feedback from families and 

loved ones is crucial to ensure 

the providers are on track, and 

should be welcomed. 

We constantly encounter 

the challenge of family members 

not accepting that aged 

residential facility care providers 

are not one-to-one care 

providers. 

Families often expect care 

staff or nurses to be with their 

loved one 24 hours a day, which 

is both unrealistic and unachievable 

in this care setting. 

There are always risks of 

their loved one starting to 

fall frequently, or experiencing 

bruising, skin tears and 

infections, when in fact these 

also occur in their own home 

environment. Coming into a 

care facility does not remove 

these risks. 

In serious cases, where a 

resident’s safety or the safety 

of other residents may be 

compromised, the facility may 

negotiate with their local DHB 

for funding to provide a special 

watch person for an agreed 

amount of time. 

We continue to advocate 

for families who have loved 

ones in their own homes, and 

encourage those who may 

be considering looking at 

care placement to speak with 

their GP and have the referral 

lodged early. 

There is often a lengthy 

wait time for in-home assessments, 

and each week that 

passes your loved one is potentially 

deteriorating further. 

We encourage you to go 

out and speak with the aged 

care providers of your choice. 

Do your homework. Plan your 

futures together. Be prepared. 

We welcome anyone for a 

chat, to seek clarification or 

advice on the process ahead, 

or simply to talk to people who 

understand. 

Thanks for your continued support 

We wish you all a Happy Holiday Season & look forward to working with you in the New Year. 

It’s been an incredible year of growth 

and working alongside you. 

Please note our office will be closed from 21.12.18 - 09.01.19 

Call us on 0800 LAW SHOP 

or visit www.thelawshop.co.nz 

ROTORUA 

1268 Arawa St 

Rotorua 

TAURANGA 

1239 Cameron Rd 

Greerton


FRANCHISING 

Franchising still a solid route to new 

business ownership 

New Zealand has more franchises and franchise outlets for its 

population size than any other country in the world. And despite 

some setbacks to business confidence, the sector continues to 

exert strong appeal in the Bay of Plenty. 


Business people are certainly 

taking up opportunities 

in franchising presented 

in the BOP, said Nathan 

Bonney, founder and director 

of Iridium Partners and one 

of two Bay directors on the 

Franchising Association of NZ 

(FANZ) board. 

“In recent years we have 

seen a number of franchises 

enter or expand in the region,” 

he said. 

“In the retail space Iridium 

Partners operates in, the 

expansion of Bayfair Mall 

and development of Tauranga 

Crossings will see a number of 

businesses operating under the 

franchise model. And there is 

also growth on the high street 

in Tauranga. 

David Dovey, co-founder 

of Exceed Franchising and 

the other Bay member of the 

FANZ board, agreed, saying 

that the biggest increase in 

franchising nationally had 

occurred in the retail sector, 

for both food and non-food 

retail, where franchising traditionally 

dominates, boosted by 

strong population and tourism 

growth. 

“Whilst food retail has 

remained strong, non-food 

retail businesses faced pressure 

to adapt to systematic 

changes in shopping preferences,” 

he said. 

Exceed Franchising picked 

up four awards in November - 

Media Campaign of the Year 

and Digital Innovation of the 

Year at the annual Westpac 

NZ Franchise Awards, and 

was a finalist in four awards 

with commendations in two 

categories at the Westpac 

Tauranga Awards. 

In terms of new opportunities, 

Dovey said the most significant 

sector growth in New 

Zealand has been in non-food 

retail with the addition of 51 

more brands since 2012. 

“Retail brands now account 

for almost 23 percent of the 

entire sector. Accommodation 

and food services grew by 36 

new brands and in the construction 

sector there were 25 

additions,” he said. 

“Growth in the construction 

sector is not surprising 

given the high demand forces 

operating in the property market, 

particularly in Auckland, 

and pressure over the past 

five years from Christchurch 

rebuild activity.” 

