Awanui Group

What Awanui Group does

Awanui Group is New Zealand's largest provider of human pathology, veterinary diagnostics, and analytical testing services, operating as a national integrated laboratory network. Formed in 2022 through the consolidation of legacy regional brands (Southern Community Laboratories, Canterbury SCL, Wellington SCL, Medlab South, Taranaki Pathology, Northland Pathology, Labtests, Gribbles Veterinary, Gribbles Analytical), the company handles approximately 75% of all laboratory and pathology testing in the country, processing more than 7 million patient samples annually across 23 laboratories, 151 collection centres, and a 200+ vehicle courier fleet serving 25,000 patients daily. Awanui is contracted to deliver services to Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) across nine regions and reports handling 98% of GP referrals and 35% of hospital testing in New Zealand.

The platform is anchored by Project NOVA, a single integrated Laboratory Information System deployed across 18 sites, and includes production-grade automation such as the Roche 3.0 core laboratory system in Auckland (25 analysers, ~10,000 samples daily) and PathFinder benchtop robotic workstations. Digital pathology is operationalised via Leica Aperio GT450 DX whole-slide imaging, with research-stage AI capabilities including a Nano-i digital microscope using Microsoft Custom Vision for automated cell counting and Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing for C. difficile surveillance. Awanui also offers direct-to-consumer self-requested testing through BODYiQ, veterinary diagnostics under Awanui Veterinary (with Antech partnership), and food/water analytical services under Awanui Scientific.

Revenue is dominated by Health NZ contracted pathology services (NZ$340 million disclosed), supplemented by commercial clinical trial testing, workplace screening, immigration testing, prenatal NIPS, BODYiQ self-requested testing, and veterinary/scientific services. The company is jointly owned by the New Zealand Super Fund and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, employs 2,100+ staff including 70 specialist pathologists, refinanced NZ$313 million of debt in 2025, and reported a pre-tax loss of NZ$2.9 million in 2025 following losses of NZ$22.5M (2023) and NZ$21.4M (2024).

Name

Awanui Group

Legal name

APHG NZ Investments Limited

Website

https://awanuigroup.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Awanui Group is New Zealand's largest pathology and diagnostic testing provider, processing 7+ million samples annually across 23 laboratories and 151 collection centres. It serves 25,000 patients daily under contract with Health New Zealand, handling 75% of the country's laboratory testing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diagnostic Pathology and Laboratory Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (6215)

SIC

Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) & Near-Patient Labs (HLAFAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Anatomic Pathology (Histopathology & Cytopathology) (HLAFAMAA), Genetic & Prenatal Testing Laboratories (HLAFAMAH), At-Home Lab Testing & Diagnostics-Integrated Virtual Care (HLALAAAE)

Keywords

• Diagnostic pathology services
• Medical laboratory testing
• Veterinary diagnostic services
• Point-of-care testing
• Self-requested health testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Health NZ Contracts: Primary revenue stream from contracted pathology laboratory services delivered to Health NZ (formerly district health boards). Revenue of $340 million from Health NZ contracts covering community and hospital laboratory testing across nine regions.
2. Self-Requested Testing (BODYiQ): Direct-to-consumer laboratory testing service enabling individuals to access health testing without GP referral. Provides results via digital portal with optional Results Protection service connecting customers to GPs through The Doctors Online partnership.
3. Commercial Services: Clinical trial testing, workplace health screening, immigration testing, prenatal screening (NIPS), and COVID-19 testing services for commercial clients.
4. Veterinary Diagnostic Services: Veterinary diagnostic testing and pathology services through Awanui Veterinary brand, including partnership with Antech Diagnostics for point-of-care testing solutions and Nu.Q canine cancer risk assessment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Awanui Group is New Zealand's largest pathology and diagnostic testing provider, delivering human pathology, veterinary diagnostic, and analytical testing services through a national network of 23 laboratories and 151 collection centres. The company offers self-requested direct-to-consumer testing via the BODYiQ platform, point-of-care testing for rural communities, and commercial services including clinical trial, workplace, immigration, and prenatal screening. It processes over 7 million patient samples annually, representing approximately 75% of all laboratory and pathology testing in New Zealand.

Product overview

Awanui Group operates as a multi-brand laboratory and pathology services provider consisting of three core divisions: Awanui Labs (human pathology), Awanui Veterinary (animal diagnostics), and Awanui Scientific (analytical testing). Awanui Labs is the dominant community and hospital laboratory provider in New Zealand, handling approximately 75% of all laboratory testing through a network of 151 collection centres and 23 laboratories serving over 25,000 patients daily. The company offers specialist services including Digital Pathology (Whole Slide Imaging), Point-of-Care Testing for rural communities, clinical trial testing, and the BODYiQ self-requested testing platform for direct-to-consumer health management. Results are shared through integrated clinical databases including TestSafe and Eclair. The network was formerly comprised of Southern Community Laboratories, Canterbury SCL, Wellington SCL, Medlab South, Taranaki Pathology, Northland Pathology, and Labtests, now unified under the Awanui brand with Project NOVA laboratory information system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Awanui Labs: Human pathology and laboratory services
• Awanui Veterinary
• Awanui Scientific
• BODYiQ
• Project NOVA
• Co:Lab

