Southern Hospitality

Name

Southern Hospitality

Legal name

Southern Hospitality Limited

Website

https://southernhospitality.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Kitchen Equipment & Hospitality Supplies

NAICS

Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Commercial Cooking Equipment & Parts Wholesale (AFAIALAJ), Commercial Refrigeration & HVAC (Foodservice) Wholesale (AFAIALAI), Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAG)

Keywords

• Commercial kitchen equipment
• Hospitality supplies
• Catering equipment
• Foodservice solutions
• Commercial kitchen design

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunedin

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Revenue generated from direct sales of commercial kitchen equipment, hospitality supplies, and foodservice solutions including catering equipment, tableware, cleaning products, disposables, and furniture. One-time purchase model with unit pricing.
2. Finance/Lease/Rental: Partnered with SilverChef and CFI Finance to offer flexible finance options including lease/rental and business loan plans, enabling customers to acquire equipment through recurring payments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Southern Hospitality is New Zealand's leading supplier of commercial kitchen equipment and hospitality supplies, selling professional-grade cooking, refrigeration, catering, bakery, and beverage equipment alongside tableware, kitchenware, disposables, cleaning products, chef uniforms, furniture, and plumbing fixtures. The company operates an e-commerce platform and 13 physical showrooms nationwide, offering nationwide delivery and a Trade Account program for registered businesses. Its SHL Projects division provides end-to-end commercial kitchen and bar design, fabrication, installation, and after-sales service, while finance partners SilverChef and CFI Finance offer flexible lease/rental and loan options.

Product overview

Southern Hospitality is a New Zealand-based supplier of commercial kitchen equipment and hospitality supplies operating as an e-commerce platform with physical showrooms. The product portfolio consists of multiple product categories (commercial kitchen equipment, catering equipment, chef uniforms, cleaning products, displayware, disposables, refrigeration, furniture, kitchenware, plumbing, and tableware) plus eight proprietary house brands (Pro.equip, Pro.cooker, Accolade, Earth Essentials, Soft Clean, Pro.mundi, Kleaning Essentials, and Choyer). The company also offers complementary services including commercial kitchen design and bar fitout solutions, RATIONAL equipment distribution, flexible financing through SilverChef and CFI Finance, equipment servicing and warranty support, and trade account solutions. The offering is a broad retail/platform model rather than a unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pro.equip: Commercial solutions, benchtop systems, and heavy-duty equipment designed for durability, efficiency, and high-performance use in demanding environments.
• Pro.cooker
• Accolade
• Earth Essentials
• Soft Clean
• Pro.mundi
• Kleaning Essentials
• Essentials Collection
• Choyer

Products and services

• Commercial Kitchen Equipment Professional-grade commercial kitchen appliances including cooking equipment (combi steam ovens, convection ovens, fryers, griddles, ranges, salamanders, pizza ovens, BBQs and chargrills, cooktops, deck ovens), refrigeration (bar chillers, blast chillers, display cabinets, freezers, ice machines), food preparation equipment (food processors, mincers, slicers, scales, mixers), and dishwashing systems for hospitality operators across New Zealand.
• Catering Equipment Catering equipment including bakery equipment (convection ovens, dough dividers and moulders, planetary mixers, spiral mixers, rack and deck ovens, retarder provers, slicers, pastry sheeters), beverage machines (coffee machines, blenders, drink dispensers, granita and slush machines, juicers, milkshake makers, soda machines, urns and water boilers), display cabinets (bain maries, counter-top, floor standing), kitchen equipment (heat lamps, hold and transport, ice cream makers and dessert, Pacojet), and consumables for bakeries, cafes, and catering operators.
• Chef Uniforms and Aprons Professional chef clothing and accessories including chef jackets, pants, hats, aprons, buttons, neckerchiefs, and safety footwear designed for hospitality workplace use.
• Cleaning Products and Chemicals Commercial cleaning products including sanitizers, chemicals, cleaning accessories, cloths, mops, brooms, vacuum cleaners, and janitorial equipment designed for hospitality operators.
• Displayware and Buffet Serving and display products for hospitality venues including buffet risers, chafing dishes, display stands, melamineware, trays, and wooden serveware.
• Disposables Single-use hospitality products including takeaway packaging, cups, straws, napkins, paper towels, disposable gloves, candles, and eco-friendly options, comprising 567+ disposable items in the catalog.
• Fridges, Freezers and Ice Machines Refrigeration and cooling equipment including bar chillers, blast chillers, display cabinets, freezers, and ice makers from brands such as Hoshizaki, Scotsman, and Skope, including Irinox Blast Chillers.
• Furniture and Hotel Room Supplies Hospitality furniture and guest supplies including barstools, chairs, tables, outdoor heating, umbrellas, and guest amenities for hotels and accommodation providers.
• Kitchenware and Barware Kitchen tools and bar equipment including baking accessories, cookware, food safety items, knives, kitchen utensils, stainless steel products, and bar accessories.
• Sinks, Taps and Plumbing Commercial plumbing fixtures including benchtops, sinks, taps, and washroom sanitary equipment for hospitality venues.
• Tableware Dining and serving items including crockery, cutlery, glassware, plastic drinkware, and healthcare and aged care tableware.
• Southern Hospitality House Brands (Pro.equip, Pro.cooker, Accolade, Earth Essentials, Soft Clean, Pro.mundi, Kleaning Essentials, Essentials Collection, Choyer) Eight proprietary house brands covering commercial equipment and benchtop systems (Pro.equip), professional cookware and kitchen tools (Pro.cooker), on-trend durable crockery (Accolade), sustainable takeaway packaging (Earth Essentials), commercial washroom supplies (Soft Clean), design-led tabletop ranges including crockery, cutlery, and serviceware (Pro.mundi), professional cleaning and hygiene solutions (Kleaning Essentials), essential kitchen and serviceware products (Essentials Collection), and premium guest amenities (Choyer).
• Commercial Kitchen and Bar Design Services (SHL Projects) End-to-end commercial kitchen and bar design, equipment supply, professional installation, custom stainless steel fabrication, extraction hood manufacturing, and after-sales service through the SHL Projects division, delivering concept-to-completion fitouts.
• Finance Solutions Flexible equipment acquisition financing including lease/rental plans (e.g., Blue Seal E603 Electric Fryer rental from $72.32 per week through SilverChef) and business loan plans (typically $5,000 to $250,000 with terms up to 5 years and fixed weekly repayments through CFI Finance).
• RATIONAL Equipment Distribution and Support Exclusive New Zealand distribution of RATIONAL combi ovens, including expert advice, nationwide demos, professional installation, and full training on RATIONAL combi oven equipment.