We can find the franchise 

that is right for you 

Our experience is extensive and our approach is unique, 

we match people, brands and businesses. 

Iridium Partners help potential franchisees research, evaluate, and navigate the 

franchise industry. We’ll be by your side with advice and guidance as we pair 

you with a franchised business, examine the systems and processes, and help 

you take your first steps towards success. 

We work with a number of high-profile and well-known brands to offer franchise 

opportunities, and can also assist with purchases outside of our network. 

The recent reported cooling 

in property because of the 

rising cost of building could 

result in a deceleration of this 

growth trajectory, said Dovey. 

But a strong tourism industry 

may underpin growth in 

accommodation and food services. 

Three other industries 

showing notable increases 

were rental, hire and real estate 

services; arts and recreation, 

and education and training. 

“The most significant 

reduction in sector size 

occurred in administrative and 

support services that include 

such businesses as travel agencies, 

and domestic and gardening 

services.” 

Nathan Bonney noted that 

sectors tended to fall in and 

out of favour, with technology 

and market trends having the 

biggest impact. 

“A perfect example is 

VideoEzy, which at its height 

of the mid 2000s had 135 outlets,” 

he said. 

“With the Australian parent 

company exiting New Zealand 

earlier this year, only a handful 

remain. Conversely, we are 

seeing the emergence of franchise 

systems related to social 

media marketing and home 

Robyn Pickerell, FANZ chief executive at this month’s 

Westpac Franchise Awards: encouraging prospective 

franchise owners to use due diligence. Photo/Supplied. 

services as lifestyles change.” 

Bonney said that while 

some categories like cafes 

appeared to be full, franchised 

outlets still made up a relatively 

small proportion of 

the market. Additionally, the 

market moves, he said, citing 

healthy food trends that had 

created market opportunities 

for brands that did not exist or 

have market appeal only a few 

years ago. 

Regional opportunities 

The reasons people bought 

franchises in metropolitan 

areas were often amplified in 

the regions, said Bonney. 

“It’s the opportunity to be 

in business by yourself, but 

supported, with a known brand 

name with market appeal 

and/or the ability to access a 

particular product or service 

unique to the market,” he said. 

“Comparable corporate 

roles and opportunities are 

often limited in the regions, so 

people looking to relocate may 

look towards franchising.” 

Bonney said the available 

data was limited, but Iridium 

Partners had seen a number of 

franchisees that had relocated 

to start businesses in regional 

New Zealand, including the 

Bay of Plenty. 

“Lifestyle is always high on 

survey results for why people 

buy franchises, so it shouldn’t 

come as a surprise that a desirable 

lifestyle, the Bay of Plenty 

and franchising intersect.” 

Simon Lord, publisher 

of the leading publication 

in the sector, Franchise New 

Zealand, said the sector had 

grown a lot over the past five 

years. 

If you are the wrong 

person, no matter how 

good the franchise, 

you will not make a 

success of it... if you 

are the right person 

in the right place and 

in the top 10 percent 

of performers in any 

system, then it will be 

different. 

– Simon Lord 

“The Bay is an affordable 

destination for those looking 

to escape Auckland and obviously 

a very desirable one, 

and that would be the same for 

people looking to move out of 

Wellington,” he said. 

“Many of the new franchises 

and businesses were created 

by people doing that. But 

it’s a little less straightforward 

now and prices have risen considerably 

[in the Bay] over 

recent years. Then again so 

have prices everywhere, and 

in Auckland in particular. The 

BOP is still a very desirable 

destination.” 

Whether or not it was as 

attractive in terms of establishing 

a successful and profitable 

franchise was more difficult 

to judge. 

“It probably depends to a 

greater degree than it used to 

on which franchise you choose 

and the particular location and 

rentals and so on,” he said. 

It was not simply a matter 

of finding out which were the 

most lucrative franchises, he 

added. 

