What Hopper Developments Ltd. does

Hopper Developments Ltd. is a privately held, family-owned New Zealand property developer founded in 1953 by the Hopper family, with roots in the Hibiscus Coast dating to 1929. The company specialises in master-planned lifestyle communities along the Coromandel, Northland, and Auckland coastlines, with a portfolio spanning residential canal and waterfront subdivisions (Pauanui Waterways — NZ's first canal development, since 1993; Marsden Cove; Whitianga Waterways; Marlin Waters; Hobbs Bay Estate), retirement villages under the Hopper Living sub-brand (Maygrove Village, The Anchorage Village, Country Club Huapai, The Moorings Village), and supporting commercial, marine, medical, and aviation assets (Dockside retail precinct, Mercury Bay Medical Centre, Whitianga Airpark, Mariners Quarters marina, proposed Hobbs Bay Marina and Wai Ngakau Hotel).

The company operates a vertically integrated model spanning Hopper Developments, Hopper Living (retirement), and Hopper Construction, delivering end-to-end community build-out from land acquisition through construction to ongoing village operations. Its core technology is conventional property development and master-planned community design built up over seven decades, with no disclosed proprietary software, AI systems, or patents. Distribution is exclusively direct: named on-site sales managers operate at each development, supported by owned media (Hoppertunity Magazine), organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram), and events such as the Auckland Boat Show and the Great Barrier Rendezvous.

Revenue mechanics are project-based: Hopper sells residential lots, retirement village units, and freehold marina berths on a quote-based, non-publicly-disclosed pricing basis, with no third-party sales agents or external institutional investment. The customer base is broad and fragmented (individual lifestyle property buyers, over-55 retirees, and canal/waterfront home purchasers), concentrated by region rather than by individual client. Hopper is currently led by Managing Director Leigh Hopper (semi-retired, 2024 King's Birthday Honours recipient), CEO Andy Grey (appointed 2023), and Acting CFO Tim Brooks (former 40-year CEO), with family member Shana Hopper-McCully heading brand and culture. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and is wholly family-controlled.

Name

Hopper Developments Ltd.

Legal name

Hopper Developments Limited

Website

https://hoppers.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hopper Developments Ltd. is a family-owned New Zealand lifestyle property developer founded in 1953, building master-planned waterfront residential communities, Hopper Living retirement villages, and commercial amenities across the Coromandel, Northland, and Auckland coastlines for individual lifestyle and retirement buyers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Orewa

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hopper Developments Ltd. is a New Zealand family-owned property developer that designs, builds, and sells master-planned lifestyle communities, including premium waterfront and canal residential subdivisions, independent retirement living villages under the Hopper Living brand, and supporting commercial amenities such as marinas, retail precincts, medical centres, and airparks. Properties are sold directly to consumers across Auckland, Coromandel, and Northland regions, with a portfolio spanning iconic canal developments (Pauanui Waterways, Marsden Cove, Whitianga Waterways) and retirement villages (Maygrove Village, The Anchorage Village, Country Club Huapai, The Moorings Village).

Product overview

Hopper Developments Ltd. operates a diversified property development portfolio across New Zealand, comprising three main segments: residential canal and waterfront communities (Pauanui Waterways, Marsden Cove, Whitianga Waterways, Marlin Waters, Hobbs Bay Estate), retirement living villages under the Hopper Living brand (The Anchorage Village, Maygrove Village, Country Club Huapai, The Moorings Village), and commercial/retail developments (Dockside, Mercury Bay Medical Centre, Whitianga Airpark) plus future projects including mariners quarters, luxury hotels, and additional residential subdivisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hopper Living: Retirement living division operating villages including Maygrove Village, The Anchorage Village, Country Club Huapai, and The Moorings Village.

