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Vegetable Growing in New Zealand - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Josh Francisco Josh Francisco Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: September 2025 ANZSIC A0120NZ

Revenue

$1.7bn

2025-26

$1.7bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

7,896

Businesses

984

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Vegetable Growing in New Zealand industry analysis

New Zealand’s Vegetable Growing industry has been on a positive trajectory thanks to strong demand factors. More consumers are seeking healthier diets, sometimes swapping meat for vegetables, which has increased demand for nutrient-dense crops. Given the relative price difference with meat, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis has also encouraged some consumers to substitute meat with vegetable dishes. Vegetable exports, especially onions, have bolstered industry revenue in some years like 2024-25, though total real export values have inched downwards since 2020-21. Despite positive demand factors, the industry has also experienced significant challenges over the past five years. There have been supply shocks from environmental stresses, like flooding and periodic droughts that have periodically reduced yields and revenue. Moreover, rising wage costs from an ongoing labour shortage have challenged profit margin growth, with automation trends failing to offset this pressure. Overall, industry revenue is set to grow to an estimated $1.7 billion in 2025-26, reflecting an annualised growth rate of 0.8%. This figure also includes anticipated growth of 4.7% in 2025-26.

Trends and Insights

  • Consumer preferences are adjusting to rising health consciousness, driving demand for healthier lifestyle and eating choices. Consumers are prioritising nutrition and shifting towards plant-based diets, creating fresh opportunities for growers.
  • Vegetable farmers are adopting automation and digital tools to boost efficiency and manage ongoing labour shortages. Technological innovations like unmanned spray vehicles and labour productivity monitoring software are helping cut costs and maximise output.
  • Auckland is the most populated city in New Zealand and the surrounding region has the most vegetable growers. Proximity to local demand and international ports creates an opportunity for cost savings.
  • Most vegetable growers are family-owned businesses, with many employing their household to assist with everyday operations. Revenue is highly fragmented among these family-owned farms.
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.8 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.7bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Health consciousness has risen over the past five years, supporting growth in vegetable consumption

  • Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of their health and wellbeing. As a result, they’re monitoring their diets more to reduce the amount of sugar, fat and salt in their foods.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Vegetable Growing in New Zealand
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

The industry’s future output will depend on climate conditions and water availability

  • Growing conditions play a crucial role in determining vegetable farming’s success. Extended droughts or major flooding events can cause significant production losses, dramatically affecting farmers’ livelihoods and disrupting food supply chains. However, the forecast remains positive: provided the country avoids devastating cyclones over the next five years, vegetable output is forecast to inch upwards.

Biggest companies in the Vegetable Growing in New Zealand

Company
Market Share (%)
2026
Revenue ($m)
2026
Balle Bros No.2
128.7
Leaderbrand Holdings
104.8

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Vegetable Growing in New Zealand
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Potatoes, Onions, shallots, leeks and garlic and Tomatoes. Potatoes is the largest segment of the Vegetable Growing in New Zealand.

Trends and Insights

Potatoes are an essential household vegetable with a consistent share of output

  • Potatoes represent a significant product segment for vegetable growers, including all varieties of potatoes and sweet potatoes.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry operators grow vegetables outdoors and under cover. Outdoor growing occurs in open fields, while under cover growing occurs primarily in greenhouses, cold frames, cloth houses and lath houses. The definition covers a wide variety of produce including common vegetables like onions, potatoes, sweet corn and garlic, but also those that are botanically not considered vegetables, like tomatoes, truffles, melons and fresh herbs. This industry also includes mushroom growing activities in New Zealand.

What's included in this industry?

Products and services covered in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand include Potatoes, Onions, shallots, leeks and garlic, Tomatoes, Root vegetables, Peas, Squash, Lettuce, Broccoli, Sweet corn and Capsicums.

Companies

Companies covered in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand include Balle Bros No.2 and Leaderbrand Holdings.

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

Related terms covered in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand include horticulture, greenhouse, crop rotation and cover cropping.

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 0121 - Vegetable Growing in New Zealand

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Consumer preferences are adjusting to rising health consciousness, driving demand for healthier lifestyle and eating choices. Consumers are prioritising nutrition and shiftin...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Vegetable farmers are adopting automation and digital tools to boost efficiency and manage ongoing labour shortages. Technological innovations like unmanned spray vehicles an...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Auckland is the most populated city in New Zealand and the surrounding region has the most vegetable growers. Proximity to local demand and international ports creates an opp...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Most vegetable growers are family-owned businesses, with many employing their household to assist with everyday operations. Revenue is highly fragmented among these family-ow...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Balle Bros No. 2 Limited is the biggest grower in New Zealand. Its brand Lucky Sod produces vegetables in fresh packs and sells directly to consumers, while The Greater Good ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Balle Bros No.2's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of Leaderbrand Holdings's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Balle Bros No.2, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Leaderbrand Holdings, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Supply chain disruptions and changing weather conditions have affected revenue volatility. Vegetable yields largely depend on ideal rainfall levels and weather conditions.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Despite falling purchase costs, profitability for vegetable growers has declined, especially for smaller farms. Larger, commercialised farms better withstand rising labour co...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand in 2025?

The market size of the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand is $1.7bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand in 2025?

There are 984 businesses in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.6 % between 2020 and 2025.

How may import tariffs affect the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand?

The Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.

How may export tariffs affect the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand?

The Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand is likely to be impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a moderate share of industry revenue.

Has the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand has been growing at a CAGR of 0.8 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand?

The biggest companies operating in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand are Balle Bros No.2 and Leaderbrand Holdings

What does the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand include?

Potatoes and Onions, shallots, leeks and garlic are part of the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand?

The company holding the most market share in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand is Balle Bros No.2.

How competitive is the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Vegetable Growing industry in New Zealand.

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in New Zealand include:

  • Statistics New Zealand
  • New Zealand Company Register
  • Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.

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