“If you are the wrong person, 

no matter how good the 

franchise, you will not make 

a success of it. On the other 

hand, if you are the right person 

in the right place and in the 

top 10 percent of performers in 

any franchise system, then it 

will be different.” 

Lord noted that often the 

most profitable franchises in 

any established system were 

outside the major cities, in 

places like Tauranga, because 

usually there was a little less 

competition and often a better 

choice of good staff and lower 

fixed overheads. 

Bay-based David Foster, 

one of NZ’s leading franchise 

lawyers and a former FANZ 

chairman with almost 20 years’ 

experience in providing franchise 

advice, said there were 

some great franchise opportunities 

in Tauranga and the 

whole of BOP. 

“Our region is growing,” 

he said. “For a franchise buyer 

one of the most useful tools 

to start using is the FANZ 

franchisee online pre-training 

course. This is a free course 

and provides great tips and 

knowledge.” 

Due diligence crucial 

Bonney emphasised that the 

largest risk for people entering 

into or purchasing a franchise, 

and the one that is most common, 

is the failure to complete 

adequate due diligence. 

“There is a treasure chest of 

Call us to discuss the opportunities we have for you right now 

Call Nathan 0275 393 022 or 

email info@iridium.net.nz 

iridium.net.nz 

I.R.B. Realty Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 

Premium Café 

Franchise opportunity, 

Tauranga Crossing 

Opens 4th April, 2019 

All enquiries please contact: 

Maree Keane 

Mobile: 027 484 7301 |Email: maree@foodco.co.nz 

www.jamaicablue.co.nz

FRANCHISING 

If you are going to 

create a franchise 

system, do it properly. 

If not done properly 

it is likely to create a 

lot of misery for both 

the franchiser and for 

the franchisees who 

have invested in the 

system. 

– David Foster 

information available to potential 

franchisees, but amazingly 

a large number of potential 

franchisees do not complete 

the free FANZ franchisee 

online pre-training course.” 

There was still a real lack 

of understanding or perception 

of franchising by the general 

public, he said. 

“Armed with a good understanding 

of franchising, the 

potential franchisee needs to 

ask the right questions of the 

franchisor. 

“Due diligence is also as 

much about the individual 

being the right fit for the particular 

brand as it is about 

whether or not the brand or 

system presents a viable business 

opportunity.” 

Bonney said a potential 

franchisee should really assess 

themselves against other successful 

franchisees in the system 

if possible, and at the very 

least should meet and speak to 

no less than three existing or 

past franchisees. 

Foster encouraged those 

interested to talk to their bank, 

noting that some of the larger 

financial institutions had franchise 

specialists who had an 

enormous amount of knowledge 

as to how well a lot of 

franchises do. 

Foster also reiterated that 

a franchise purchaser must do 

a due diligence investigation 

of the system they were considering. 

“For franchisors and those 

looking to create a franchise 

system, there are vast resources 

available to assist them. If 

you are going to create a system, 

do it properly. 

“If not done properly it is 

likely to create a lot of misery 

for both the franchiser and also 

for the franchisees who have 

invested in the system.” 

Dovey said that Mountbased 

Exceed Franchising had 

expanded since 2000 from 

working from home to now 

having a dedicated premises 

employing 17 people, with 

franchises across New Zealand 

and internationally. Skills 

developed by Exceed included 

a customer care center, distribution 

of product, training, 

marketing and IT. 

“A focus has been placed 

on bringing new skills into the 

industry through a young and 

vibrant team supporting the 

franchise owners,” he said. 

Dovey said the focus for 

developing any new franchise 

had to be based around the 

franchisors’ customer, which 

was their franchisee. A proven 

model, strong financial understanding, 

and New Zealand 

code-compliant franchise 

agreements were all key elements, 

he said. 

“But the hardest part for 

anyone looking to franchise is 

the ability to let go and trust 

that the system they have created 

will be followed.” 

