What Moore Wilson & Co. Limited does

Moore Wilson & Co. Limited is a privately held, Wellington-based New Zealand retail company that has operated continuously since 1918, serving consumers across the Wellington region for over 105 years. The business runs a multi-department general store model spanning five core departments: Fresh Market (produce and gourmet essentials), Foodservice (commercial supplies), Kitchenware (cookware from brands such as AeroPress, MasterClass, Nordicware, and Stanley Tucci), Wine, Beer & Spirits (curated local and international beverages), and Toys (including LEGO, Playmobil, Hape, Sylvanian Families, board games, and electronic learning kits). Distribution is via four physical retail locations in Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt, and Masterton, supplemented by a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront offering nationwide courier delivery across New Zealand.

The revenue model is traditional retail: one-time sale of physical goods across both in-store and online channels, with case-rate bulk discounts on wine, beer and spirits and regional courier delivery fees (NZ$6.95–NZ$13.95 per standard box plus rural surcharges). The company employs 251–500 staff, targets general consumers in the Wellington region as its primary segment, and uses a geographic segmentation approach with no disclosed enterprise or B2B anchor customers. Marketing is driven primarily by the e-commerce site, in-store presence, and long-standing word-of-mouth brand reputation.

Underlying technology is limited to a Shopify e-commerce platform for the online storefront; there is no proprietary technology, mobile app, AI/ML capability, or disclosed integration ecosystem. Ownership is private with no disclosed parent company, shareholders, or external funding, and there is no evidence of public capital markets activity, acquisitions, partnerships, or material strategic transactions in the available data.

Name

Moore Wilson & Co. Limited

Legal name

Moore Wilson & Co. Limited

Website

https://moorewilsons.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Moore Wilson & Co. Limited is a privately held New Zealand specialty general retailer operating four physical stores across the Wellington region plus a nationwide Shopify-powered e-commerce site, selling fresh produce, foodservice supplies, kitchenware, wine, beer, spirits, and toys to Wellington-area consumers since 1918.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Retail

NAICS

General Merchandise Retailers (455), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Variety Stores (5331)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Variety Stores (General Variety & Five-and-Dime) (CRAEAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk Beverage & Coffee/Tea Supply Stores (Retail + Wholesale) (CRAHAMAH), Bulk & Case-Lot Food Retailers (Non-membership) (CRAHACAF)

Keywords

• Gourmet food retail
• Fresh produce market
• Wine spirits shop
• Kitchenware store
• Toy retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - Physical Stores: In-store retail sales across four physical locations in the Wellington region, offering fresh produce, gourmet foods, wine, beer, spirits, toys, and kitchenware. The company operates as a traditional Cash and Carry business model.
2. E-commerce Online Sales: Online sales through their Shopify-powered website with nationwide delivery across New Zealand, featuring products across multiple categories including wine, beer, spirits, toys, and kitchenware.
3. Courier/Delivery Services: Delivery fees charged for courier services - Wellington region $6.95 per standard box, Rest of North Island $10.95, South Island $13.95, plus rural delivery surcharge of $4.95.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Moore Wilson & Co. Limited is a traditional New Zealand multi-department retailer operating four physical stores across the Wellington region (Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt, Masterton) and a Shopify-powered online store, selling fresh produce, gourmet foods, kitchenware, wine/beer/spirits, toys, and foodservice supplies to consumers and businesses nationwide. Established in 1918, the company offers curated selections across dedicated departments including Fresh Market, Foodservice, Kitchenware, Wine Beer & Spirits, and Toys, with case-rate discounts for bulk beverage purchases and tiered regional delivery fees.

Product overview

Moore Wilson & Co. Limited is a traditional New Zealand retail company operating a multi-department general store with physical locations in Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt, and Masterton since 1918. The company offers five core departments: Fresh Market (fresh produce and gourmet essentials), Foodservice (commercial supplies), Kitchenware (cookware and kitchen equipment including AeroPress, MasterClass, Nordicware, and Stanley Tucci brands), Wine, Beer & Spirits (curated local and international beverages), and Toys (featuring LEGO, Playmobil, Hape, Sylvanian Families brands plus board games and electronic learning kits). Products are also available for online purchase with nationwide delivery across New Zealand.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fresh Market

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• New World: Largest NZ supermarket chain (operated by Foodstuffs) with hundreds of stores nationwide, including a strong fresh market, wine, and gourmet offering. Comparable as a Wellington-area competitor for Fresh Market and Wine/Beer/Spirits baskets, though at far greater scale and broader assortment.
• Woolworths NZ: Major NZ supermarket chain (part of Woolworths Group Australia) operating Countdown and Woolworths banners nationwide. Comparable as a Wellington-region competitor for fresh food and general merchandise, with materially greater scale, pricing power, and online investment.
• Costco Australia/New Zealand: Cash-and-carry warehouse club operating in NZ with bulk case-rate pricing across grocery, wine, and general merchandise. Comparable in cash-and-carry model and bulk/case-rate mechanics for wine and grocery, though at vastly larger scale and broader assortment.

Direct peers

• Farro Fresh: New Zealand multi-store fresh food and gourmet grocer operating several locations in Auckland with a curated assortment of fresh produce, specialty foods, and housewares. Most directly comparable as a multi-location NZ independent food/gourmet retailer with similar curation depth across fresh and specialty categories.
• Sur La Table: US specialty kitchenware retailer with physical stores and e-commerce focused on premium cookware brands (including MasterClass). Directly comparable to Moore Wilson's Kitchenware department in assortment curation and omnichannel premium positioning.
• Huckleberry: NZ specialty grocer and lifestyle retailer with stores in Auckland and Wellington offering curated fresh produce, gourmet prepared foods, and gift/home categories. Closely comparable as a curated NZ multi-department food-and-lifestyle retailer serving similar affluent urban customers.
• Dean & DeLuca: Iconic multi-category curated retailer offering gourmet foods, wines, kitchenware, and gifts across physical stores and e-commerce. Closely comparable in business model - high-end generalist combining fresh market, beverage, and housewares under a premium heritage brand.
• Commonsense Organics: NZ independent organic and natural food retailer with multiple locations across the lower North Island, offering fresh produce, bulk foods, and natural housewares. Comparable as a regional NZ multi-store independent with overlapping fresh market and specialty grocery focus.

Others

• Williams Sonoma:

Regional players

• David Jones: Australia's oldest department store chain carrying food halls, wine, kitchenware, and toys under a heritage brand. Comparable as a heritage multi-department retailer with overlapping food, beverage, and housewares categories, but serving the Australian market rather than New Zealand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Moore Wilson & Co. Limited