Blueberry Country

What Blueberry Country does

Blueberry Country Limited is New Zealand's largest family-owned blueberry orchard group, founded in 1982 and operated by the Furniss family across multiple generations. The company cultivates, harvests, processes, and sells fresh and frozen blueberries from four owned orchards spanning Waikato (Ohaupo), Coromandel (Ngatea), Northland (Waipu), and Southland (Otautau). Production is anchored on peat-rich soils up to 9 metres deep and 10,000–14,000 years old, which provide naturally acidic conditions suited to blueberry growing and a flavour profile the company positions as a differentiator versus imported frozen berries. Core processing capability rests on rapid cooling and sorting packhouse technology at Ohaupo, supported by smart irrigation and soil monitoring investments across the estate. The South Island (Otautau) site sits on QEII National Trust protected wetlands, and the company also owns and protects 3 hectares of the Moanatuatua Peat Scientific Reserve.

The commercial model is vertically integrated and multi-channel. Four revenue streams are disclosed: seasonal fresh punnets sold through supermarkets during the December–April harvest; year-round frozen packs (Premium 750g, Daily Boost 1.2kg, 1kg, 10kg A-grade, and 10kg industrial-grade 'perfectly imperfect' lines) priced NZ$10–$167.88 across SKUs; wholesale / B2B supply via the Upstock platform and direct sales ([email protected]) to cafés, bakeries, ice cream makers, cider producers, and juice manufacturers; and on-premise Pick Your Own experiences at NZ$14.50–$16.50 per kilogram, complemented by on-site real fruit ice cream (TipTop partnership) and ancillary sales of blueberry plants and group bookings. D2C e-commerce runs through Paddock to Pantry; South Island logistics runs through Cool & Fresh (Christchurch). Major retail customers include Countdown, Foodstuffs (with Pams private label), Pak n Save, New World, and Four Square; named SMB customers include Nagoya Sushi, Spelt Bakery, Little Jem, Old Mill Cider, and Forage Juice. A freeze-dried Blueberry Powder is produced through Contract Freeze Dry NZ in Oamaru, extending the portfolio into value-added ingredients.

Strategically, the company added farm partnerships and an South Island market push in 2024, and adopted Upstock and Paddock to Pantry as new digital channels in the same period. Headcount sits in the 51–100 band, and management includes a General Manager, Farm Operations Manager, Sales Manager, and dedicated orchard managers for each of the four sites. The company operates as a private limited company incorporated in New Zealand with no parent entity, no public ticker, and no disclosed funding rounds.

Name

Blueberry Country

Legal name

Blueberry Country Limited

Website

https://blueberry.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Blueberry Country Limited is New Zealand's largest family-owned blueberry orchard group, founded in 1982, operating four orchards across Waikato, Coromandel, Northland, and Southland, and selling fresh and frozen blueberries, real fruit ice cream, and Pick Your Own experiences through supermarkets, wholesale, D2C e-commerce, and orchard stores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Berry Farming and Production

NAICS

Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Berry Sorting & Packing Facilities (AFAOAGAD)

Keywords

• Fresh blueberry farming
• Frozen blueberry production
• Pick-your-own orchards
• Wholesale berry supply
• Horticulture and agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Ohaupo

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Blueberry Sales: Fresh punnets sold during harvest season (December-April) through orchards, supermarkets, and direct orders. Available in Countdown, Foodstuffs, and smaller supermarket chains during peak season.
2. Frozen Blueberry Sales: Year-round frozen blueberry sales through orchard stores, online (Paddock to Pantry), wholesale (Upstock), and supermarkets. Products include Premium, Daily Boost, and Industrial grade frozen berries in various pack sizes.
3. Pick Your Own Experience: U-pick operations at four orchard locations with per-kilogram pricing. Additional revenue from on-site real fruit ice cream, snacks, and beverages sales.
4. Wholesale/B2B Supply: Bulk supply to cafés, restaurants, retailers, and food manufacturers nationwide. Partnered with Upstock for wholesale ordering. Export orders and large-volume producer supply managed directly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Blueberry Country Limited grows, harvests, and sells fresh and frozen New Zealand-grown blueberries from four orchards across Waikato, Northland, and Southland. The company operates direct-to-consumer orchard stores, an online store (Paddock to Pantry), Pick Your Own experiences, and supplies wholesale frozen berries to supermarkets and foodservice operators through Upstock and direct B2B sales. Supporting on-site offerings include real fruit ice cream made with TipTop, blueberry plants, and educational group farm tours.