Access to information 

Bonney said it was great for 

regional representation to have 

two out of seven FANZ board 

members coming from the 

Bay, and they acted as a good 

contact point for franchisors, 

potential franchisees and service 

providers. 

“While having two Bay 

board members isn’t necessarily 

a reflection of the state of 

franchising, the sector appears 

to be healthy,” he said. 

“It’s good to have representation 

for the franchising 

industry outside of Auckland as 

New Zealand is not Auckland. 

Regional businesses prefer to 

deal with regionals rather than 

Aucklanders or people from 

the big cities.” 

FANZ chief executive 

Robyn Pickerell said franchising 

was a very successful business 

model. 

“FANZ promotes best practice 

franchising,” she said. 

“We encourage all prospective 

franchise owners to research 

well and to use the FANZ website 

resources to assist with 

their due diligence.” 

She said it was vitally 

The hardest part for 

anyone looking to 

franchise is the ability 

to let go and trust 

that the system they 

have created will be 

followed. 

– David Dovey 

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT 

FRANCHISING 

The National Franchise Conference will be held in 

Rotorua on June 20 and 21, 2019. 

www.franchiseassociation.org.nz 

www.franchiseassociation.org.nz/franchising 

www.franchiseassociation.org.nz/online-course/ 

www.franchise.co.nz 

Comparable 

corporate roles and 

opportunities are 

often limited in the 

regions, so people 

looking to relocate 

may look towards 

franchising. 

– Nathan Bonney 

important that a prospective 

franchise owner sought professional 

advice before signing up 

to a franchise. 

FANZ had a list of members 

on its website who could 

support with advice, particularly 

in the areas of finance 

and legal issues, as franchise 

agreements could be complex 

documents. 

“Prospective purchasers 

... should be aware that some 

franchisors may say that they 

abide by FANZ standards and 

codes, but this is very different 

to being a member. 

“FANZ members are also 

able to utilise the Complaints 

Process should this ever be 

required.” 

Franchise New Zealand 

publisher Simon Lord said 

that the low levels of business 

confidence since the election 

of the coalition government 

a year ago had seen activity 

levels slow a little. 

“I think a lot of franchisors 

have found it difficult to find 

new franchisees over the last 

year,” he said. 

“It’s certainly the case that 

if someone is buying a business 

at the moment, then they 

will find franchisors eager to 

talk to them and will quite possibly 

find some good opportunities. 

There is plenty of 

choice out there.” 

New Zealand - Well 

served by franchises 

New Zealand has more franchises 

and franchise outlets for 

its population size than any 

other country in the world, 

with some 630-plus franchised 

brands and at least 37,000 

franchised units, according to 

the most recent survey data. 

Simon Lord, publisher of 

Franchise New Zealand magazine, 

who has been analysing 

the sector for 25 years, says 

franchising has grown massively 

over recent years. 

The most recent survey 

suggested franchising accounts 

for 11 percent of NZGDP, with 

some 124,000 employed in NZ 

franchises. The next five-year 

survey is due to be carried out 

in 2019. 

“A lot of international franchisors 

targeted Auckland initially,” 

he says. 

“But the reality now is that 

for many people Auckland 

isn’t where they want to be 

anymore. Franchising is offering 

opportunities south of the 

Bombay Hills and north of 

Albany.” 

Look for this sign 

before you sign 

Buy a franchise with confidence 

A franchise displaying 

our member logo signifies: 

Credibility 

Adherence to Code of Practice & Code of Ethics 

7 day cooling off period 

Commitment to best practice franchising 

Simple dispute resolution process 

www.franchiseassociation.org.nz 

P9157W


TAURANGA 

MAGAZINE 

Rotorua 

Hamilton 

newsletter 

news 


Five reasons to consider a rebrand 

We all know the saying “New Year, new beginnings”. The same is 

true for most business brands – they evolve as the world around 

them changes. 

With 2019 on the horizon, 

it’s an ideal time 

to take stock and consider 

whether your brand story 

needs a rethink. 