Products and services

• Pauanui Waterways Premium waterfront canal residential development located in Tairua-Pauanui Harbour along the Coromandel Coastline, recognised as New Zealand's first canal development. It is a master-planned community selling residential sections and waterfront homes with canal access for individual property buyers seeking premium coastal lifestyle living.
• Marsden Cove Residential canal development located within Whangarei Harbour in Northland, positioned as the third canal development delivered by Hopper Developments. It offers waterfront and canal-front residential sections and homes targeting lifestyle buyers in the Northland region.
• Whitianga Waterways Hopper Developments' largest canal master-planned community, located in the heart of Whitianga along the Coromandel coastline. It is a large-scale, comprehensively planned community still growing, with residential sections, retirement living, marina berths, and integrated commercial amenities.
• Marlin Waters Residential housing development within Whitianga Waterways offering standard and waterfront villas designed for active retirees. The community features a fenced perimeter, private beach, boat ramp, and floating clubhouse, and is targeted at retirees seeking coastal lifestyle living.
• Hobbs Bay Estate Premium residential development on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula in Auckland, built on Hobbs Bay Farm where the Hopper family originally settled in 1929. It offers spacious residential lots with cliff-top views over the Waitemata Harbour and Sky Tower, targeted at premium lifestyle buyers.
• The Anchorage Village Boutique retirement village on the water at Marsden Cove in Northland, offering residents access to a private beach and boat ramp with expansive views of Mt. Manaia. Operated under the Hopper Living retirement brand for retirees seeking waterfront retirement living.
• Maygrove Village Flagship retirement village in Orewa, Auckland, operated under the Hopper Living brand. It offers peaceful, secure independent living with resort-style amenities including a pool, gym, cafe/restaurant, bar, bowls and putting greens, movie room, and quality fittings. Opened in 2002 and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2022.
• Country Club Huapai Retirement village in West Auckland wine country, operated under the Hopper Living brand as a joint development with Cabra Village. It is built on the original Nobilo Estate winery and designed for residents seeking countryside retirement living 30 minutes northwest of Auckland CBD.
• The Moorings Village Retirement village at Whitianga Waterways on the Coromandel Peninsula, operated under the Hopper Living brand. It is a unique retirement offering preparing for registration under the Retirement Villages Act 2003, targeted at retirees seeking waterfront retirement living within the Whitianga Waterways community.
• Mariners Quarters Premium freehold marina development at Whitianga Waterways offering 28 private freehold berths designed to accommodate vessels up to 22 metres, with adjacent freehold land lots for additional storage and accommodation. It is a first-of-its-kind concept offering outright marina berth ownership.
• Whitianga Airpark Aviation lifestyle residential subdivision alongside Whitianga Airfield on the Coromandel Peninsula, allowing property owners to park or store aircraft at home. Stages 1 and 2 are complete, with Stage 3 planned.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cabra VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCountry Club Huapai is a Hopper Living x Cabra Village joint development. It is designed for residents to retire within a countryside setting on the original Nobilo Estate winery. Cabra Village contributes to the design and operation of this retirement community, combining Hopper's development expertise with Cabra's retirement living experience.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• G.J. Gardner Homes: Large national New Zealand franchise home builder with broad market presence. Comparable to Hopper Developments as a residential property participant, though operating through a franchised model focused on volume home builds rather than master-planned lifestyle communities.

Direct peers

• Arvida Group: NZX-listed New Zealand retirement village and aged care operator. Comparable to Hopper Living through its development and operation of retirement communities, with a similar focus on lifestyle amenities and continuum-of-care offerings.
• Ryman Healthcare: Largest NZX-listed retirement village and aged care operator in New Zealand. Directly comparable to Hopper Living as both develop and operate retirement villages for the over-65 demographic, though Ryman operates at significantly greater scale nationally.
• Stevenson Group: New Zealand property developer with residential and commercial projects. Comparable to Hopper Developments through land development and subdivision activity, though with a different geographic footprint and product mix.
• CDL Investments New Zealand: NZX-listed New Zealand property investment and development company. Comparable to Hopper Developments through its focus on land subdivision and residential property development, though CDL operates more as a long-term land investor than a master-planned community developer.
• Hugh Green Group: New Zealand family-owned property development and investment company. Comparable to Hopper Developments through long-term land development and community building, with a similar private, multi-generational ownership structure.
• Metlifecare: Major New Zealand retirement village operator (now private under EQT ownership). Operates in the same integrated retirement village development and operating model as Hopper Living, providing a direct comparable for the retirement village segment.
• Classic Group: New Zealand residential property developer with subdivisions across the Auckland region. Comparable to Hopper Developments in residential land development and home building, though focused on higher-volume subdivisions rather than lifestyle canal communities.
• Universal Homes: New Zealand residential property developer and home builder with operations in Auckland. Comparable to Hopper Developments through residential subdivision and home construction activity, though at a different scale and price-point focus.
• Summerset Group Holdings: NZX-listed retirement village operator with a similar lifestyle-focused positioning to Hopper Living. Both companies develop and operate retirement villages targeting active retirees seeking amenity-rich communities, though Summerset operates at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/hopperdevelopmentsnz
• Instagraminstagram.com/hoppers_nz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hopper-developments-ltd-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Hopper Developments Ltd.