NZ Bloom buys stake in Canterbury Fields

June 2006
In June 2006, NZ Bloom bought a 25% share in Canterbury Fields - the largest flower-packing company in the South Island, and one of the biggest in New Zealand.

Canterbury Fields' packhouse processes a range of flower crops, such as paeonies and hydrangeas, and newer varieties including symphoricarpos (snow berries) and rosehips. Its 10ha of production is planted in new varieties suited to the colder southern climate. Its product range suits the New Zealand niche of seasonal luxury products.

Canterbury Fields, which was set up three years ago, has sold about 600,000 blooms during the last year, plans to produce two million stems by 2010.

Canterbury Fields director Andrea Blackadder said the partnership would allow the company to take advantage of strong exporting and marketing opportunities. "It is not really the capital that comes into play," she said. "It is the impact of having one of the top exporting companies as part of the group."

This investment will enable NZ Bloom to provide increased reliability of supply of high quality flowers and foliage to our customers.

This is the second investment that NZ Bloom has made in NZ flower production, the first being in the largest calla packhouse in New Zealand, Flowerpac International, in 2003.