Wedderspoon sale to anchor New Zealand food business

Investment firm Masthead, has acquired New Zealand Manuka honey brand Wedderspoon Organic, and plans to consolidate its brand portfolio into a new company, Florenz, with Mike Tod to take the helm as its CEO.

Florenz also owns New Zealand-based vitamins and supplements exporter Xtend-Life Group, ingredients manufacturer Dry Food New Zealand, and blackcurrant-based sports performance supplement exporter, 2Before Performance Nutrition. It also holds a cornerstone shareholding in the New Zealand herbal remedies company Harker Herbals Products.

“Through Florenz, we have started assembling and growing a complementary series of businesses,” said Tod.

“We believe in the ability of Kiwis to compete and win on the global stage and have installed an outstanding team at Florenz with deep global experience,” said Tod.

Established in 2006, Wedderspoon Organic is one of the largest distributors of New Zealand-sourced Manuka Honey products in North America. Its range includes honey lozenges, drops, apple cider vinegar, and throat sprays.

The move aims to expand the company’s presence in North America, leveraging Wedderspoon’s existing distribution network in over 23,000 retail stores, including major outlets such as Walmart, Costco, and Whole Foods.

“We are privileged to become the new custodians of the Wedderspoon brand and to support the growth of the New Zealand Manuka honey industry by building more global awareness of this incredible natural product,” concluded Tod.