Scales Corporation

What Scales Corporation does

Scales Corporation Limited is a Christchurch, New Zealand-based diversified agribusiness that has operated in primary sector services since 1897 and has been listed on the NZX (ticker: SCL) since 2014. The group operates three divisions: Horticulture (Mr Apple — New Zealand's largest fully integrated apple grower/packer/marketer with 1,100+ hectares and 5+ million cartons exported annually; Fern Ridge Produce, a produce trader/marketer since 1997; and the Profruit apple and kiwifruit concentrate joint venture); Global Proteins (Meateor International, Meateor Australia and the US-based Shelby Foods process and market over 100,000 metric tonnes of petfood ingredients annually for most of the world's largest petfood manufacturers, plus the Meateor Pet Foods LP JV with Alliance Group); and Logistics (Scales Logistics provides sea and air freight-forwarding specialising in primary produce exports with close ties to major global carriers and airlines).

The business model is export-led B2B, generating revenue primarily through transaction-based sales of horticulture products, petfood ingredients and freight services to large international counterparties, with a stated dividend policy targeting 50-75% payout of Underlying NPAT. Vertical integration across orchard/origin through packing, ingredient processing and freight forwarding is positioned as the core operating advantage, supplemented by long-standing China market relationships. Portfolio composition has been actively reshaped since 2017, with the divestment of cold storage businesses Polarcold and Liqueo (combined sale price $151.4 million) and reinvestment into Global Proteins via Shelby Foods (acquired 2018) and the Meateor Pet Foods JV (2019). Governance is led by Chair Mike Petersen and Managing Director Andy Borland, with a board that includes directors with primary-sector, finance and FMCG backgrounds.

Name

Scales Corporation

Legal name

Scales Corporation Limited

Website

https://scalescorporation.co.nz

Company type

Public

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diversified Agribusiness

NAICS

Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Animal Food Manufacturing (31111), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (424470), Animal Production and Aquaculture (112)

SIC

Meat Packing Plants (2011), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro primary industry

Co-Products & Pet Food Ingredients from Meat (Offal, Trimmings) (AFAKALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom & Private-Label Pet Food Manufacturing (AFADAFAO), Head, Feet & Tail Products Processing (Trotters, Paws, Cheeks, Snouts) (AFANAJAF)

Keywords

• Apple export horticulture
• Petfood ingredient processing
• Freight forwarding logistics
• Produce trading marketing
• Juice concentrate manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Horticulture Division: Operations include Mr Apple (apple growing, packing, marketing), Fern Ridge Produce (produce trading and marketing), and Profruit joint venture (apple and kiwifruit concentrate). Revenue from exporting apples and produce to global markets.
2. Global Proteins Division: Meateor International, Shelby Foods, and Meateor Pet Foods LP process and market petfood ingredients from New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Over 100,000 metric tonnes sold annually to petfood manufacturers.
3. Logistics Division: Scales Logistics provides sea and air freight-forwarding and logistics services specializing in primary produce exports, with tailored international freight and land-side services.
4. Cold Storage (Divested): Previously operated cold storage businesses including Polarcold and Liqueo; agreed to sell cold storage businesses for $151.4 million as part of portfolio simplification.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Scales Corporation is a diversified New Zealand agribusiness operating three divisions: Horticulture (Mr Apple — New Zealand's largest fully integrated apple grower/packer/marketer on 1,100+ hectares in Hawke's Bay exporting 5+ million cartons annually, plus Fern Ridge Produce for produce trading and Profruit for apple/kiwifruit juice concentrate), Global Proteins (Meateor International, Shelby Foods, and the Meateor Pet Foods JV with Alliance Group processing and marketing 100,000+ metric tonnes of petfood ingredients annually to the world's largest petfood manufacturers), and Logistics (Scales Logistics providing independent sea and air freight-forwarding services specializing in primary produce exports).

