Mynoke

What Mynoke does

MyNoke is a New Zealand-based, privately-held industrial vermicomposting company founded in 2007 by German soil scientist Dr Michael Quintern. The company operates what it describes as the world's largest worm farming operation, running three production sites in the Central North Island (Tokoroa, Taupō, and Ohakune) and employing approximately 25 people. It uses billions of earthworms (Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei) to process more than 140,000 tonnes of organic waste per year—encompassing dairy by-products, biosolids, wood processing fibre, food scraps, and industrial food sludges—into pure vermicast (worm castings) for soil enhancement, with cumulative landfill diversion exceeding 1.4 million tonnes. Output meets New Zealand Standard NZS4454:2005 and employs proprietary Gut-Associated and Cast-Associated pathogen-reduction processes (GAPs/CAPs).

The commercial model blends two revenue streams. The first is sale of vermicast product in three formats: 17-litre retail bags distributed through a North Island stockist network of garden centres and rural suppliers; 1-tonne bags for landscaping projects; and bulk vermicast (minimum 10-tonne orders) sold directly to farms, orchards, vineyards, civil projects, and forestry operations. A liquid vermicast extract extends the range to irrigation, foliar, and hydroponic applications. The second stream is a commercial organic waste processing service, with MyNoke acting as a fee-based processor for councils, food producers, and manufacturers, including notable partnerships with Waste Management (collection logistics, Hamilton City programme launched 2022), Ingham's (poultry processing), and Silver Fern Farms (red meat pelts).

Go-to-market combines direct field sales for enterprise and bulk accounts, a stockist-led retail channel for home-and-garden buyers, and education-driven content marketing through the AKO MyNoke Learning Hub, blog, and public farm tours. The company's growth posture is reflected in announced expansion to additional vermicomposting sites in Mercer, Dunedin, and Hawke's Bay, and increased recognition including the 2022 Wintec Sustainability Award and Air New Zealand People's Choice Award at the Waikato Business Awards. The business faces structural concentration in three North Island sites and modest headcount relative to its annual waste throughput, indicating high operational leverage but limited redundancy.

Name

Mynoke

Legal name

MyNoke

Website

https://mynoke.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MyNoke is a New Zealand-based vermicomposting company that uses billions of earthworms to convert over 140,000 tonnes of organic waste annually into pure vermicast soil conditioner, supplying councils, food processors, farmers, orchardists, and home gardeners across the North Island.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Fertiliser & Waste Processing

akta.pro primary industry

Compost & Vermicompost (AFABAKAC)

Keywords

• Vermicast production
• Organic waste processing
• Industrial vermicomposting
• Soil conditioner manufacturing
• Circular economy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Taupo

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Vermicast Product Sales: MyNoke generates primary revenue from selling vermicast (worm castings) products in multiple formats: 17-litre bags for home gardeners sold through retail stockists across the North Island; 1 tonne bulk bags for landscape projects; and bulk vermicast (minimum 10 tonnes) for large-scale agricultural and horticultural operations. Products are sold as soil conditioners that improve soil health, boost microbial activity, and enhance nutrient uptake.
2. Commercial Organic Waste Processing Services: MyNoke provides industrial-scale organic waste processing services to councils, food producers, manufacturers, and organisations generating significant volumes of organic waste (dairy by-products, biosolids, wood processing fibre, food scraps, etc.). Waste is transformed into vermicast, reducing environmental impact and supporting circular economy outcomes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MyNoke produces premium vermicast (earthworm castings) at industrial scale using billions of earthworms to process over 140,000 tonnes of organic waste annually. The company sells vermicast in 17-litre retail bags, 1-tonne bulk bags, and minimum 10-tonne bulk orders to home gardeners, farmers, orchardists, civil projects, and forestry operators. It also provides commercial-scale organic waste processing services that transform food scraps, biosolids, dairy by-products, and industrial organic sludges into sanitised vermicast for councils and major food producers.