Product overview

Blueberry Country operates as New Zealand's largest family-owned blueberry orchard group with four locations (Ohaupo, Ngatea, Otautau, Waipu). The company's product portfolio centers on fresh and frozen blueberries sold through multiple channels: direct consumer sales via orchard stores and online (through Paddock to Pantry), wholesale distribution to retailers and foodservice operators, and pick-your-own experiences at their orchards. The core frozen product line includes Premium Blueberries (750g), Daily Boost (1.2kg for smoothies), standard 1kg frozen blueberries, and commercial-grade 10kg packs. Supporting offerings include Real Fruit Ice Cream made on-site with TipTop, blueberry plants for home growers, and group farm tours. The company also supplies berries to third-party processors for value-added products like freeze-dried blueberry powder. Distribution relies on partnerships with Upstock for wholesale ordering, Paddock to Pantry for consumer delivery, and Cool & Fresh for South Island logistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premium Blueberries
• Daily Boost Frozen Blueberries
• 1kg Frozen Blueberries
• 10kg Frozen Blueberries A Grade
• 10kg Frozen Blueberries Industrial Grade
• Real Fruit Ice Cream
• Pick Your Own Experience
• Blueberry Plants
• Group Tours and Educational Sessions
• Blueberry Powder
• Fresh Blueberries (Seasonal Punnets)

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UpstockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale ordering platform partnership. Cafés, restaurants, and small retailers order through Upstock to access Blueberry Country's wholesale price list and place orders directly.
• Paddock to PantrycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsumer e-commerce delivery partner. Manages direct-to-consumer online orders and home delivery of frozen blueberries nationwide.
• Cool & FreshcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth Island distribution partner. Manages chilled and frozen freight delivery to South Island customers from their Christchurch base.
• TipTop Ice CreamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupplier of ice cream base used for real fruit ice cream sold at orchard stores. Classic NZ ice cream brand.
• Contract Freeze Dry NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOamaru-based processor producing Blueberry Powder from Blueberry Country berries. Located at 3 Parsons Road, Waiareka Junction, Oamaru 9401.
• Nagoya SushiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuckland-based smoothie business using Blueberry Country frozen blueberries. Located at 7A Taylors Road, Morningside, Auckland 1025.
• Spelt BakeryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDunedin artisan bakery using Blueberry Country blueberries for baked goods. Located at 481 Highgate, Maori Hill, Dunedin 9010.
• Little Jem (NZ) LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNelson-based ice cream producer using Blueberry Country blueberries. Located at Hope Street Nelson 7010.
• Old Mill CiderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTasman-based cider producer using Blueberry Country blueberries for juicing. Located at 14B Kina Beach Road, Tasman 7173.
• Forage JuiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCambridge-based juice company using Blueberry Country blueberries. Located at 21 Empire Street, Cambridge 3434, Waikato.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hortifrut: Chilean-headquartered global blueberry and berry producer with operations across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Comparable as a vertically integrated blueberry grower with international distribution and proprietary genetics programs.
• BerryWorld: International berry supplier sourcing blueberries, strawberries, and other berries from multiple grower-partners worldwide for retail and foodservice customers. Comparable as a berry-focused supply and marketing business targeting similar end customers.
• Sun Belle: US-based grower, packer, and distributor specializing in blueberries and other berries with global sourcing. Comparable as a blueberry-dedicated company with retail/wholesale distribution and value-added product development.
• Naturipe Farms: North American grower-owned berry cooperative supplying strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Directly comparable as a multi-region blueberry producer with similar go-to-market across retail, foodservice, and value-added formats.
• Wish Farms: US-based grower and packer of strawberries and blueberries with vertically integrated operations and consumer-facing branding. Comparable as a family-influenced berry grower focused on premium quality and direct retail relationships.

Regional players

• Freshmax: Australian/NZ fresh produce company growing, sourcing, and distributing a range of fruits including berries. Comparable as a regional produce operator with multi-channel wholesale and retail distribution across Australasia.

Broad incumbents

• Zespri: New Zealand's largest horticultural exporter (kiwifruit). Comparable as a leading NZ grower-marketing cooperative that has built a global brand around New Zealand-grown provenance — a strategy Blueberry Country is attempting to replicate at smaller scale in blueberries.
• T&G Global: New Zealand-listed fresh produce company growing, packing, and marketing apples, berries, and other produce globally. Comparable as a NZ-based horticultural operator with multi-region supply and supermarket distribution expertise.
• Scales Corporation: NZX-listed NZ agribusiness group with significant horticultural and food operations, including apple and berry growing. Comparable as a diversified NZ-based horticultural investor/operator with global produce supply.
• Driscoll's: World's largest berry company, producing strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries globally. Directly comparable as a vertically integrated berry grower/marketer, but operates at much greater scale and global reach than Blueberry Country's NZ-focused operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BlueberryCountry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blueberry-country-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/blueberrycountryltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Blueberry Country