Product overview

Scales Corporation is a diversified New Zealand agribusiness with three operating divisions: Horticulture, Logistics, and Global Proteins. The Horticulture division includes Mr Apple (New Zealand's largest integrated apple grower/packer/marketer), Fern Ridge Produce (produce trader/marketer), and Profruit (apple/kiwifruit juice concentrate producer). The Logistics division operates Scales Logistics, providing sea and air freight services for primary exporters. The Global Proteins division processes and markets petfood ingredients through Meateor International, Shelby Foods, and the Meateor Pet Foods joint venture with Alliance Group. The company is not a unified software platform but rather a portfolio of operating businesses in adjacent primary sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mr Apple: New Zealand's largest, fully integrated grower, packer and marketer of apples. Grows apples on more than 1,100 hectares of orchards in Hawke's Bay and exports over 5 million cartons annually.
• Fern Ridge Produce
• Profruit
• Meateor
• Shelby Foods
• Scales Logistics

Products and services

• Mr Apple New Zealand's largest fully integrated grower, packer and marketer of apples. Grows apples on more than 1,100 hectares of orchards in Hawke's Bay and exports in excess of 5 million cartons of apples each year.
• Fern Ridge Produce A leading supplier, trader and marketer of produce to various global markets since 1997.
• Profruit Associate company producing high quality juice products from the Hawke's Bay region, including apple and kiwifruit concentrates, serving export markets and branded product manufacturers.
• Scales Logistics An independent sea and air freight-forwarding and logistics provider specializing in primary produce exports, with close links to major global carriers and airlines.
• Meateor International Processes and markets petfood ingredients from New Zealand, Australia and the United States to the worldwide petfood industry, with more than 100,000 metric tonnes sold each year.
• Shelby Foods A US-based petfood ingredient processor and marketer acquired by Scales Corporation, operating as part of the Global Proteins division.
• Meateor Pet Foods (JV with Alliance Group) Joint venture with Alliance Group (one of New Zealand's leading farming co-operatives) producing petfood ingredients for the New Zealand petfood supply industry.
• Fayman International Operating entity of Scales Corporation listed on the company website among its operating businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Mr Apple is New Zealand's largest fully integrated apple grower with 1,100+ hectares and 5+ million cartons exported annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Alliance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2019Joint venture partnership with Alliance, one of New Zealand's leading farming cooperatives, to establish Meateor Pet Foods LP. This JV is expected to provide benefits to the entire New Zealand petfood supply industry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• ANZCO Foods: New Zealand meat processor and exporter with meats, nutritional proteins, and petfood ingredients. Regionally comparable to Meateor through NZ protein processing and ingredient supply to global petfood manufacturers.
• NZL Forest Products / New Zealand King Salmon: NZ-listed premium primary sector exporter with vertically integrated production and global distribution. Comparable through NZ primary sector export-led, vertically integrated business model and NZX listing.
• Turners & Growers (formerly T&G) / Cedenco: NZ-based food ingredient processor producing fruit and vegetable concentrates. Regionally comparable to Profruit's apple and kiwifruit concentrate business for export food manufacturers.

Direct peers

• T&G Global: New Zealand-listed fresh produce grower, packer, and marketer with vertically integrated apple and produce operations. Directly comparable to Mr Apple and Fern Ridge Produce in horticulture export and global produce marketing.
• Darling Ingredients: Global leader in sustainable protein ingredients for petfood and feed, with operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Closest direct competitor to Meateor and Shelby Foods in petfood-grade rendered proteins.
• Alliance Group: New Zealand farmer-owned meat cooperative and joint venture partner with Scales in Meateor Pet Foods LP. Comparable on the Global Proteins side through meat processing and petfood ingredient supply from NZ livestock.
• Seeka: NZ-listed produce handling and orchard operator providing post-harvest services to apple and kiwifruit growers. Overlaps with Mr Apple and Fern Ridge in pipfruit supply chain and export packing.
• Zespri International: New Zealand's largest kiwifruit marketer and exporter with vertically integrated global supply chain. Comparable to Mr Apple in NZ horticulture, integrated grower-marketer model, and export-led business through Asia.

Broad incumbents

• Wilmar International: Large Asian agribusiness with diversified food and ingredient operations including animal protein and feed. Comparable as a broad agribusiness platform with multiple divisions spanning production, processing, and distribution.
• JBS USA: Global meat processing giant with significant petfood ingredient and by-products operations. Comparable to Scales' Global Proteins division through scale protein processing and ingredient supply to petfood manufacturers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/scalescorporation
• Xtwitter.com/scalescorporation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/scalescorporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/scalescorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scales-corporation-limited

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Scales Corporation