Product overview

MyNoke is the world's largest worm farming operation producing premium vermicast (earthworm castings) through industrial-scale vermicomposting. The company offers a portfolio of products and services including bulk vermicast in 1-tonne bags or minimum 10-tonne bulk orders, 17-litre retail bags for home gardens, and liquid vermicast extract for irrigation and foliar application. Alongside its product range, MyNoke provides commercial-scale bulk organic waste processing services for councils, food producers, manufacturers, and industries, processing over 140,000 tonnes of organic waste annually using billions of earthworms at facilities in Tokoroa, Taupō, and Ohakune.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bulk Vermicast Premium worm castings (vermicast) sold in bulk quantities (1 tonne bags or minimum 10 tonnes) for agricultural, horticultural, and commercial applications including pastures, cropping, orchards, vineyards, and civil projects.
• 17 Litre Vermicast Bags Pre-packaged vermicast in 17-litre bags sold through retail stockists across the North Island for home garden and potting mix applications.
• Liquid Vermicast Extract Liquid form of vermicast designed for irrigation systems, foliar application, seed inoculation, and hydroponic systems.
• Bulk Organic Waste Processing Service Industrial-scale vermicomposting services for councils, food producers, manufacturers, and organisations processing organic waste including dairy by-products, biosolids, wood processing fibre, food scraps, and industrial food sludges at MyNoke's commercial worm farms in Tokoroa and Taupō.
• Vermicast for Home & Garden Vermicast product line tailored for home gardeners, providing soil-conditioning worm castings for garden beds, potting mixes, transplanting, existing plants, trees, and lawns to strengthen plants against insect attack and suppress plant diseases.
• Vermicast for Agriculture & Horticulture Bulk vermicast product line tailored for farms, orchards, vineyards, pastures, cropping, glasshouses, nurseries, and potting mixes to improve soil fertility, regenerate productivity, and reduce fertiliser costs.
• Vermicast for Civil Projects Vermicast product line for civil engineering applications including roadside rehabilitation, erosion control, slope stabilisation, and green infrastructure projects, enhancing soil fertility and supporting vegetation establishment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Waste volume reduced by up to 50-80% during vermicomposting process
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Waste ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2022Waste Management partners with MyNoke to collect and transport organic waste from businesses in Hamilton City to MyNoke's earthworm farms. Waste Management provides 140-litre Worm Food Bins™ to event organisers, accommodation providers, hospitality operators, and businesses with on-site cafeterias for organic waste collection. The partnership enables businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and divert a wide range of organic wastes from landfill.
• Ingham'smajorOthersIngham's, New Zealand's leading wholesale chicken supplier, has partnered with MyNoke to upcycle thousands of tonnes of organic waste from their production line at MyNoke's vermicomposting sites. This supports Ingham's sustainability commitment to reduce waste sent to landfill by 20% by 2030 (against FY20 baseline).
• Silver Fern FarmsmajorOthersIn 2023, Silver Fern Farms joined MyNoke in a partnership to process hundreds of tonnes of rejected pelts after being graded at their tannery. This supports Silver Fern Farms' ambitious target of 70% reduction in tonnes of organic waste to landfill (from FY21 baseline) and their sustainability action plan including circular future initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TerraCycle: Global circular economy company operating large-scale waste collection and recycling programmes across hard-to-recycle and organic streams. Comparable to MyNoke in monetising waste diversion at scale and partnering with consumer brands, though focused on a much broader set of waste categories beyond organics.
• Waste Management New Zealand: NZ's largest waste services provider, collecting municipal and commercial waste including organics. Direct strategic partner of MyNoke for Hamilton City collection, but also a potential competitor for organic waste streams via its own transfer stations and composting infrastructure.

Direct peers

• Worm Power: US-based industrial vermicomposting facility operating one of the largest worm farms in North America, processing organic waste into vermicompost for agricultural and horticultural markets. Directly comparable to MyNoke in core technology (Eisenia fetida worm-based vermicomposting) and dual product/service model, though at smaller scale.
• Sustane Natural Fertilizer: Manufacturer of natural and organic fertilizers, composts, and soil conditioners derived from organic waste streams. Comparable to MyNoke in producing premium organic soil amendments for agriculture, horticulture, and professional turf, with overlapping customer segments.
• BioFlora: Producer of organic and sustainable agricultural inputs including composts, soil conditioners, and bio-stimulants for crop production. Comparable product portfolio and end markets to MyNoke's vermicast line, with similar positioning around soil health and reduced synthetic fertilizer dependence.

Regional players

• EnviroNZ: Major NZ waste and resource recovery operator with composting and organics processing capabilities across the country. Directly comparable to MyNoke in serving NZ councils and commercial waste generators with organic waste solutions, though primarily using conventional composting rather than vermicomposting.

Emerging players

• Ecogas: NZ-based anaerobic digestion operator converting organic waste into biogas and digestate. Competes with MyNoke for the same dairy, food processing, and council organic waste feedstock, representing the principal alternative technology pathway for industrial-scale organic waste processing in NZ.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoOQ0zUzXrzgFmB4ANy0Y5Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/mynokenewzealand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mynokenz
• Instagraminstagram.com/mynoke.nz

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Mynoke