Pole to Pole Fresh

What Pole to Pole Fresh does

Pole to Pole Fresh Ltd is a New Zealand-based, privately held fresh produce marketer and vertically integrated grower-distributor operating since 1981 from Whakamarama in the Bay of Plenty, with a secondary office in Alexandra. The company sources avocados from a network of more than 300 New Zealand growers and also handles kiwifruit, citrus and feijoas through its own fruit packing and coolstore infrastructure, including a 12-month kiwifruit supply arrangement in partnership with Aongatete Coolstores. Pole to Pole sells directly to NZ supermarkets nationwide on a 7-day, 12-month basis and operates a licensed export business shipping kiwifruit, feijoas and avocados to Australia, Asia and the Middle East.

Revenue is generated through wholesale fresh produce sales to domestic retailers, international export contracts, compliance grower group services (NZGAP/GlobalGAP), orchard leasing and management via the Pole to Pole Plus division, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce through the j3 Freshstore and j3 Avocado Oil brands on freshstore.co.nz. The Zeijoa sub-brand is positioned as a grower-owned feijoa export label. The company is led by Managing Director Todd Abrahams and General Manager Orchard Leasing Julia Third, with recent generational leadership transition noted on the company's own materials. No external investors or parent entity are disclosed, and the only capital activity on record is a small 2014 Callaghan Innovation grant.

Name

Pole to Pole Fresh

Legal name

Pole to Pole Fresh Ltd

Website

https://poletopole.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pole to Pole Fresh is a New Zealand vertically integrated fresh produce marketer that sources avocados, kiwifruit, feijoas and citrus from 300+ growers for direct sale to NZ supermarkets and export to Australia, Asia and the Middle East.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Marketing & Distribution

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Retailers (445230), Citrus (except Orange) Groves (11132)

SIC

Retail-Food Stores (5400)

akta.pro primary industry

Produce Markets & Greengrocers (CRAHAHAA)

Keywords

• Fresh produce marketing
• Fruit packing distribution
• Avocado supply
• Kiwifruit export
• Orchard leasing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotorua

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Sales: Procurement, packing, pre-packing and marketing of fresh produce including avocados, kiwifruit, feijoas, citrus and mandarins sold directly to NZ supermarkets nationwide and through export channels to Australia, Asia and Middle East

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pole to Pole Fresh is a vertically integrated fresh produce marketer that procures, packs, pre-packs, and markets avocados, kiwifruit, feijoas, and citrus for sale directly to NZ supermarkets nationwide and for export to Australia, Asia, and the Middle East. The company operates its own fruit packing and coolstore facilities, supports a network of 300+ growers, runs avocado orchard leasing/management services (Pole to Pole Plus), and sells consumer-facing products through the Zeijoa, j3 Freshstore, and j3 Avocado Oil brands.

Product overview

Pole to Pole Fresh is a vertically integrated fresh produce growing and marketing company based in New Zealand. The business operates across multiple fruit categories including Avocados, Citrus, Feijoas, and Kiwifruit, with both domestic supermarket distribution and international export operations spanning Australia, Asia, and the Middle East. The company offers orchard leasing and management services through Pole to Pole Plus, maintains consumer-facing brands like j3 Freshstore and j3 Avocado Oil for direct-to-consumer sales, and has developed the grower-owned Zeijoa brand specifically for feijoa export promotion. The portfolio connects growers through procurement and packing facilities to retail customers, providing year-round supply capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zeijoa: New Zealand's premier, grower owned feijoa brand focused on export markets.
• j3 Freshstore
• j3 Avocado Oil

Products and services

• Avocados Fresh avocados sourced from over 300 New Zealand avocado growers, marketed domestically and exported under the company's vertically integrated supply chain.
• Citrus Citrus (oranges, lemons, limes) packed, marketed, and distributed on behalf of New Zealand citrus growers.
• Feijoas (Zeijoa brand) Feijoas marketed to domestic retail and export markets under the Zeijoa grower-owned brand, with a mission to promote NZ feijoas globally.
• Kiwifruit Kiwifruit sourced and supplied in partnership with Aongatete Coolstores, providing 12-month supply to domestic and export markets.
• j3 Avocado Oil Pure avocado oil marketed as a premium product for cooking and health benefits, sold to consumers and food-service buyers.
• j3 Freshstore (consumer e-commerce) Direct-to-consumer online store offering fresh avocados, avocado oil, and seasonal fruit to avocado enthusiasts and home consumers.
• Orchard Leasing (Pole to Pole Plus) Avocado orchard leasing and management services connecting prospective growers with available orchard opportunities.
• Domestic Wholesale Marketing & Distribution Domestic wholesale, marketing, and distribution services selling fresh produce directly to NZ supermarkets nationwide, 7 days a week, 12 months a year.
• Export Services Licensed export of New Zealand kiwifruit, feijoas, and avocados to Australia, Asia, and the Middle East, maximising OGR for NZ growers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 month supply capability
• +2 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NZGAPcoreOthersPole to Pole offers compliance grower group membership for NZGAP certification, helping growers achieve food safety certification required under Food Act 2014
• GlobalGAPcoreOthersInternational farm certification program enabling growers to meet global market requirements for food safety and sustainable production
• Aongatete CoolstorescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Aongatete Coolstores enables Pole to Pole to offer 12-month kiwifruit supply through their combined infrastructure and expertise
• 5adayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNZ 5+ A Day programme promoting fruit and vegetable consumption - customer/partner logo displayed on website
• United FreshminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry body representing fresh produce companies in New Zealand - partner logo displayed on website
• The Passion PlaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in passionfruit production - partner logo displayed on website

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• New Zealand Citrus Growers Incorporated: NZ industry body representing citrus growers and packers including marketing functions — comparable on the citrus category where Pole to Pole operates, though structured as a grower collective rather than a marketer.

Broad incumbents

• Dole plc: Global fresh produce major with diversified fruit portfolio including bananas, citrus, and exotics — comparable as a broad incumbent in fresh-produce marketing and international distribution.
• Calavo Growers: US-based avocado-focused grower-marketer with value-added products including fresh-cut and prepared guacamole — comparable on avocado specialization and value-added product expansion.
• T&G Global: Large NZ-headquartered fresh produce grower-marketer with global reach across multiple fruit categories — broader portfolio than Pole to Pole but directly comparable on integrated produce marketing and export.

Direct peers

• Fresh Direct NZ: NZ-based vertically integrated produce supplier sourcing from local growers for retail and foodservice — comparable on integrated grower-to-retailer model and produce category breadth.
• Seeka Limited: NZ-listed post-harvest operator handling kiwifruit and avocados across packing, coolstore, and marketing — directly comparable on core infrastructure, crop mix, and integrated grower services.
• MG Marketing: NZ grower-owned fresh produce marketing cooperative selling to supermarkets and wholesale — comparable on domestic fresh-produce distribution, grower-supplier model, and supermarket relationships.
• Zespri International: World-leading marketer of NZ-grown kiwifruit with vertically integrated supply and global distribution — comparable on the kiwifruit marketing and export leg of Pole to Pole's business.
• Mission Produce: World's largest avocado producer-marketer with global ripening and distribution network — comparable on avocado specialization, vertical integration, and export-led growth model.
• Avoco: NZ avocado export marketing partnership combining multiple growers for international sales — directly comparable as a competing NZ avocado export channel with similar grower-network economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/poletopolefresh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Pole to Pole Fresh