Aitkens

What Aitkens does

Aitkens (legally Aitken & Co Limited), operating under the trade name Aitkens Hospitality, is a New Zealand-based B2B distributor and fitout provider serving the hospitality industry. Founded in the 1950s and headquartered at 58 Hazeldean Road, Addington, Christchurch, with a regional office at 19 Newton Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, the company has operated continuously for over 70 years in the local market.

The company's core offering is a broad e-commerce and showroom-based hospitality supplies catalog organized into 14 categories totaling approximately 7,500+ SKUs, with the largest being Equipment (1,438 products), Kitchenware (1,368), Crockery (1,328), Glassware (539), Uniforms (425), Tea/Coffee/Consumables (425), Cutlery (432), Serveware (393), Buffetware (376), Barware (281), Disposables (231), Cleaning Supplies (157), Senior Care (81), and Washware Accessories & Trolleys (27). Branded consumables include L'affare and Atomic coffee ranges. Beyond product distribution, Aitkens provides a fitout service covering commercial kitchen design consultation, equipment selection, supply, and installation support. The company also facilitates SilverChef-financed equipment sales, allowing customers to acquire gear via rental or lease rather than upfront capex.

Aitkens monetizes through unit-priced product sales (pay-as-you-go, NZD-denominated, GST-exclusive), trade-account credit terms (20-day payment) for approved B2B customers, professional services revenue from fitout engagements, and likely referral/financing commissions on SilverChef-routed equipment deals. Go-to-market is sales-led across omnichannel touchpoints: an e-commerce storefront, two physical showrooms, phone/email direct sales, social channels (Instagram and Facebook), email newsletters via Marsello, and a 'Latest Projects' case-study feed targeting venue operators and developers. Primary customer segments are restaurants, cafes, bars/pubs, and hotels, with secondary segments in rest homes, motels, and catering companies. The company is privately held, independently owned, with no disclosed venture, private equity, or strategic investor.

Name

Aitkens

Legal name

Aitken & Co Limited

Website

https://aitkens.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aitkens is a New Zealand B2B distributor and fitout provider supplying hospitality operators with commercial kitchen equipment, tableware, glassware, barware, and consumables via two showrooms, e-commerce, and a SilverChef-backed fitout service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Supplies Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tabletop & Front-of-House Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAF), Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale (AFAIALAK), Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAG)

Keywords

• Hospitality supplies
• Commercial kitchen equipment
• Barware glassware
• Kitchen fitout services
• Hospitality uniform supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Sales: One-time product sales of hospitality equipment, barware, kitchenware, crockery, cutlery, glassware, uniforms, cleaning supplies, and related consumables. The company operates an e-commerce platform with pricing displayed in NZD plus GST.
2. Fitout Services: Custom fitout and build services for hospitality venues, including design consultation, equipment selection, and installation support for commercial kitchens and bars.
3. SilverChef Financing: Partnership with SilverChef to provide flexible finance solutions for commercial kitchen equipment, enabling customers to acquire equipment without upfront capital through rental or lease arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aitkens distributes commercial hospitality supplies across 14 product categories covering kitchen equipment, crockery, kitchenware, glassware, barware, cutlery, buffetware, cleaning supplies, disposables, uniforms, senior care items, serveware, tea and coffee consumables, and washware accessories. Products are sold through an e-commerce storefront and two physical showrooms in Christchurch and Auckland, with nationwide delivery across New Zealand. The company also provides commercial kitchen fitout and build services, and partners with SilverChef to offer equipment financing via rental or lease.

