What Midlands does

Midlands is a privately held New Zealand agricultural company, founded in 1990 and headquartered in Ashburton, Canterbury, operating with 58 employees under the legal entity Midlands Holdings. It produces and exports bulk food ingredients and retail-ready products across three core categories: seeds (marrowfat peas, brown and golden linseed, hemp seed grain, maple peas, plus hybrid vegetable, forage, and organic seed varieties), honey (premium Manuka, single-serve snap packs, lozenges, and specialty/flavoured honeys), and plant-based health oils and superfoods (flaxseed oil and fibre, hemp seed oil, barley grass powder, skincare oils). Production is supported by a proprietary seed research and breeding programme targeting hybrid vegetable seeds and herbage seeds, with on-the-ground agronomy delivered through its own contracting, beekeeping and pollination (Midlands Bees), farming, and rural property subsidiaries.

The business operates a vertically integrated model that spans genetics through to packaged retail SKU. Four wholly-owned operating subsidiaries — Midlands Contracting (specialist crop management and agricultural contracting), Midlands Bees (beekeeping, pollination, and bee research), Midlands Farming (sustainable crop production), and Midlands Properties (rural and commercial property) — give the company internal control over pollination, agronomy, and farmland, reducing reliance on third-party growers and supporting consistent quality across seed, honey, and oil product lines. Owned retail-ready brands include Puriti (flagship manuka honey), Primal By Nature, Mount Somers, New Hemisphere, and OmegaNZ, each with its own consumer-facing website.

Commercially, Midlands runs an enterprise B2B go-to-market with three revenue streams: bulk ingredient supply to food manufacturers and processors, private-label manufacturing for retailers and brand owners, and distribution of its own retail-ready brands. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is global, with established export logistics and a dedicated Australia route on the corporate website. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, no parent company, and no public funding history.

Name

Midlands

Legal name

Midlands Holdings

Website

https://midlands.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Midlands is a New Zealand-based, vertically integrated agribusiness producing bulk seeds, premium Manuka honey, plant-based health oils, and superfoods for global food manufacturers, retailers, and brand owners via bulk, private-label, and owned-brand channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Food Ingredients and Private Label Manufacturing

NAICS

Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers (424510), Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (4245), Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244)

SIC

Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Pulses & Legumes Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nuts, Seeds & Dried Fruit Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAF), Ingredients, Spices & Culinary Supplies Distribution (CRAOABAK)

Keywords

• Seed production
• Manuka honey
• Private label food
• Bulk food ingredients
• Health oils

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashburton

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, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bulk Seeds: Sale of bulk seeds including marrowfat peas, linseed, hemp seed grain, maple peas for food production and processing.
2. Private Label Solutions: Private label manufacturing services for retail-ready food products including honey, oils, and superfoods for business customers.
3. Retail Ready Brands: Sale of company-owned retail brands including Puriti (manuka honey), Primal By Nature, Mount Somers Honey, New Hemisphere, OmegaNZ.
4. Agricultural Services: Specialist crop management and agricultural contracting services through Midlands Contracting division.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Midlands is a New Zealand-based agricultural company that produces and exports bulk, private label, and retail-ready food solutions. Its core offerings include high value seed production (marrowfat peas, linseed, hemp seed grain, maple peas), premium Manuka and specialty honey products, plant-based health oils (flaxseed and hemp seed oils), and superfoods (flaxseed fibre, barley grass powder). The company sells to food manufacturers, retailers, and brand partners globally, while also distributing its own retail-ready brands such as Puriti, Primal By Nature, Mount Somers, New Hemisphere, and OmegaNZ.

