Natureshop NZ’s Fastest Growing Exporter

NEWS RELEASE

28 October 2010

Natureshop NZ’s Fastest Growing Exporter

 Online retailer Natureshop was last night named the country’s fastest growing exporter, and also won the title of second-fastest growing company overall, at the 10th annual Deloitte Fast 50 index of New Zealand's high growth businesses.

The online retailer also took a third title: fastest growing retail or consumer products business. Natureshop operates an online retail business selling premium nature inspired brands and has an established customer database of 75,000.  In August, the firm opened a new distribution and customer support centre in the United Kingdom to service its European, UK and North American customers; its headquarters are based in Mount Maunganui.

Overall, Natureshop had 1106% growth, coming second only to Telecom Rentals with 1897% growth, according to Deloitte.

“We’re thrilled to be recognised in this way through the Deloitte index; the awards give Natureshop the credibility to acquire greater numbers of quality brands to then offer to our customers." said Natureshop Managing Director Conrad Cranfield. “We’d also love to increase awareness amongst New Zealand consumers, who may not know the Natureshop story."
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atureshop sells brands such as Icebreaker clothing, Snugs sheepskin slippers, Snooki baby clothing and EMU Australia sheepskin boots. The retailer will soon be adding products from KEEN footwear, Birkenstock, Green Baby and Nature Baby to its range.

Hamilton Deloitte partner Doug Wilson says Natureshop achieved its outstanding success in the Fast 50 this year because it was able to clearly identify a niche global market for high-end, natural products and be very focused about how best to target those consumers.

“Natureshop has obviously thought very strategically about the consumers they want to serve, where they are located, and how to best reach them,” said Mr Wilson. “And they’ve backed that up with good basic business principles, such as sound back office policies, to ensure they succeed.”

The online retailer is carbon neutral as certified by independent certification authority carboNZeroCertTM; it will soon apply for comparable UK certification. Natureshop also has a firm belief in social responsibility at its heart, says Mr Cranfield.

The business sponsors two not-for-profit organisations, CanTeen, for teens with cancer, and Heart Children New Zealand.

"Our environmental and social responsibility policies provide our customers with a viable tipping point to choose to buy from us instead of our competitors,” said Mr Cranfield. “This also has the added benefit of actually making a tangible difference to the community."  

To make the 2010 Deloitte Fast 50, companies had to achieve growth of 161%, slightly up on last year's benchmark of 145%, while growth of at least 523% was required to make the top 10 on the index. This year's Deloitte Fast 50 businesses grew the New Zealand economy by $761 million in the past three years and created 806 jobs.

Mr Cranfield says that the majority of Natureshop’s sales leads come through search engine performance and online marketing through its websites: natureshop.co.nz, natureshop.com and natureshop.co.uk. Natureshop has also had a very strong focus on customer service and offers free shipping, free return shipping and 365 day returns.

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