Has it stood the test of time 

or are your customers changing 

and is the environment you 

operate within different from 

when you started? 

Rebranding can be an 

expensive and time-consuming 

exercise, so it’s not something 

to take lightly. But if the reasons 

for changing check out, 

then its impact can be transformational. 

Here are five examples of 

when a re-brand of your business 

is worth considering. 

1. Your brand hasn’t 

moved with the times 

What’s socially acceptable 

today is different from what 

was acceptable in the 2000s, 

let alone the 1990s. 

Businesses must change the 

way they present themselves to 

appeal to the changing expectations 

and ambitions of their 

customers. 

Imagine running the kinds 

of ads a cleaning products company 

ran in the 1950s, complete 

with gender-stereotyped housewives 

busy in the kitchen and a 

pipe-smoking husband sitting 

idly by reading the paper. As 

we know, that no longer plays 

well in the modern era. 

Technological changes may 

also necessitate a rebrand. 

Businesses with names such 

as “Cassettes R Us” or “DVD 

Domain” aren’t likely to do as 

well in 2019 as in the 1990s 

when they first started, even 

if they are now stocking the 

latest gadgets. 

2. The products or 

services you offer have 

changed 

Sometimes the products or services 

you offered when you 

started your business now differ 

from those you’re offering 

today. 

Perhaps you made a name 

for yourself selling business 

footwear, but you’ve since 

branched out into suits, ties 

and even corporate gifts. 

If your logo, business name 

and key messages only reflect 

the footwear side of your business, 

you could be up against 

it when trying to communicate 

the broader range of services 

you offer. 

3. You’ve moved to a new 

city or country 

TELLING YOUR STORY 

> BY JAMES HEFFIELD 

Director of Bay of Plenty marketing and PR consultancy Last 

Word. To find out more visit lastwordmedia.co.nz or email 

james@lastwordmedia.co.nz. 

What’s desirable in one location 

isn’t always as appealing 

in another. 

Sometimes cultural differences 

necessitate a change in 

how you present your business. 

In other cases, a region’s economy 

might dictate a re-focus of 

your products or services. 

For example, a consultancy 

moving from Wellington 

to Tauranga may find that it 

needs to change its services to 

appeal more to small and midsized 

businesses than central 

government agencies. 

4. Science says so 

Views about what is acceptable 

change as new research is 

undertaken. 

Growing awareness of 

climate change has led some 

companies to actively link 

their brand story to sustainability 

and its positive environmental 

impact. 

Similarly, revelations about 

the health effects of smoking 

over the past few decades have 

forced tobacco companies to 

reconsider their branding. 

Staying abreast of new 

research will allow you to 

align your brand to popular 

causes and beliefs. 

5. You need to differentiate 

your company from 

competitors 

If new competitors enter 

your market you may lose 

some of your points of 

difference. 

You may no longer be the 

lowest cost option, or the only 

one that offers a money-back 

guarantee. 

A re-brand can provide an 

opportunity to showcase a new 

point of difference, or communicate 

what it is about the way 

you do business that makes 

you the best choice. 

Finally, it’s worth keeping 

in mind that your brand is how 

your customers think about 

you. It’s about how you do 

business, as well as the words 

and visual imagery you use. 

A change in brand values 

will likely require you and your 

staff to adopt new values and a 

new approach to doing business. 

You may also need to 

consider whether the products 

and services you currently 

offer are aligned with 

the brand you’re looking to 

create and the market position 

you’re aiming for. 

Don’t forget a strong story 

is at the heart of any good 

brand, and that story needs to 

be believable and compelling 

if your customers are going to 

buy into it. 


“ 

The Voice of Business in the Bay” 


“ 

The Voice of Business in the Bay 

” 

“ 

Engaged regional 

papers provide 

advertisers with 

extra value. 

PRINT 

“ 

PRINT 

Build your business 

” 

with the regions 

most trusted form of 

media, Print. 

