Award-winning The Greenery poised for fresh growth under new owners
An award-winning plant nursery, garden centre and landscaping operation servicing the lower North Island is poised for fresh growth under new owners as the thriving business goes up for sale.
Positioned on State Highway 1 just north of Otaki, on the fast-growing Kāpiti Coast, The Greenery is a diverse business which is well placed to build further on impressive growth seen since it was started by current owners Tina Mullins and Grant Irving 12 years ago.
From beginnings as a nursery, the business has branched out to generate complementary revenue streams from native plantings from seed, amenity plants for landscaping, a thriving retail centre supporting local artists, and a landscaping design business that is set to profit from the region’s expansion.
With total sales revenue last year of nearly $2.5 million, up more than 35% on two years ago, The Greenery’s nursery, garden centre and landscaping divisions are forecasting significant further increases over the current financial year and beyond.
The business recently won a tender to supply native plants to Wellington Regional Council’s Restoration Services Panel, which aims to plant 10 million native plants by 2032. Sales to the council alone are expected to amount to some 50,000 plants annually.
The Greenery is also well positioned to reap the benefits of the Kāpiti Coast’s booming population – forecast to swell by 40% by 2050 – and associated development of more open spaces and landscapes for public and private enjoyment. Key roading projects such as Transmission Gully are improving access to a large catchment across the lower North Island.
With the enterprise now in a strong position, the owners are seeking a lifestyle change and have put The Greenery on the market as a freehold going concern.
The sale includes over 10 hectares of land plus commercial buildings, some 90,000 plants, and other assets such as machinery, vehicles, tools and a custom-built coffee cart.
The freehold land, buildings and business sustaining The Greenery, located at 1198-1200 State Highway 1, Manakau, Horowhenua, are being marketed for sale through Rodger Howie and Jo Stewart of Bayleys Real Estate.
The freehold going concern will be sold by deadline private treaty closing on Thursday 2 May, unless it is sold prior.
“The Greenery is thriving and is poised for major revenue growth,” said Howie.
“From a start-up 12 years ago, it has tapped into several highgrowth areas of business and was the deserved winner of the Electra Business and Innovation Award for Retail in November 2023.
“This sale represents an excellent opportunity for a new owner to acquire a business and real estate with a significant growth curve and impressive margins,” Howie said.
A key strength of the diversified business is its complementary revenue streams.
The nursery grows exotics, ferns, specimen trees and succulents and specialises in cultivating ecosourced native plants from seed. These are sold via the landscaping division, to the public through the garden centre, and to local councils through preferred supplier agreements. The garden centre also sells externally-sourced plants.
The Greenery also supports the community via ‘The Collective’, where local creatives and artists can display and sell their products on consignment. A quarterly night market with food trucks generates high sales of plants, coffee, food and locally crafted giftware.
The business provides landscaping services for new builds and construction projects such as retirement villages, including plantings sourced through the nursery.
An adjoining property of some 8.7 hectares purchased in 2016, much of which is now leased out for cropping, provides space to significantly expand the nursery and business. There is also a prime building platform that could accommodate a house with 360-degree vistas due to its elevation.
The current owners work parttime in the business, supported by several knowledgeable full and part-time employees and landscape contractors.
Stewart said new owners would reap the benefits of solid systems, infrastructure and relationships.
“Owners Tina and Grant have done the hard yards to source and grow native plants from seed, build relationships with local buyers and council and devise innovative retailing and marketing. This ensures a solid pipeline of new business and saleable product.
“The barriers to entry for anyone wishing to set up a similar operation from scratch are high. These include substantial capital and infrastructure requirements, and there would be a lead time of at least 18 months to germinate seeds into saleable product.
“For newcomers to this industry, this is a strong disincentive. We therefore anticipate strong interest in The Greenery as an established nursery with a solid sales pipeline accompanied by complementary, strong revenue streams from the garden centre and landscaping services,” said Stewart.
Further financial information and details of business performance are available to potential buyers subject to signing a non-disclosure agreement.