Products and services

• Awanui Labs (Human Pathology) Community and hospital pathology and laboratory testing services delivered to GPs, specialists, and Health NZ across New Zealand, processing over 7 million patient samples annually across 23 laboratories and 151 collection centres.
• Awanui Veterinary Veterinary diagnostic testing and pathology services for veterinary practices across New Zealand, including point-of-care testing through the Antech Diagnostics partnership and Nu.Q canine cancer risk assessment.
• Awanui Scientific Analytical and scientific testing services for food, water, and environmental diagnostics.
• BODYiQ Self-Requested Testing Direct-to-consumer laboratory testing platform enabling New Zealanders to order their own health tests without GP referral, with digital results delivery and optional GP consultation.
• Clinical Trial Testing Laboratory testing services for clinical trials supporting pharmaceutical research and medical research studies.
• Workplace Health Screening Occupational health screening services for employers, including workplace health assessments and testing programmes.
• Immigration Testing Medical laboratory testing services required for immigration applications and visa processing in New Zealand.
• Prenatal NIPS (Illumiscreen) Screening Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) services for expectant mothers, marketed under the Illumiscreen brand.
• COVID-19 Testing COVID-19 diagnostic testing service for commercial and public health customers.
• Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Coordination Service Decentralised diagnostic testing service bringing laboratory testing closer to patients in rural and remote communities, with real-time result flow into the LIS and clinical repositories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 47% reduction in blood rebleeds for NICU babies through clotted CBC sample reporting
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability9 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ScreenSouth LimitedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026Collaboration supporting National Bowel Screening Programme by providing drop-off points for completed screening kits at Awanui Labs collection centres across Canterbury.
• Antech Diagnostic LimitedminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026Partnership delivering point-of-care testing solutions for veterinary practices across New Zealand, combining Antech's global innovation with Awanui Veterinary's local expertise and sector knowledge.
• The Doctors Online (Green Cross Health)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025Partnership providing Results Protection service for BODYiQ self-requested testing. Offers direct access to New Zealand-registered GPs for follow-up guidance when results fall outside normal range.
• Pacific Clinical Research NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2025Built purpose-built Awanui Labs collection centre in Stoke, Nelson, demonstrating partnership approach to expanding healthcare infrastructure in the region.
• Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government customer and partner for delivering pathology services. Health NZ conducts national review of pathology services and RUUC programme partnership for point-of-care testing in rural areas.
• Twizel Medical CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural medical centre in South Canterbury receiving Point-of-Care Testing equipment and training through the Rural Urgent Unplanned Care programme.
• Roche DiagnosticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier partnership for chemistry reagents delivered in sustainable cardboard boxes with wool lining (replacing polystyrene boxes) through DHL. Supports Northland laboratory sustainability initiatives.
• Techion GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration developing Nano-i digital microscope technology using Microsoft Custom Vision AI for automated cell counting in human diagnostic samples including urine, CSF, and other body fluids.
• AUT (Auckland University of Technology)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing student placement opportunities for Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science students. Supports practical laboratory experience alongside theoretical study.
• University of OtagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and educational partnership providing student placement opportunities. Collaboration on DPYD genotyping assay development for cancer drug safety testing.
• University of Otago Medical Laboratory Science ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration developing and validating DPYD genotyping assay for identifying cancer patients at risk of severe toxicity from 5-fluorouracil and capecitabine drugs.
• Selwyn District CouncilminorOthersLocal government partnership supporting opening of Rolleston collection centre in fastest-growing district in New Zealand. Mayor Sam Broughton attended opening.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sonic Healthcare: Australia-headquartered global pathology and radiology provider with very similar operating model — national network of laboratories, hospital contracts, specialist pathologists, and expansion into digital/AI pathology. Closest comparable peer by business model, scale, and service mix.
• Antech Diagnostics: Awanui's stated veterinary partner delivering point-of-care diagnostic solutions for veterinary practices. Operates a global veterinary diagnostics network with similar reference-lab and in-clinic testing capabilities to Awanui Veterinary.
• Australian Clinical Labs (ACL): Australian pathology provider offering community and hospital laboratory services. Similar business mix including genetic testing, NIPT, and specialised diagnostics — strong analogue for Awanui's full-service pathology positioning.
• Healius (formerly Primary Health Care): Australian diagnostics and pathology operator running a national network of laboratories and collection centres. Comparable in service breadth (community pathology, hospital contracts, commercial testing) and in operating across a similarly sized trans-Tasman population.

Regional players

• SYNLAB: Europe's leading medical diagnostics services provider, operating reference laboratories and clinical trial services across multiple countries. Comparable in routine clinical pathology, hospital contracts, and clinical-trial sample collection, though focused on European markets.

Broad incumbents

• Quest Diagnostics: One of the two largest US clinical laboratory networks, offering routine and specialty diagnostics. Comparable reference-lab model and DTC testing platform, though at far greater scale and with broader test menu and consumer brand recognition.
• Laboratory Corporation of America (Labcorp): Global clinical laboratory and diagnostics leader with a comparable mix of routine and specialty testing, plus a direct-to-consumer offering. Much larger and more diversified than Awanui, but operates the same underlying reference-lab economics.

Emerging players

• IDEXX Laboratories: Global leader in veterinary diagnostics, with companion-animal and livestock testing products including point-of-care platforms. Highly relevant peer for Awanui's veterinary diagnostics arm given the Antech partnership and Nu.Q canine cancer offering.
• Invitae: US-based genetic testing company with a focus on prenatal screening, hereditary cancer testing, and companion-diagnostic services. Relevant peer for Awanui's NIPS (Illumiscreen) and DPYD genotyping assay businesses.

Others

• Canterbury Health Laboratories: Public hospital laboratory in Christchurch providing diagnostic pathology services for the Canterbury region. Overlaps with Awanui in hospital pathology, particularly relevant given Awanui's contracts with Health NZ in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/awanui

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries9 records

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 Awanui Group