Kono

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.

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

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

• New Zealand wine
• Fresh produce exports
• Horticulture production
• Kiwifruit cultivation
• Hop farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Nelson

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

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

Core 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.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/konowines

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Kono