Named customers10 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered parent company, core and major.

• ECF Groupparent companyOthersECF Group is the parent company of Southern Hospitality. The company is proudly part of ECF Group, which appears on their Corporate Social Responsibility page and certification badges, indicating a larger corporate structure under which Southern Hospitality operates.
• RATIONALcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouthern Hospitality is NZ's leading distributor of RATIONAL combi ovens, providing expert advice, nationwide demos, professional installation, and full training. RATIONAL equipment represents a premium product line within their commercial cooking equipment category.
• SkopemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSkope is listed as a trusted brand partner alongside Rational, Moffat, Accolade, and Kleaning Essentials. Skope provides refrigeration and cooling solutions including Irinox Blast Chillers featured in the product catalog.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Comcater: Comcater is a leading Australia/NZ distributor of commercial kitchen equipment and foodservice solutions, including Rational combi ovens. It competes head-to-head with Southern Hospitality on premium cooking equipment distribution and full kitchen fitouts in the trans-Tasman region.
• Bidfood New Zealand: Bidfood NZ is a major foodservice distributor supplying restaurants, cafés, hotels, and hospitality operators across New Zealand. It is a direct comparable in the broad foodservice supply category serving overlapping customer segments in the same geography.
• Polar Bear Equipment Ltd: Polar Bear Equipment is a New Zealand-based supplier of commercial kitchen equipment and refrigeration to hospitality operators. It directly overlaps in product range (cooking equipment, refrigeration) and regional customer base served by Southern Hospitality.
• Edward Don & Company: Edward Don is one of the largest US distributors of foodservice equipment, supplies, and furniture to restaurants and hospitality operators, combining a showroom/field-sales model with broad product assortment — a very close business-model analogue to Southern Hospitality's 13-showroom distribution model.
• Catering Equipment Limited (CEL): CEL is a UK-based commercial catering equipment retailer and distributor serving restaurants, bars, hotels, and event venues. While UK-based, its combination of e-commerce, showroom presence, and equipment breadth makes it a strong business-model comparable to Southern Hospitality's specialty distribution model.
• Nisbets: Nisbets is a major commercial catering equipment retailer and wholesaler operating across the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. It sells commercial kitchen equipment, tableware, and disposables online and through showrooms — a closely analogous business model and product mix to Southern Hospitality.

Broad incumbents

• Bunzl plc: Bunzl is a global FTSE-listed distribution group supplying foodservice, hospitality, and janitorial products to commercial operators worldwide. It represents a scaled incumbent in the same distribution category — non-food consumables and foodservice supplies — that Southern Hospitality participates in.
• Sysco Corporation: Sysco is the largest global foodservice distributor, serving restaurants, healthcare, education, and hospitality with food and non-food supplies. While focused on food distribution rather than equipment, Sysco is a relevant incumbent reference for the integrated-supply model Southern Hospitality occupies for hospitality operators.
• Asko Professional Appliances (ASKO): ASKO is a Scandinavian manufacturer of professional/commercial kitchen and laundry equipment sold through distribution channels including into hospitality. It overlaps as a brand-side counterpart in commercial kitchen equipment categories carried by Southern Hospitality.

Emerging players

• Haviland Group (HPH Group): Haviland is a hospitality and foodservice equipment distributor with cross-Tasman presence, supplying tableware, kitchenware, and small equipment. It is a partial-overlap competitor in commercial kitchenware and tableware categories carried by Southern Hospitality.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SouthernHospitality
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthernHospitalityNZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southernhospitalityltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/southernhospitality_nz
• Xx.com/sohosp_nz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Southern Hospitality