Silver Fern Farms

What Silver Fern Farms does

Silver Fern Farms is a New Zealand-headquartered processor, marketer and exporter of premium grass-fed red meat (beef, lamb and venison), founded in 1948 and based in Dunedin. It operates 14 processing plants across New Zealand with peak-season staffing of approximately 7,000, partners with roughly 16,000 sheep, beef and deer farmers, accounts for around 30% of New Zealand's lamb, beef and venison production, and exports to more than 60 countries. Annual sales exceed $2.5 billion. The company is a 50:50 joint venture between Silver Fern Farms Co-operative (NZ farmer co-operative) and Shanghai Bright Meat Industry Group (BMG), a subsidiary of Chinese state-owned Bright Food, governed by a 10-member board split between the two partners.

The product portfolio spans grass-fed beef SKUs (Rib-Eye, New York Strip, Top Sirloin, Tenderloin, Chuck Roast, Premium Ground Beef), restaurant-quality lamb cuts, and pasture-raised venison, with a sub-brand called Net Carbon Zero by Nature — Toitū net carbonzero certified beef verified to ISO 14067. Distribution runs through three channels: (i) retail — Costco and Albertsons in the US, Woolworths/New World/PAK'nSAVE domestically, plus regional independents; (ii) foodservice via distribution partner Marx Foods/MarxFoods.com; and (iii) direct-to-consumer e-commerce through the company website, Costco.com and Instacart. Geographies include dedicated localized storefronts for the US, New Zealand, Germany, South Korea, Japan, China and the Middle East.

The business model is a one-time-sale physical-goods model with no disclosed subscription or pricing tiers. Revenue is driven by volume of premium-priced red meat, with margin differentiation supported by sustainability certification (SBTi-validated beef-only emissions target, Toitū carbonreduce, Toitū enviromark diamond), farmer-provenance storytelling, and guaranteed eating quality programs. The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales into US retail and foodservice with direct-to-consumer e-commerce. Recent strategic emphasis has been on US-led geographic expansion, premiumization via the Net Carbon Zero range, and supply-chain digitization (e.g., Scanabull computer-vision cattle weighing partnership). CEO Dan Boulton, appointed February 2024, leads an executive team including a Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Transformation Officer, Chief Supply Officer and Chief Sustainability & Risk Officer.

Name

Silver Fern Farms

Legal name

Silver Fern Farms Limited

Website

https://silverfernfarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Silver Fern Farms is New Zealand's largest red meat processor and exporter, producing premium grass-fed beef, lamb, and venison across 14 plants with 16,000 farmer partners. It serves 60+ countries through retail, foodservice, and direct-to-consumer channels, generating over $2.5 billion in annual sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Red Meat Production

NAICS

All Other Animal Production (11299), Sheep and Goat Farming (1124), Dual-Purpose Cattle Ranching and Farming (112130)

SIC

Meat Packing Plants (2011), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Game & Specialty Meats Wholesale (Venison, Bison, etc.) (AFAIADAG)

Keywords

• Grass-fed red meat
• Premium beef production
• Lamb and venison exporter
• Net carbon zero meat
• Red meat processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunedin

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Red meat product sales: Revenue generated from producing and selling premium 100% grass-fed beef, lamb, and venison products to retail, foodservice, and direct-to-consumer channels across global markets including the US, New Zealand domestic market, and 60+ export countries. Products sold through supermarket chains, specialty retailers, Costco, online platforms, and restaurant supply.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Silver Fern Farms processes, markets, and exports premium 100% grass-fed New Zealand beef, lamb, and pasture-raised venison products through retail partnerships (Costco, Albertsons, Woolworths), foodservice distribution, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce. The portfolio spans fresh and frozen cuts, ground beef, and the certified Net Carbon Zero by Nature range, supplying over 60 countries from 14 processing plants.

