Blackpepper
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Blackpepper does
Blackpepper is a full-service e-commerce agency founded in 2001 and headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, with regional offices in Sydney (Surry Hills) and London (Gatwick). The firm delivers integrated omni-channel commerce experiences to multi-channel retailers, operating as a professional services organization rather than a SaaS product company. Its offering is structured around a core agency engagement supplemented by six service modules: Technology, Software Development, Digital Marketing, UX/UI, SEO, and Data & Analytics.
The agency's technical foundation is built on a decade-long core strategic partnership with Fastly, providing content delivery, automated DDoS protection, next-generation Web Application Firewall, bot management, and edge computing capabilities. This infrastructure processes approximately 5 billion requests per month across client deployments and underpins Blackpepper's ability to operate multi-region (NZ, Australia, UK) ecommerce environments with consistent performance and security. Blackpepper is also preparing for PCI DSS compliance, signaling intent to move further up the ecommerce infrastructure stack into payment-handling environments.
Blackpepper's revenue model is professional services / agency-based, with quote-based, project- and retainer-oriented engagements; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The customer base spans enterprise and household-name retailers across fashion (Glassons, Hallensteins, North Beach, Red Rat, Naveya & Sloane, Pascoes), outdoor (Torpedo7, Boardertown), footwear (Number One Shoes + Hannahs), books (Whitcoulls), wine (Fine Wine Delivery), jewelry (Prouds), and food & beverage (Starbucks NZ). The company holds flagship partner certifications with Google (Premier), Shopify, and Meta, plus core partnerships with Dot Digital and Fastly. Leadership is anchored by CEO Alain Russell; the company is privately held with no disclosed ownership, funding, or revenue figures.
Blackpepper firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Blackpepper
- Legal name
- Blackpepper
- Website
- https://blackpepper.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Blackpepper industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ecommerce Agency Services
- akta.pro primary industry
- Omnichannel Commerce & Click-and-Collect Platforms (BPAMAGAL)
Keywords
Where Blackpepper is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Blackpepper business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ecommerce Agency Services: Full-service agency providing technology development, digital marketing, UX/UI design, SEO, and data analytics services to multi-channel retailers. Services are delivered through close client partnerships for integrated ecommerce experiences.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Blackpepper product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Blackpepper is a full-service ecommerce agency that creates integrated omni-channel experiences for multi-channel retailers. It delivers end-to-end services spanning technology implementation, custom software development, digital marketing, UX/UI design, SEO, and data & analytics to help retailers drive traffic, simplify online buying, and retain customers. The agency operates across New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, supporting major retail brands with ecommerce platform services.
Product overview
Blackpepper is a full-service international e-commerce agency providing integrated omni-channel e-commerce experiences. The offering consists of a core agency services platform complemented by specialized service modules including Technology, Software Development, Digital Marketing, UX/UI, SEO, and Data & Analytics. These services work together to help retailers drive traffic, simplify online buying processes, and retain customers. The company serves multi-channel retailers across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK, processing 5 billion requests per month.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ecommerce Agency Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 5 billion requests processed per month
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Blackpepper
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Blackpepper technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Blackpepper partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- FastlycoreDecade-long strategic partnership with Fastly providing the infrastructure backbone for Blackpepper's ecommerce operations. Fastly delivers content delivery, DDoS protection, Next-Gen WAF, and Bot Management services, enabling automated security responses and high-speed e-commerce experiences across NZ, Australia, and UK markets. The partnership handles 5 billion requests per month and supports Blackpepper's UK market expansion.
- GoogleflagshipGoogle Partner Premier status indicating certified expertise in Google advertising and technology platforms. Partnership enables access to Google advertising capabilities and joint go-to-market initiatives for ecommerce clients.
- ShopifyflagshipOfficial Shopify Partner status enabling the agency to build, customize, and optimize Shopify-based ecommerce solutions for retail clients.
- Dot DigitalcoreDot Digital Partner status for marketing automation and customer engagement platform integration capabilities.
- Meta (Facebook)flagshipMeta Business Partner status providing certified expertise in Facebook/Meta advertising and commerce solutions for retail clients.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Blackpepper competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DEPT®: Global digital agency offering end-to-end services including ecommerce, marketing, and creative technology for major brands. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the digital services space serving enterprise retail clients.
- Isobar: Global digital agency within Dentsu delivering commerce, content, and marketing transformation for enterprise brands. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping ecommerce and omnichannel capabilities to enterprise retailers.
- Gorilla Group (now MERGE): Established ecommerce and digital agency serving enterprise retailers with omnichannel commerce solutions. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the same ecommerce agency category with overlapping Fortune 500 retail clients.
- Astound Commerce: Global digital commerce agency delivering end-to-end strategy, design, technology, and marketing for enterprise retailers and brands. Comparable as a larger incumbent operating in the same full-service ecommerce agency space.
- LiveArea (Merkle): Global ecommerce agency within Merkle/Dentsu delivering commerce platform implementations, marketing, and customer experience services. Comparable as a broader incumbent serving similar enterprise retail ecommerce mandates.
Regional players
- Resero: Australia-based ecommerce and digital agency serving retailers across APAC with platform, design, and marketing services. Comparable as a regional peer competing with Blackpepper in the Australian market.
- The Pixel: Australia/NZ digital agency providing ecommerce, design, and digital marketing services to retail brands. Comparable as a regional peer competing for the same Australasian retail clients.
Direct peers
- Space48: UK ecommerce agency delivering Shopify Plus builds, CRO, and digital marketing for enterprise retailers. Comparable as a similarly-sized agency competing in the same enterprise retail ecommerce services market Blackpepper is entering in the UK.
- Velstar: UK ecommerce agency specializing in Shopify Plus implementations, digital marketing, and CRO for fashion and lifestyle retailers. Closely comparable given overlapping verticals, Shopify partner status, and omnichannel service model.
- Tryzens: UK-based ecommerce agency delivering end-to-end digital commerce services across strategy, technology, and digital marketing. Directly comparable as a regional full-service ecommerce agency serving enterprise retailers with similar Shopify, Adobe Commerce, and omnichannel capabilities.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Blackpepper social profiles
Digital presenceBlackpepper compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Blackpepper financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Blackpepper leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Blackpepper funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Blackpepper 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 Blackpepper
What does Blackpepper do?
Blackpepper is a full-service ecommerce agency that creates integrated omni-channel experiences for multi-channel retailers. It delivers end-to-end services spanning technology implementation, custom software development, digital marketing, UX/UI design, SEO, and data & analytics to help retailers drive traffic, simplify online buying, and retain customers. The agency operates across New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, supporting major retail brands with ecommerce platform services.
Is Blackpepper a public or private company?
Blackpepper is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Blackpepper founded?
Blackpepper was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Blackpepper based?
Blackpepper is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Blackpepper make money?
One revenue line is on record: ecommerce Agency Services.
Who are Blackpepper's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DEPT®, Isobar, Gorilla Group (now MERGE), Astound Commerce and LiveArea (Merkle). Regional players are Resero and The Pixel. Direct peers are Space48, Velstar and Tryzens.
Does Blackpepper have an API?
No public API is recorded for Blackpepper.
What industry is Blackpepper in?
Blackpepper's product category is Ecommerce Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMAGAL, Omnichannel Commerce & Click-and-Collect Platforms.