Kono
Kono NZ LP is a vertically integrated, Māori-owned New Zealand food and beverage producer and exporter operating 300+ hectares of vineyards and orchards across the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions. It supplies premium wine, apples, pears, kiwifruit, and hops to international distributors and retailers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNelson, New Zealand
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kono does
Kono NZ LP is a vertically integrated, family-owned Māori food and beverage producer and exporter headquartered in Nelson, New Zealand, operating as the commercial food and beverage arm of Wakatū Incorporation. The company farms more than 300 hectares of land across the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions — including 224 hectares of Motueka orchards — and runs a unified portfolio organized into a Wine division (Kono Wines, Tohu Wines, Aronui, and Awatere brands) and a Horticulture division (apples, kiwifruit, pears, and hops). Operations span the full value chain from farming and harvesting through processing and marketing, supported by international retail certifications (Tesco Nurture, BRC Global Standards, EurepGAP, Sedex) that qualify its produce for major overseas grocery supply chains.
The business model is B2B trade-focused: wine is sold to NZ trade customers under formal credit terms, while produce and wine are exported through a geographically dispersed network of international partners, with the website localized into English, Chinese, and Te Reo Māori to support cross-border commercial activity. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Marketing is conducted through a Partnership & Sponsorship program targeting aligned NZ events, awards, campaigns, and fundraisers. Revenue, headcount trends, and capital structure details are not disclosed in the input; the only recorded funding event is a nominal NZ$16,893 Callaghan Innovation grant dated 14 October 2020.
Kono differentiates through its Māori ownership heritage, a stated 500-year intergenerational operating plan guided by tikanga, and multi-brand positioning across wine tiers and produce categories. Its addressable customers are international food and beverage distributors and retailers seeking premium New Zealand wine and fresh produce with verified agricultural and ethical supply chain credentials.
Kono firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kono
- Legal name
- Kono NZ LP
- Website
- https://kono.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Kono NZ LP is a vertically integrated, Māori-owned New Zealand food and beverage producer and exporter operating 300+ hectares of vineyards and orchards across the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions. It supplies premium wine, apples, pears, kiwifruit, and hops to international distributors and retailers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kono industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food and Beverage Production
- NAICS
- Wineries (312130), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fresh Fruit Wholesale (AFAIACAA)
Keywords
Where Kono is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nelson
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kono business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Kono product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kono NZ LP is a vertically integrated, family-owned Māori food and beverage producer and exporter that farms more than 300 hectares across the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions of New Zealand. The company produces, processes, and markets award-winning wines under multiple brands (Kono Wines, Tohu Wines, Aronui, Awatere) and cultivates apples, kiwifruit, pears, and hops through its Kono Horticulture division for sale to international export partners and trade customers.
Product overview
Kono NZ LP is a vertically integrated, family-owned Māori food and beverage producer and exporter of award-winning wine and fruit. The company operates as a unified portfolio of products organized into two main divisions: Wine (Kono Wines, Tohu Wines, Aronui, and Awatere brands) and Horticulture (Kono Horticulture, which encompasses apples, kiwifruit, pears, and hops). The company farms more than 300 hectares of land across Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions, with products exported globally through trade partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tohu Wines: Wine brand under Kono
- Kono Wines
- Aronui
- Awatere
- Kono Horticulture
Products and services
- Kono Wines Wine brand under the Kono portfolio offering New Zealand wines produced from vineyards in the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions for export and domestic trade sale.
- Tohu Wines Premium New Zealand wine brand produced by Kono from the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions, exported internationally and sold through New Zealand trade customers.
- Aronui Wine brand celebrating the art and craftsmanship of working and caring for the land, produced by Kono from its New Zealand vineyards.
- Awatere Wine brand produced from the Awatere Valley in New Zealand, known for fresh and lively flavours with hints of citrus, green apple, and tropical fruit balanced with subtle mineral taste.
- Kono Horticulture Horticulture division of Kono operating 224 hectares of planted orchards in Motueka, New Zealand, producing apples, kiwifruit, pears, and hops for export to international markets under Tesco Nurture, BRC, EurepGAP, and Sedex certifications.
Companies that use Kono
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kono technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kono partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kono competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cloudy Bay Vineyards: Iconic Marlborough-based wine producer owned by LVMH. Direct comparable in premium NZ wine with global brand recognition and similar export distribution model.
- Delegat Wine Estate: New Zealand's largest listed wine producer (Oyster Bay, Delegat's), operating from Marlborough and Hawke's Bay. Direct comparable as a Marlborough-region wine exporter with global distribution and similar product portfolio.
- Villa Maria Estate: One of New Zealand's most awarded wine producers with extensive Marlborough and Hawke's Bay operations. Owned by Indevin Group; comparable premium NZ wine exporter with similar international distribution channels.
- Foley Family Wines: NZ wine producer (Vavasour, Clifford Bay, Grove Mill, Martinborough) with Marlborough focus and US distribution via Foley Family Wines USA. Comparable scale and export-oriented NZ wine portfolio.
- New Zealand Hops Limited: Grower-owned cooperative supplying proprietary hop varieties (including Nelson Sauvin) to global craft brewers. Direct comparable in the hop production category with overlapping varietal portfolio and international export focus.
- Rockit Global: New Zealand-based premium apple producer (Rockit miniature apples) with global retail distribution. Comparable as a NZ apple exporter with branded product strategy and international retailer relationships.
- Trinity Hill Wines: Boutique NZ wine producer based in Hawke's Bay with international distribution. Comparable premium NZ wine producer with similar export-oriented model, though smaller scale.
Broad incumbents
- Pernod Ricard Winemakers: Global wine giant operating in NZ through Montana/Brancott Estate brands from Marlborough. Major competitor for shelf space and distribution in the same export markets Kono serves.
- Zespri International: World's largest marketer of kiwifruit, headquartered in New Zealand with grower-supply model. Comparable as a NZ-based fresh produce exporter with global retail distribution, though significantly larger and more dominant in kiwifruit.
- T&G Global: New Zealand-listed fresh produce company (apples, grapes, berries) with global operations. Comparable as a NZ-based multi-category produce exporter supplying international retailers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kono social profiles
Digital presenceKono compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Kono financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kono leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Kono subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Kono funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kono M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kono
What does Kono do?
Kono NZ LP is a vertically integrated, family-owned Māori food and beverage producer and exporter that farms more than 300 hectares across the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions of New Zealand. The company produces, processes, and markets award-winning wines under multiple brands (Kono Wines, Tohu Wines, Aronui, Awatere) and cultivates apples, kiwifruit, pears, and hops through its Kono Horticulture division for sale to international export partners and trade customers.
Is Kono a public or private company?
Kono is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kono founded?
Kono was founded in 2011. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Kono based?
Kono is headquartered in Nelson, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
Who are Kono's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cloudy Bay Vineyards, Delegat Wine Estate, Villa Maria Estate, Foley Family Wines, New Zealand Hops Limited, Rockit Global and Trinity Hill Wines. Broad incumbents are Pernod Ricard Winemakers, Zespri International and T&G Global.
Does Kono have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kono.
What industry is Kono in?
Kono's product category is Food and Beverage Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIACAA, Fresh Fruit Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 312130 and its SIC code is 2080.