Product overview

Silver Fern Farms is a New Zealand-based red meat company offering a unified portfolio of grass-fed beef, lamb, and venison products. The core offering consists of premium fresh and frozen cuts including Rib-Eye Steak, New York Strip Steak, Top Sirloin Steak, Tenderloin Steak, Chuck Roast, and Premium Ground Beef across beef; restaurant-quality lamb cuts; and pasture-raised venison. The Net Carbon Zero by Nature Range provides certified sustainable beef products with verified carbon-neutral lifecycle. Products are sold through retail partners (Costco, Albertsons, major supermarket chains), direct-to-consumer e-commerce, and foodservice distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Net Carbon Zero by Nature: New Zealand's first certified grass-fed, end-to-end Net Carbon Zero range where emissions are balanced by carbon sequestering vegetation on supplying farms.
• Net Carbon Zero by Nature Science

Products and services

• 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef New York Strip Steak Aged Angus beef 10oz New York Strip Steak cut from the striploin, full-flavored with narrow fat cover for creamy mouthfeel and juicy results, sold to US retail and foodservice customers.
• 100% Grass-Fed Angus Premium Ground Beef Angus Premium Ground Beef 1lb derived from boneless beef trimmed to 85% lean standard, made from best cuts ground with care, sold to US retail and direct-to-consumer customers.
• 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef Top Sirloin Steak Aged Angus Beef 8oz Top Sirloin Steak, succulently tender and full flavored, suitable for BBQ preparation, sold across US retail and online channels.
• 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef Tenderloin Steak Aged Angus Beef 6oz Tenderloin Steak described as the king of beef cuts, tender and succulent, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef Chuck Roast Angus Beef 24oz Chuck Roast, boneless cut from the chuck area behind shoulder blades, suitable for pot roast or stew, sold to retail and online customers.
• 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef Rib-Eye Steak Aged Angus Beef 10oz Rib-Eye Steak cut from prime rib with bone removed, featuring bold beef flavor, grass-fed marbling, and exceptional tenderness, distributed across US retail partners including Costco and Southern California retailers.
• Grass-Fed Lamb New Zealand grass-fed lamb products featuring restaurant-quality cuts known for sweet and tender characteristics, distributed through retail, foodservice, and online channels.
• Pasture-Raised Venison Free-range farmed venison from New Zealand deer, lean and delicate with pasture-raised quality standards, distributed through Albertsons banners and other retail partners.
• Net Carbon Zero by Nature Range Toitū net carbonzero certified production system featuring grass-fed beef with end-to-end lifecycle emissions balanced by on-farm carbon sequestration through native vegetation and tree plantings, sold across US and NZ retail channels.
• Direct-to-Consumer E-Commerce Online ordering platform enabling US customers to purchase Silver Fern Farms grass-fed beef, lamb, and venison products directly for home delivery across the continental United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of active deliverables under Sustainability Action Plan achieved or made good progress in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ScanabullcoreTechnology or Integration · 23 March 2026Agritech startup developing computer-vision platform for instant cattle weight estimation using smartphone cameras and AI processing. Currently conducting trials with Silver Fern Farms across New Zealand with over 93% accuracy achieved. Scanabull raised NZ$1.1M seed funding with participation from Sprout Agritech, Enterprise Angels, and Callaghan Innovation.
• RethinkminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2020New York City-based hunger relief non-profit. Silver Fern Farms donated 1,500 lbs of premium beef to facilitate 5,000 meals and committed to donate 2lbs of beef for every 10lbs sold online through MarxFoods.com over a four-week period.
• Toitū EnvirocarecoreOthersNew Zealand's leading independent climate performance certifier and subsidiary of Crown Research Institute Landcare Research. Provides annual audits and certification for Silver Fern Farms' Net Carbon Zero by Nature range, verifying emissions and removals to ISO 14067 standards.
• AgriZero NZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership with New Zealand Government and other primary sector companies to find, develop, and adopt real solutions to reduce methane emissions from livestock without impacting animal welfare or meat quality. Silver Fern Farms is a founding partner actively participating in and funding this initiative.
• Marx Companies / MarxFoods.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLongstanding US distribution partner collaborating on online sampler box launches, restaurant supply, and community outreach programs including the donation initiative with Rethink hunger relief organization.
• Beef + Lamb New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarmer-owned industry organization representing New Zealand's sheep and beef farmers. Collaborated with Silver Fern Farms and Marx Foods to launch Angus beef sampler boxes available for purchase online.
• Meat the NeedminorOthersNew Zealand charity enabling farmers to donate livestock that is processed by Silver Fern Farms and delivered to foodbanks. Silver Fern Farms provides founding sponsorship and processing capabilities.
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)coreOthersGold standard in corporate emissions reporting. Silver Fern Farms received validation of full set of Near-Term commitments including beef-only emissions reduction targets - possibly the first company globally to achieve this for beef-specific targets.
• Climate Leaders CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation member of the Climate Leaders Coalition, collaborating with other New Zealand companies on climate action commitments.
• The Aotearoa CircleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading partner in The Aotearoa Circle, a collaborative initiative focused on sustainable food production and environmental stewardship in New Zealand.
• AgResearchcoreOthersNew Zealand Crown Research Institute that independently calculates emissions associated with each pack of Silver Fern Farms' Net Carbon Zero products annually using real data.
• FoodHQ / AGMARDTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTAMP Programme (Leadership Development) - FoodHQ administered the programme funded by AGMARDT for emerging agrifood sector leaders. Silver Fern Farms employees participated in the 4-day programme.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alliance Group: New Zealand farmer-owned meat cooperative and SFF's primary domestic competitor. Processes and exports lamb, beef, and venison from NZ farmer suppliers to global markets, operating similar processing plant infrastructure and serving overlapping retail and foodservice customers.
• ANZCO Foods: New Zealand red meat processor and exporter producing lamb, beef, and venison for global markets. Operates multiple processing plants in NZ and supplies similar wholesale, retail, and foodservice channels as SFF, with comparable farmer supply relationships.
• Affco New Zealand (Talleys): NZ-based meat processor owned by Talley's Group, producing beef, lamb, and venison for export and domestic markets. Directly competes with SFF in NZ livestock procurement and international red meat export channels.
• Teys Australia: Australian red meat processor and exporter producing beef and lamb for global markets. Comparable vertically integrated processing model with farmer supply partnerships, serving similar retail and foodservice channels across North America, Asia, and Europe.
• Greenlea Premier Meats: New Zealand beef processor specializing in premium grass-fed beef for export and domestic retail. Competes directly with SFF's beef portfolio and shares farmer supply base in NZ, with comparable sustainability and quality certification positioning.