Product overview

Aitkens is a New Zealand-based hospitality supplies company operating an e-commerce platform alongside physical showrooms in Christchurch and Auckland. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of 14 product categories spanning commercial kitchen equipment (1438 products), crockery (1328 products), kitchenware (1368 products), barware (281 products), glassware (539 products), and other hospitality necessities totaling thousands of SKUs. The core offering is a B2B e-commerce platform where hospitality businesses can browse, compare, and purchase commercial-grade supplies. In addition to product sales, the company provides fitout services for commercial kitchen design and installation, and coffee supply services featuring branded beans (L'affare, Atomic). The product range includes equipment from numerous brand partners including major international manufacturers. The company also offers SilverChef finance options for equipment purchases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Kitchen Equipment Commercial kitchen equipment category containing 1,438 products including benchtop appliances (blenders, fryers, induction, mixers), cooking equipment (combi ovens, chargrills, fryers), refrigeration (chillers, freezers), coffee machines, dishwashers, food prep equipment, ice makers, and display cabinets for hospitality businesses.
• Kitchenware Kitchen tools and cookware category with 1,368 products including bakeware, cookware, food preparation tools, food safety equipment, knifeware, pastry and cake tools, pizza equipment, and general kitchen utensils for hospitality operators.
• Crockery Tableware and ceramic product category containing 1,328 products including melamine display boards, plates, bowls, jugs, platters, salt and pepper sets, tea and coffee cups, saucers, mugs, and teapots for restaurants, cafés, and hotels.
• Glassware Commercial glass and stemware category with 539 products including beer glasses, champagne flutes, hi-ball glasses, wine glasses, spirits glasses, shot glasses, jugs, polycarb drinkware, and specialty glass items for bars, restaurants, and hotels.
• Barware Commercial bar supplies category with 281 products including cocktail equipment (bar spoons, muddlers, jiggers, shakers, strainers), countertop barware, ice buckets, beverage tubs, ashtrays, bar mats, speed racks, and specialty bar items for bars, pubs, and restaurants.
• Cutlery Commercial cutlery category with 432 products including cake forks, cheese knives, coffee spoons, forks, knives, oyster forks, parfait spoons, serving spoons, steak knives, and teaspoons in various stainless steel finishes for hospitality use.
• Buffetware Buffet presentation and serving equipment category with 376 products including chafers, dispensers, gastronorm food pans, heat lamps, carvery items, displayware, serving boards, platters, sauce dishes, baskets, risers, and stands for hotels, catering, and buffet operations.
• Serveware Food presentation and serving equipment category with 393 products including countertop serveware, melamine serveware, presentation pieces (baskets, cake stands, risers), table top accessories, and serving utensils for hospitality venues.
• Hospitality Uniforms Hospitality staff uniforms category with 425 products including accessories, aprons, hats, caps, shoes, men's and women's jackets, pants, and shirts for professional kitchen and front-of-house service staff.
• Disposables Single-use hospitality products category with 231 products including bags, liners, bamboo and bioware items, containers, takeaway boxes, cups, cutlery, candles, serviettes, napkins, straws, vacuum bags, and food service disposables for cafés, catering, and takeaway operations.
• Cleaning Supplies Professional cleaning products category with 157 products including bags, liners, brooms, brushes, bins, bug zappers, first aid, gloves, mops, wipes, chemical cleaning solutions, hand towels, toilet paper, mats, and spray bottles for hospitality businesses.
• Senior Care Supplies Specialized dining ware category with 81 products for aged care and rest home facilities including easy-grip bowls, cups, saucers, jugs, mugs, plates, and adaptive cutlery designed for elderly residents.
• Washware Accessories and Trolleys Commercial dishwashing accessories and trolleys category with 27 products including plate stacking trolleys, service trolleys, stainless steel trolleys, utility trolleys, glass baskets, racks, and tea towels for hospitality back-of-house operations.
• Tea, Coffee and Consumables Coffee and tea category with 425 products including coffee beans (L'affare and Atomic brands), commercial and domestic coffee machines, grinders, tea products, accessories, consumables, syrups, and machine maintenance supplies for cafés, restaurants, and hotels.
• L'affare Coffee Beans Premium New Zealand coffee brand distributed by Aitkens, featuring whole bean and ground coffee options for commercial and hospitality use, available through the online coffee beans category.
• Atomic Coffee Beans Specialty New Zealand coffee brand offered through Aitkens, providing premium coffee beans for cafés, restaurants, and hospitality businesses via the online coffee beans category.
• Commercial Kitchen Fitout Service Professional design, equipment selection, supply, and installation service for commercial kitchens and bars. Includes design consultation tailored to client budgets and requirements, with access to flexible equipment financing via the SilverChef partnership for rental or lease arrangements.

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wasserstrom: US-based restaurant supply and equipment distributor with a long history (over a century) supplying the foodservice industry through catalogs, online channels, and sales reps. Closely parallels Aitkens' long-tenure incumbent positioning and broad hospitality product portfolio.
• Chef's Warehouse: US specialty foodservice distributor supplying restaurants with proteins, produce, dry goods, and kitchen supplies. Comparable to Aitkens as a specialized B2B foodservice supplier targeting independent restaurants and chef-led operators.
• Edward Don & Company: One of the largest US broadline restaurant supply distributors, offering equipment, tabletop, janitorial, and smallwares to foodservice operators via catalogs, online ordering, and showrooms. Directly comparable to Aitkens in product breadth, B2B customer base, and showroom-plus-ecommerce distribution model.
• Restaurant Depot: Cash-and-carry wholesale club for restaurants, caterers, and hospitality operators, selling equipment, disposables, food, and supplies at warehouse scale. Comparable to Aitkens in serving independent restaurants and small operators with comprehensive hospitality supply needs.
• The WEBstaurant Store: Online-first restaurant supply retailer offering an extensive catalog of commercial kitchen equipment, tabletop, janitorial, and disposables at scale. Comparable to Aitkens in product range and B2B hospitality customer base, though competing primarily on digital reach and price rather than showroom-led service.

Emerging players

• Moffat: Allied brand/manufacturer presence in New Zealand offering commercial kitchen equipment to the hospitality industry. Comparable to Aitkens as an NZ-based hospitality equipment participant, though operating as a manufacturer/brand rather than a multi-category distributor.

Broad incumbents

• Sysco Corporation: World's largest broadline foodservice distributor, supplying restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality with food and non-food supplies including equipment and tabletop. Comparable to Aitkens as a major B2B hospitality supplier, though materially larger and more food-focused.
• Bidvest Group: South Africa-based international broadline distribution group with foodservice and commercial product divisions serving hospitality operators. Comparable to Aitkens as a broadline B2B distributor overlapping in hospitality supplies, equipment, and consumables.
• Bunzl plc: Global FTSE-listed distribution and outsourcing group supplying a wide range of non-food consumables including hospitality supplies, cleaning, and equipment to operators across multiple sectors. Comparable as a much larger, publicly-traded broadline distributor overlapping with Aitkens' categories.

Regional players

• Briscoe Group: New Zealand-based retail group operating Briscoes and Rebel Sport homewares and sporting goods stores. Comparable as a fellow NZ long-tenured retail/wholesale operator with overlapping household and consumer product categories, though not a direct competitor in commercial hospitality supply.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aitkensnz
• Instagraminstagram.com/aitkensnz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aitkens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Aitkens