RJ's

What RJ's does

RJ's Licorice Limited is a New Zealand confectionery manufacturer founded in 1995 in Levin by Roger Halliwell and his son Regan James (whose initials form the brand name). The company manufactures and distributes a multi-brand portfolio of licorice, toffees, mints, sherbert candies, and chocolate-coated confections, organized around the flagship RJs brand and acquired heritage brands including Mackintosh's (toffees, acquired 2018), Oddfellows (mints), Fabulicious (sherbert), Heards (barley sugars, founded 1914), Black Knight (traditional licorice), Life Savers (fruit candies), and Jaffas (orange chocolate, dating to 1931). All production occurs at a single manufacturing facility at 5 Tiro Tiro Rd, Levin, where the company employs 120+ people and operates an on-site factory shop. The company is differentiated by a world-first Licorice Choc Log product (launched 2000), proprietary soft-eating licorice recipes, small-batch manufacturing methods, and a 100% palm oil-free formulation across the full range (achieved via rice bran and coconut oil substitution after reviewing 200+ alternative ingredients over nearly three years). Natural licorice products carry OU-D Kosher certification.

RJ's revenue model is one-time retail and wholesale product sales. Distribution spans a direct-to-consumer factory shop in Levin; all major New Zealand supermarket chains (Woolworths, Pak'nSave, New World, The Warehouse, Fresh Choice, 4-square); wholesalers and distributors; international retail stockists in the UK (Holland and Barrett, Wyvale and Notcutts garden centres, Sunterra Market) and Canada (Loblaws, Save on Foods, London Drugs, Georgia Main, Choices, Natures Fare, independent retailers); and e-commerce via Amazon UK. The company sells 10M+ units outside New Zealand annually and markets through an active organic social presence on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X, emphasizing its palm oil-free positioning, NZ manufacturing heritage, and reduced-plastic packaging initiative. RJ's remains a privately held, founder-influenced New Zealand limited company with no disclosed institutional investors, parent company, or public listing.

Name

RJ's

Legal name

RJ's Licorice Limited

Website

https://rjs.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

RJ's Licorice is a New Zealand confectionery manufacturer founded in 1995, producing and distributing licorice, toffees, mints, and sherbert candies across multiple brands to retail and consumer markets in New Zealand, the UK, and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Confectionery Manufacturing

NAICS

Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Cookies & Crackers (2052)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRADABAD

Cookies, Biscuits & Crackers

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Snacks & Confectionery

Keywords

• Licorice confectionery
• Soft eating licorice
• Palm oil free candy
• Confectionery manufacturing
• Candy brand portfolio

Headquarters

HQ city

Levin

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Confectionery Product Sales: RJ's generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of confectionery products including licorice, sherbert, toffees, mints, and chocolate-coated treats. Products are sold through retail stores, factory shop, and international distributors. Revenue is generated through one-time product transactions at retail and wholesale pricing.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RJ's manufactures and distributes confectionery products—primarily soft-eating licorice in multiple formats (Allsorts, Choc Twists, Choc Logs, Bullets, Balls)—under its core RJs brand and acquired heritage brands Fabulicious, Life Savers, Black Knight, Heards, Mackintosh's, Oddfellows, and Jaffas. All products are batch-made at the Levin, New Zealand factory using 100% palm oil free formulations (rice bran and coconut oil), and are sold through supermarket chains, a factory shop, and international stockists across the UK, Ireland, and Canada.

Product overview

RJ's is a New Zealand confectionery company that operates as a multi-brand portfolio, unified by its core expertise in licorice and candy manufacturing. The primary RJ's brand encompasses licorice products in various formats (Allsorts, Twists, Logs, Bullets, Balls, Soft Eating), while the company has expanded through acquisitions of iconic Kiwi confectionery brands including Fabulicious (sherbert candies), Life Savers (fruit candies), Black Knight (traditional licorice), Heards (barley sugars), Mackintoshs (toffees), Oddfellows (mints), and Jaffas (orange chocolate). The company manufactures in Levin, New Zealand, and is distinguished by its 100% palm oil free commitment across all products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RJs: Main brand featuring licorice products in raspberry and black flavors, including choc twists, balls, bullets, and allsorts.
• Fabulicious
• Life Savers
• Black Knight
• Heards
• Mackintoshs
• Oddfellows
• Jaffas

Products and services

• RJs Brand Licorice RJ's primary licorice confectionery line featuring soft-eating formats including Allsorts, Smallsorts, Tallsorts, Choc Twists, Choc Logs, Bullets, and Balls, in traditional black and raspberry flavours. Sold through New Zealand supermarkets, the Levin factory shop, and international stockists in the UK, Ireland, and Canada.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000,000+ units sold outside of New Zealand annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ferrero Group: Premium global confectionery group (Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Tic Tac). Demonstrates the scale and premium-ethical positioning benchmark that RJ's aspires to in export markets.
• Haribo: Global gummy and licorice confectionery giant with iconic products like Goldbears and Pontefract Cakes. Competes with RJ's in the broader confectionery category worldwide and represents the type of scaled incumbent RJ's must differentiate against.
• Mondelez International: Global snacks and confectionery powerhouse (Cadbury, Sour Patch Kids). Operates in identical retail aisles as RJ's and competes for shelf space, particularly across European and Australian markets where RJ's exports.
• Cloetta: Swedish-headquartered multi-brand confectionery company owning brands like Jelly Babies, Red Band and Candy King. A comparable multi-brand mid-sized confectionery operator with similar portfolio structure to RJ's.
• Hershey Company: Major US chocolate and confectionery manufacturer with growing global presence. Competes for the same premium confectionery consumer and increasingly for clean-label positioning that RJ's has invested in.
• Mars Wrigley: World's largest confectionery company (M&M's, Skittles, Starburst, etc.). Sets competitive benchmarks for scale, distribution and trade marketing in the candy aisle where RJ's competes.

Direct peers

• Darrell Lea: Australian-founded licorice and soft confectionery manufacturer with a heritage comparable to RJ's. Both companies focus on premium soft-eating licorice, operate in Oceania as their core market, and export internationally - making them the closest direct peer in size and product mix.
• Natural Confectionery Company: Owned by Hershey's, this brand competes in the natural/no-artificial-colour jellies and candy space that overlaps with RJ's Fabulicious and Life Savers ranges. A direct competitor for the same ethical-snacking consumer segment.
• Panda (Pastorelli): International licorice-allsorts and soft licorice brand under the Italian Pastorelli group. Direct competitor in the licorice sub-category, particularly relevant to RJ's traditional and chocolate-coated licorice ranges.

Regional players

• King Confectionery (New Zealand): NZ-based confectionery manufacturer operating in the same domestic market as RJ's. Direct competitor for NZ supermarket shelf space across similar candy product formats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rjsnewzealand
• Facebookfacebook.com/rjsnewzealand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rj-s-licorice
• Instagraminstagram.com/rjsnewzealand
• TikToktiktok.com/@rjsnewzealand

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 RJ's