Broad incumbents

• JBS S.A. World's largest meat processor with operations across beef, lamb, and other proteins globally. While significantly larger and diversified across multiple species and geographies, JBS competes with SFF in the global red meat wholesale market and increasingly in sustainability-branded premium SKUs.
• Tyson Foods: US-headquartered meat and protein giant operating across beef, chicken, and prepared foods. While primarily a US beef processor competing in commodity channels, Tyson's scale and retail relationships (including Costco and major US grocers) overlap with SFF's US distribution footprint.
• NH Foods (Nippon Ham Group): Japanese meat and food company with global processing operations across beef, pork, and processed meats. Operates in similar Asian premium markets as SFF (Japan, Korea, China) and competes for premium grass-fed and branded red meat positioning across the region.
• Marfrig Global Foods: Brazilian meat processor and global beef exporter with significant North American operations (National Beef). Competes with SFF in the global beef wholesale market and in sustainability-branded premium beef categories across US retail and foodservice.
• Cargill Protein & Food Solutions: Global agriculture and food processor with one of the largest North American beef processing operations. While not NZ-based, Cargill competes with SFF in global beef supply chains and increasingly in sustainability-certified and traceable premium beef programs for retail and foodservice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/silverfernfarms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silver-fern-farms-ltd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Silver Fern Farms