Scully’s exports a wide range of natural boutique products for bath, body and home to Asia, Europe and Australia. Scully’s started as a small family-run operation in Bulls 20 years ago, but it’s gradually grown bigger and bigger, all the while keeping its commitment to the environment and its people.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to Operating Manager Sarah Parkinson and Shop Manager Juliette Arnott about: The challenges of going from a grassroots business to a...

K9 Natural pet food is sourced and produced in such a way that humans could eat it. Using high-quality ingredients from the human supply chain has a range of health benefits for animals that help our pets, and this has helped the company to play a leading role in shifting the standard of animal foods towards premium, natural, food products for cats and dogs.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to the CEO of parent company Natural Pet Food Group Neil Hinton about: How...

Karen Murrell has played a leading hand in shifting the global beauty industry towards natural, environmentally friendly products that don’t compromise on quality. Her success story has leaned on no shortage of inspiration from New Zealand flowers, colours and tones. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to Karen about: Developing her own lipstick range from home Getting an Instagram shout out from Kourtney Kardashian How she’s expanded into new countries, including an...

Fonterra is New Zealand’s leading dairy exporter, and Anchor is a $1.2 billion kiwi brand that’s been around for more than 130 years. Anchor products go to more than 80 countries, playing a huge role in the reputation of New Zealand, and New Zealand food and beverages, around the world.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to General Manager Brent Whelan about: All the interesting countries where Anchor is a household name Why New Zealand butter is so yellow The...

Mamaku skincare products are steeped in traditional Māori practices and values that govern everything from the way these special products are made, to how the business is run by the sisters who founded Mamaku ten years ago. They’re helping to take the beauty industry back to the future, where natural, plant-based products are seen as premium. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to co-founder and director Tessa Davis about:   Getting into business with no beauty industry...

Matta has recycled more than 60 million kilograms of PVC and rubber in the last 30 years, since the company was started by then-Ōtaki mayor Murray Scott in his garage.  The company produces safety matting for playgrounds and industrial use all over the world, and brings a strong sustainability approach to a very niche sector.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to managing director Brent Harris about:   The DIY early days and pioneering recycling systems in the...

Prolife Foods might be the biggest New Zealand brand that you’ve never heard of. It is doing business in more than 18 countries and has more than $300 million in annual revenue through its range of bulk foods, self-selection products, honey, and well-known FMCG grocery food brands.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to CEO Andrew Smith about: The Jack and the Beanstalk-like company origin story, and starting out of a Hamilton garage 40 years ago How Prolife Foods...

Max Donaldson started GreenKiwi at just 17 when he realised pruned olive leaves his neighbour was throwing away had huge health benefits. In just over two years, he’s had a steep learning curve in developing effective, sustainable, New Zealand-made olive leaf supplements. Max has grown the company from nothing to being in retail stores around New Zealand and Dubai, all while finishing school and studying at university.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to Max...

Comvita was a wellness brand before wellness brands were even a thing. The business has become a global powerhouse, with revenue into the hundreds of millions, using natural, New Zealand products like manuka honey for their health benefits. This episode of Flying the Fern features three generations of Comvita leadership; co-founder Alan Bougen, former CEO and current board chair Brett Hewlett and current CEO David Banfield. Together, they talk to host David Downs about: The lofty goals the...

When Mike Beagley started as Rodd & Gunn's CEO, the business had around 12 stores. Now it has more than 200, all over the world. The New Zealand menswear brand has grown exponentially in the last 20 years, underpinned by humility and a commitment to doing things the right way. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to Mike Beagley about: The global goal that he’s never broadcast, and why How they cracked the “toughest market” in the United States Expanding into...

The Apple Press champions New Zealand’s “ugly fruit” - roughly 10 percent of crops that taste great, but don’t satisfy the criteria for export. The Apple Press has built a global juicing business that heroes individual varieties and adds value to what was very much an under-utilised market. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to co-founder Sally Gallagher about: How the company got started (including an inauspicious first meeting) The opportunity The Apple Press saw in...

Like many classic New Zealand innovators, Frank Witowski founded his company, Hybrid Bikes, in his garage. He was initially told it wouldn’t be possible, but with an engineering background and some stubborn enthusiasm, he designed a range of carbon fibre e-bikes that are now selling all over the world. Frank’s bikes are customisable for a range of uses, and have been incredibly popular for their quality, affordability and durability.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks...