“ 

Business News for 

” 

New Zealand’s most 

vibrant economic 

region. 

The written word gives your business: 

” 

Recognition | Credibility | Influence 

Business News 

HOME SHOW 

The written word gives your business: 

Recognition / Credibility / Influence / Results 

www.bopbusinessnews.co.nz


35 

The Best Start for a 

Business Partnership 

Like any relationship, partnerships can have 

their stresses. If you’re in business with 

another person, whether you trade as a 

partnership or as a company, you should 

have a well-written agreement in place. 

A 

good solicitor can help 

you identify possible 

issues and present solutions, 

and help you draft the 

agreement. Then you and your 

business partner can avoid 

the pitfalls of partnerships, as 

you will both have a thorough 

understanding of how the business 

is to be managed in the 

future. 

Paula Lines, director at 

The Law Shop, explains that 

creating the partnership or 

shareholders agreement and 

setting up the proper structure 

for the partnership are the two 

most important steps in the 

process. She says it’s about 

understanding the mechanics 

of how your business will be 

governed, in every possible 

scenario. 

“The agreement will cover 

things such as the nature of 

the business, so neither of you 

decides to head off on another 

track without agreement, 

contributions of capital, the 

responsibilities of each owner 

so everyone is clear on who 

will do what, what will happen 

if one of you gets sick and 

is unable to work, or you have 

a falling out and don’t want 

to work together anymore,” 

Paula Lines, Commercial 

Lawyer at The Law Shop. 

Paula says. 

Most of the time, people 

see a lawyer when things go 

wrong and they need help sorting 

out the problems. By this 

time, the parties are already 

thick into their dispute, often 

angry or hurt, and unwilling 

to compromise. Both stand to 

lose money, and more often 

than not it becomes a matter 

of principle to keep arguing. 

Getting legal help at this stage 

is good, but much too late. 

If you see a lawyer at the 

beginning and get a solid partnership 

agreement in place, 

you can save yourselves money 

and heartache in the long 

run. The agreement will allow 

for revisions due to changing 

circumstances, but these 

should always be in writing 

and signed by each party. 

There will also be clear rules 

in place on how to end the 

business relationship and an 

exit strategy, so neither party 

is disadvantaged when the relationship 

comes to an end. 

If you are looking at going 

into business with another 

person, talk to the team at The 

Law Shop first. They know 

the ins and outs of all aspects 

of business law and can assist 

you at any time of your entrepreneurial 

journey. Contact 

their Rotorua or Tauranga office 

if you need practical and 

professional legal advice for 

your business, especially if 

you prefer a no-nonsense approach. 

Just send an email to 

team@thelawshop.co.nz to 

get things started. 

Over the holiday period, 

The Law Shop’s offices will 

be closed between Friday 21 

December 2018 and Wednesday 

9 January 2019. Paula 

and her team hope you’ll get 

a chance to enjoy some free 

time over the Christmas and 

New Year’s period to spend 

with family and friends, and 

that 2019 will be the best year 

yet for you and your business. 

Expert legal advice 

that solidifies your 

business’ foundations 

STEPHANIE NORTHEY 

LL.B | Director 

PAULA LINES 


SARSHA TYRRELL 


For over 30 years, The Law Shop has been giving clear advice 

for a fair price to individuals, small and medium businesses 

in the Bay of Plenty. 

If your business needs advice on Trusts, Agreements, Buying, 

Selling, Terms of Trade, Structure and Succession Planning, 

Banking, Leasing, Debt Collection or Franchising, then 

we’re the team for you. 

Contact our friendly team to find out more today. 

Proudly serving our community from our offices 

in Rotorua and Tauranga. 

Call us on 0800 LAW SHOP 

or visit www.thelawshop.co.nz 

ROTORUA 

1268 Arawa St 

Rotorua 

TAURANGA 

1239 Cameron Rd 

Greerton 

Lawyers for everyday people

It Doesn’t Get 

Much Better 

Than This 

Technically two apartments, this 

exceptional waterfront home is one 

of the most exciting opportunities to 

hit the Bay of Plenty market in 

recent years. Savvy investors, 

extended families, seekers of 

privacy and space take note - this 

property is on the Highway to Sell! 

