FrostBoss®

What FrostBoss® does

FrostBoss® (FrostBoss Limited, Hastings, New Zealand) designs, manufactures, and services mechanical frost fans used by commercial growers to protect frost-sensitive crops from radiation frost events. Its core technology draws warmer air from temperature inversion layers (10–50 metres above ground) down over crops via fans with 360-degree vertical rotation, covering 6–8 hectares per unit depending on site and inversion conditions. The proprietary C49 four-blade and C59 five-blade composite fans, co-developed with former Team New Zealand aerodynamics engineer Richard Karn, are marketed as the quietest machines on the market; supporting products include composite blades, stationary and lay-down towers, and engines. Hardware is complemented by the FrostSmart™ web-based remote monitoring system with AutoStart/Stop™ activation at 0.9°C, wireless temperature probes, and an annual subscription for data access, alerts, and historical analytics.

The company operates a vertically integrated manufacturing footprint, anchored by a 2024 Hawkes Bay blade facility (equipped with ABB and Roboticom robotics) that tripled production capacity. FrostBoss sells directly through owned subsidiaries in New Zealand and Australia (FrostBoss Australia Pty Limited) and through local distributors across at least 11 international markets in South America (Argentina, Chile), Europe (Bulgaria, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey), and North America (Canada). Revenue is generated via hardware sales (fans, blades, towers, engines), recurring annual FrostSmart subscriptions, and a growing Service Centre network providing maintenance, oil changes, and repairs. Customers are commercial agricultural operations growing grapes, apples, almonds, citrus, stonefruit, and kiwifruit.

FrostBoss was formerly New Zealand Frost Fans (NZFF) and rebranded FrostBoss® to its global master trading name in 2024, coinciding with the new Hawkes Bay facility milestone and CEO Andrew Priest's stated ambition to protect crops across six continents. Key personnel include CEO Andrew Priest and Director Steve Haslett; the company is privately held with prior institutional backing from Pencarrow Private Equity (2019) and ongoing R&D grants from Callaghan Innovation.

Name

FrostBoss®

Legal name

FrostBoss Limited

Website

https://frostboss.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

FrostBoss® designs, manufactures, and services mechanical frost fans and the FrostSmart™ remote monitoring system used by commercial growers globally to protect frost-sensitive crops such as grapes, apples, almonds, citrus, stonefruit, and kiwifruit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hastings

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Frost Fan Hardware Sales: Sale of frost fans including C49 (4-blade) and C59 (5-blade) models, towers (stationary and lay-down), and engines. Hardware monitoring is now included as standard with all machines.
2. FrostSmart™ Monitoring Subscription: Annual subscription fee for accessing customer-specific monitoring data, providing real-time monitoring, text alarms, historical data and graphs on temperature, run-hours and machine performance.
3. Servicing and Maintenance: Service and maintenance of frost fans, including regular servicing, oil changes, and emergency repairs through growing network of Service Centres with dedicated service trucks.
4. Blade-Only Options: Sale of replacement blades compatible with most existing towers, allowing upgrades without full machine replacement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FrostBoss® manufactures and sells mechanical frost protection fans (C49 4-blade and C59 5-blade models), proprietary composite blades, towers (stationary and lay-down), and engines for commercial agricultural growers. The fans draw warmer air down from inversion layers (10–50 m above ground) and circulate it over crops during radiation frosts. Hardware is complemented by the FrostSmart™ web-based remote monitoring system with annual subscription, AutoStart/Stop™ automatic activation, and wireless temperature probes, along with end-to-end service including mapping, installation, servicing and blade-only upgrade options.

Product overview

FrostBoss® offers a portfolio of frost protection solutions consisting of mechanical frost fans (C49 4-blade and C59 5-blade models) as the core products, complemented by proprietary composite blades, towers (stationary and lay-down variants), and engines. The FrostSmart™ monitoring system provides remote monitoring capabilities as an add-on service with subscription. Products work together to draw down warmer air from inversion layers and circulate it over crops during radiation frosts, protecting grapes, apples, almonds, citrus, stonefruit, and kiwifruit. The company operates its own blade manufacturing facility in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FrostSmart™: Web-based remote monitoring system for frost fans, providing real-time monitoring, text alarms, and historical data on temperature, run-hours, and machine performance.
• FrostBoss® C49
• FrostBoss® C59
• Lay-Down Tower

Products and services

• FrostBoss® C49 Frost Fan A 4-blade frost protection fan incorporating proprietary FrostBoss® clutch, controller, and C49 composite blades, designed for optimized noise reduction using greater blade working area and slower rotational speed. Targeted at commercial agricultural growers needing frost protection for sensitive crops.
• FrostBoss® C59 Frost Fan A 5-blade frost protection fan marketed alongside the C49 as one of the quietest machines on the market, featuring composite blade technology for commercial agricultural operations.
• Composite Blades Efficient, quiet, and reliable composite blades designed for frost fans, twisted from root to tip for greater coverage. Manufactured at the Hawkes Bay facility with robotic automation. Compatible with most existing towers for blade-only upgrades.
• Towers (Stationary and Lay-Down) Flexible tower options including a stationary tower and a lay-down tower that can stand up or lie down, providing flexibility for crop protection needs and visual amenity regulations in sensitive regions.
• Engine

Quantifiable outcome

• Coverage of 6-8 hectares per fan depending on site conditions and inversion strength
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ABB & RoboticomcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Robotic technology suppliers for the new blade manufacturing facility in Hawkes Bay. ABB and Italian company Roboticom providing robotic systems for automated sanding and paint-spraying operations, revolutionizing traditional manufacturing processes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Orchard-Rite: Established US-based manufacturer of wind machines for frost protection in orchards and vineyards. Closest direct competitor to FrostBoss with similar propeller-style frost fans sold into high-value crop segments.
• Amarillo Gear Company: Manufactures Amarillo Wind Machine frost fans under its own brand and historically for other labels, directly overlapping with FrostBoss in agricultural frost-fan product, channel and end-market.
• Frost Fans Australasia (previously AUFF): Australian frost fan operator historically associated with the precursor to FrostBoss. Functions as a legacy/regional alternative in the same Australian/NZ customer segment.
• Agrofrost: Europe-based supplier of frost protection solutions including wind machines and orchard heating, overlapping with FrostBoss's range in European vineyards and fruit orchards.

Broad incumbents

• John Deere (Ag & Turf division): Dominant broad-line agricultural equipment OEM with a large dealer network and orchard/vineyard customer base. Vastly broader portfolio but represents a potential channel and bundling threat in specialty crop protection.

Others

• Tulare公司 (Tule River / Ag-Rain style irrigation integrators): Overhead sprinkler and micro-irrigation providers used as alternative frost mitigation (e.g., water sprinkling). Compete for the same orchard/vineyard frost-control budget via a different mechanism.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/frostbossfrost1
• Facebookfacebook.com/frostbossfrostfans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frostboss-global
• Instagraminstagram.com/frostbossfrostfans

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about FrostBoss®