Digital healthcare is poised to revolutionise global health in the coming years, and Kiwi company The Clinician is at the heart of the movement.  It’s a forerunner in value-based healthcare, helping to streamline processes and improve access to care all over the world. The Clinician’s platform supports 22 languages, has automated clinical tracking and enables online health assessments that speed up appointment times and admin. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to...

Silver Fern Farms plays a hugely influential role in New Zealand food production and distribution. It exports nearly a third of our red meat to 60+ countries, representing around 16,000 farmers in the process. The company helps to position our meat among the best in the world, by setting the standard in production, sustainability and quality. This is a changing landscape with a range of influences that make it a high stakes, challenging task.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David...

In the 24 hours before recording this podcast, Redshield blocked 5 million cyber attacks. Co-founder Sam Pickles says the global cybercrime industry is bigger than the illegal drug trade, and his kiwi company is an international leader in combating it. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to Sam about: How security challenges have evolved over the last 10 years How Redshield stays ahead of rapidly changing threats The significance of trust as a security company, and how...

Kids Ride Shotgun is the company behind an innovative bike seat that helps the youngest mountain biker to ride alongside their parents. It started as an idea between a couple of biking dads, and has turned into a multi-national movement that’s centred around Kiwi values and raising kids the right way. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to co-founder Dan Necklen about: How the Kids Ride Shotgun seat was so different from the rest How they stumbled into media coverage, a...

Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS) leans on New Zealand’s reputation to sell a Kiwi educational experience all over the world. AIS is one of New Zealand’s largest private education providers, with a mostly international student base. As well as the quality of its education, AIS trades off a true New Zealand experience, with students from more than 40 countries currently on campus.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to CEO Richard Smith about: How AIS competes with...

New Zealand farm systems are special, and today’s farmers are using FarmIQ to get the absolute best out of their farms. FarmIQ has created farm management and predictive modelling tools to give our farmers more data that they can use to make better decisions with. Farm IQ is playing a key role in the important storytelling aspect of farming that allows us to showcase New Zealand produce as some of the best in the world. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to CEO Will...

Native Sparkling is New Zealand’s first hard seltzer, which was dubbed ‘Drink of the Summer’ by the New York Times in 2019.  The product range is all low sugar, low carb and low calories. But it’s about way more than just the drinks. Native Sparkling have a genuine focus on conversation, including bird programmes and even environmental initiatives in their overseas markets. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to co-founder Guy Hobson about: Company origins, making a...

 Book Me Bob is a revolutionary AI chatbot that’s changing the game in the hospitality world. The chatbot is available in a range of languages, can host thousands of conversations at the same time, and is so realistic that it’s often confused as being a real human. The company was founded just before Covid, and has flourished despite the impact of the pandemic on tourism and hospitality. In fact, founder David Thompson is targeting unicorn status ($1 billion valuation) quicker than any other...

{Disclaimer: this episode was recorded prior to their announcement of closing the cafes and focusing on their frozen meal range} Jess’s Underground Kitchen (JUK) started as a favour between friends, and quickly escalated to feeding hundreds of people every week. Nine years on, JUK is making and delivering thousands of home cooked dinners around New Zealand, and frozen meals to supermarkets here and overseas. Jess’ journey echoes typical kiwi values: making quality, fresh food with humility...

Trust Codes is about enabling consumers to get more information about the products they’re buying. At the same time, it allows producers to stand out on supermarket shelves by telling stories about product provenance, quality and credence. Today’s consumers are making more and more values-driven decisions, but it’s hard to know which products stand up to their requirements. Trust Codes are scannable QR codes that allow them to see in-depth detail about products before they buy them.  In this...

Ārepa started from a simple idea and has evolved into world-leading neuroscience, creating foods and drinks that support brain health and performance. Co-founders Zac Robinson and Angus Brown have grown the Ārepa range from scratch, and now have supply contracts across New Zealand and Australia. They’ve been pioneers in a cutting edge field with massive health benefits.  In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to Zac about: How they took the idea and made it into a business...

ecostore is a global pioneer in sustainable business. They’ve been making eco-friendly products since 1993 - well before it was popular - and was the first business to be accredited with the New Zealand FernMark. They’ve gone above and beyond to make sustainable household cleaning, health and other products, exporting them around the world and shaping New Zealand’s clean, green reputation. In this episode of Flying the Fern, host David Downs talks to ecostore CEO Pablo Kraus about: Paving the...