The Duchess 

of Westridge 

With 360 degree privacy yet no 

compromise on sun, there’s 

something for everyone here. 

Whether you’re a gardener, 

swimmer, sunbather or 

entertainer. Whether it’s netball, 

basketball, volleyball or tennis, this 

hidden oasis will have the whole 

family doing more of what they love 

at home. 

6 

5 4 

5 586m2 

5 

3 4 

3 377m2 0.54ha 

64 Harbour Drive, Tauranga 

Tender (RV $4,050,000) 

Cameron Macneil 

021 800 889 

26 Wallace Place, Tauriko 

Price by Negotiation 


021 800 889 

Country 

Class 

Be careful who you bring to the 

open home because this stylish, 

contemporary home set on 2 acres 

of classic country land will have the 

whole family begging you to buy. 

This is a true family retreat, with four 

bedrooms, an office or 5th bedroom 

and multiple separate living areas, 

including a rumpus room in the kids 

wing. 

Pacific Rim 

Paradise 

When I first met with Anne, she told 

me her vision here was to create a 

home that felt like the perfect 

combination of art and architecture. 

Designed by Maria and the late 

James Cotter, the final product of 

that vision was built in 2002 by 

award-winning, master builder 

Murray Pederson. 

5 

2 3 

2 301m2 

0.85ha 

4 

2 1 

2 270m2 1.14ha 

135d McLaren Falls Road 

Price by Negotiation 


021 800 889 

11d Rowe Road, Ohauiti 

Enquiries Over $1,925,000 


021 800 889 

Sunsets, 

BBQs & Magic 

Mount Views 

This is a social, relaxed home. It’s a 

home of love, of laughter, and it’s 

pretty easy to imagine waking up 

each day to the sound of birds and 

at night, watching the sun set from 

your expansive deck or spa pool. 

Whether upsizing or downsizing, this 

semi-rural property should be added 

straight to the top of your list 

Ladies & 

Gentlemen 

This is a unique home, set in a 

private, elevated position and it’s 

just minutes from Omokoroa Village. 

Over the past few years, Mrs Barons 

has lovingly and tastefully enhanced 

the interior and it can now be 

described as a truly elegant 

residence. Each living space offers a 

different view and atmosphere. 

4 

2 2 

2 227m2 0.30ha 

4 

2 3 

2 340m2 0.54ha 

33 Oceana Drive, Welcome Bay 


425 Omokoroa Road, Omokoroa 



021 800 889 


021 800 889 

Sophisticated 

Single-Level 

Living 

Architecturally designed and sited 

perfectly for sun and views, this 

absolutely stunning home is 

brimming with state-of-the-art 

construction materials and features. 

The bold white on white colour 

theme draws attention to the striking 

twin gables, and a true sense of 

quality and style is present 

throughout the property. 

3 Rataha 

Lane 

SOLD 

Private Oasis & 

Income Options 

Set in a peaceful, private oasis, this 

is a seriously spacious and recently 

renovated family home. With four 

generous bedrooms, two 

bathrooms, a stylish modern kitchen 

and massive living areas, the whole 

family will definitely approve of this 

property. Beautiful tall palm trees 

tower over a dreamy outdoor 

entertaining area, complete with 

swimming pool, spa & gazebo. 

4 

3 3 

2 343m2 953m2 

44 Holyoake Terrace, Omokoroa 



021 800 889 

6 

3 2 

5 250m2 

3 Rataha Lane, Te Puke 

SOLD $945,000 


021 800 889 

0.33ha 

Oliver Road Estate Agents Limited | Licensed REAA 2008 

oliverroad.co.nz

Bay of Plenty Business News November/December 2018

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?