Product overview

Midlands is a New Zealand-based agricultural company offering bulk, private label and retail-ready sustainable food solutions. The company operates across four main product categories: Seeds (seed multiplication and arable food production including marrowfat peas, linseed, hemp seed grain, and maple peas), Honey (manufacturing and exporting premium Manuka honey and specialty honey products), and Oils & Superfoods (premium plant-based health oils including flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil, barley grass powder, and flaxseed fibre). The portfolio includes retail-ready brands such as Puriti (honey), Primal By Nature, Mount Somers, New Hemisphere, and OmegaNZ. Supporting operations are delivered through four service divisions: Midlands Contracting (crop management and agricultural contracting), Midlands Bees (beekeeping, pollination, and bee research), Midlands Farming (sustainable farming operations), and Midlands Properties (rural and commercial property management). The company emphasizes vertical integration, controlling every stage from seed production through to export.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seeds Seed multiplication and arable food production including vegetable seeds, forage seeds, pulses and legumes, oilseeds, cereals, and organic seeds supplied primarily to food manufacturers and processors.
• Marrowfat Peas Premium Marrowfat Peas supplied in bulk for food production and processing customers.
• Brown Linseed Bulk New Zealand Brown Linseed supplied as a food ingredient for processing customers.
• Golden Linseed Bulk Golden Linseed supplied for food production and processing.
• Hemp Seed Grain Bulk Hemp Seed Grain supplied for processing and food ingredient applications.
• Maple Peas New Zealand Maple Peas supplied as a food ingredient.
• Vegetable Seeds High value hybrid vegetable seeds developed through research and breeding programmes and supplied to food production customers.
• Honey Manufacturers of premium honey including Manuka honey, specialty honey, and flavoured honey products supplied to retail and brand customers.
• Manuka Honey Premium New Zealand Manuka honey supplied to retail and brand customers.
• Manuka Snap Packs Convenient single-serve Manuka honey portions supplied for retail and food service customers.
• Manuka Lozenges Honey-based lozenge products using Manuka honey supplied to retail and brand customers.
• Oils & Superfoods Premium plant-based health oils including flaxseed products, hemp seed products, health oils, skincare oils, and superfoods for retail and brand customers.
• Flaxseed Oil Premium New Zealand Flaxseed Oil supplied for retail, brand, and further processing customers.
• Hemp Seed Oil Bulk New Zealand Hemp Seed Oil supplied for retail and further processing.
• Flaxseed Fibre Bulk New Zealand Flaxseed Fibre supplied for food processing and ingredient use.
• Barley Grass Powder Bulk New Zealand Barley Grass Powder supplied for food processing and ingredient applications.
• Midlands Contracting Specialist crop management and agricultural contracting services including precision contracting and production agronomy for farmers and growers.
• Midlands Bees Advanced beekeeping, pollination, and bee research services including crop pollination for agricultural customers.
• Midlands Farming Sustainable farming operations supporting quality crop production with best agronomic practices.
• Midlands Properties Rural and commercial property management services supporting the group's operations.
• Puriti Retail-ready Manuka honey brand offering premium New Zealand Manuka honey products to consumers.
• Primal By Nature Retail-ready brand offering natural health products including superfoods and health oils to consumers.
• Mount Somers Retail-ready brand offering New Zealand specialty honey products to consumers.
• New Hemisphere Retail-ready brand offering specialty health and wellness products to consumers.
• OmegaNZ Retail-ready brand offering health oils and nutritional products to consumers.
• Private Label Manufacturing Private label manufacturing services for retail-ready food products including honey, oils, and superfoods supplied to business customers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PuriticoreOthersCompany-owned premium manuka honey brand. Puriti is Midlands' flagship manuka honey brand offering retail-ready manuka honey products.
• Primal By NaturecoreOthersHealth-focused brand offering natural health products including superfoods and health oils.
• Mount Somers HoneycoreOthersNZ specialty honey brand offering retail-ready honey products.
• New HemisphereminorOthersPartner brand offering health and wellness products.
• OmegaNZminorOthersPartner brand for health oils and nutritional products.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• PGG Wrightson Seeds: New Zealand/Australia-focused seed multiplication and trading business most directly comparable to Midlands' seed multiplication and arable food production division, serving similar farmer and food-processor customers.
• Manuka Health New Zealand: NZ-based manuka honey and propolis ingredient supplier competing head-to-head in the same premium manuka category and B2B ingredient channel as Midlands' honey division.
• Arataki Honey: New Zealand honey producer and exporter with vertically integrated beekeeping operations analogous to Midlands Bees. Overlaps in bulk and retail-ready honey categories globally.
• Comvita: New Zealand-headquartered manuka honey and bee health products company, the most direct competitor to Midlands' Puriti brand across global honey shelves and health channels. Compares on NZ-origin positioning, retail brand depth, and export-led business model.
• AGT Foods: Major Canadian/global pulse and specialty crop merchant wholesaler (lentils, peas, grains) — the closest international analogue to Midlands' pulses and legumes bulk trading franchise (marrowfat peas, maple peas).

Emerging players

• Manitoba Harvest: North American hemp seed food and oil brand with branded retail and ingredient presence directly comparable to Midlands' hemp seed grain/oil and Primal By Nature brand portfolio.
• Nutiva: US organic health oils and superfoods brand selling hemp, flax and chia-based products through retail and e-commerce — overlapping with Midlands' Oils & Superfoods category and OmegaNZ/Primal By Nature.

Broad incumbents

• DLF Seeds: World-leading grass and forage seed company with proprietary breeding programmes analogous to Midlands' research-driven seed breeding; a larger incumbent that overlaps with Midlands' seed multiplication and export business.
• Barenbrug: Global forage and herbage seed breeder/multiplier with a much broader portfolio and geographic reach than Midlands; competes directly on herbage seed programmes and arable contracting-adjacent business.

Regional players

• Capilano Honey: Australia's largest honey packer, exporting to similar international markets as Midlands. A regional incumbent in honey and a credible benchmark on retail brand scale and grocery channel access.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@midlands6572
• Facebookfacebook.com/MidlandsNZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midlandsnz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 Midlands