November 24, 2025 • 7 mins
Nick Mills is joined by Dane Ambler, executive director of Buy NZ Made to discuss the new finding from Xerox that if 10% of kiwi's spending was local - it would inject $11 billion into our economy.
They talk about the campaigning days of the organisation, the impact of buying local for kiwis, and the future of NZ businesses.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Executive director of Buying New Zealand MAT it is Dane
Ambler and he joins us. Now, Dane, how are you good?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Good to talk to you again. Why aren't we buying local? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I think it's probably a sign of the times. Things
are still incredibly tough for consumers out there, and when
push comes to shove, I think you know, the dollar
signs speak and people are saving their money right now.
So yeah, I think you know, we are heading into
the Black Friday spending period and you know, shopping local
(00:45):
really keeps our money, job skills and innovation here at
New Zealand, so really important that we do turn inward
going into that Christmas period during what is still a
really difficult time for retailers and manufacturers.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Explain the difference between Buy New Zealand by bye in
Z to a New Zealand shop selling stuff that have
imported to sell. Is there a difference?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Ah, Yes, there is a difference. So we have quite
a strong mandate that they have to manufacture products in
New Zealand, and we've got a very stringent eligibility criteria
and we turned down probably forty to fifty percent of
all the applications. So yeah, they are allowed to import components,
but the imported components have to undergo a significant manufacturing
(01:34):
process in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
So major clothing companies like that, you know, is that,
you know, that's really big at the moment.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Though, Unique Clothes yep, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
They they know, not Uniclothing, you know the clothing shop
outlet in an Auckland, it's massive, it's all over New Zealand.
I think it's called you know, they wouldn't wouldn't be
classified even though they're in New Zealand company, they wouldn't
be classified as buy a New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
That's correct. We're very focused on, you know, keeping skills
and the money in New Zealand. And yeah, quite often
when when items are imported, that money flies back overseas, of.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Course it does. So what happened to all the campaigning
that you guys used to do, is it now that
there's such a pew there's so few New Zealand products
that are exactly what you're saying, made in New Zealand,
manufactured in New Zealand that we don't have those big campaigns.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
That we used to have. Yeah, I think the economy
changed a lot, and buy New zeal Made did used
to get quite a bit of funding from government. What
I would say though, is that you know, we're at
our highest number of license holders ever, so we do
have one five hundred companies signed on to New Zealand Made.
I think the economy just looks very different to how
it looked, you know, twenty or thirty years ago when
(02:45):
we made all our white wearing even cars in New Zealand.
The economy is very service focused these days, so about
seventy percent of our GDP comes from servi space businesses.
So yeah, I think things look different. But we're still
thriving in some areas and most of our marketing has
moved from TV, which is very expensive, to social media.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Okay, so what are the sort of things. Give me
some examples of things that are New Zealand made that
we probably don't think of.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well, we can get New Zealand made clothing. On that topic,
you know, there's a number of clothing manufacturers across the country.
So Earth Sees Sky done in christ Church, Untouched World
done in christ Church examples of companies. But basically anything
you can imagine can be made in New Zealand apart
from you know, appliances and TVs and things like that.
(03:36):
We went just went down to Dunedin and visited a
company that makes a bench top coffee roaster and it
leads the world. It sales three hundred of these things
a month and they retail for over ten thousand dollars.
So Cafe Logic is na the name of that business.
There's a ton of furniture companies still around. Yeah, And
as I say, service businesses are the ones that are
(03:57):
rarely growing at the moment. So we're seeing a huge
number of service companies, probably half of all the applications
these days as service based businesses. I think you know
you're deliver easy and businesses like that.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So explain those businesses to our listeners.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Are the service based businesses? Yes, yeah, so we've we
recently launched the Service logo last year for New Zealand
service businesses, so they have to be ninety percent New
Zealand owned and they have to offer a service in
New Zealand where the New Zealand staff. So if you
think about you know, you've got Uber Eats and door Dash,
you've got a local option that is up against these
(04:35):
these foreign businesses. All of the money goes back into
the New Zealand economy. It goes into you know, wages, supplies, contractors,
local services, the drivers, and it's keeping you know, all
the innovation in New Zealand. So consumers always have a choice,
you know, we we you know, the price parody is
almost identical, and they can choose a New Zealand based business,
(04:56):
service business where they can.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So what would you say, and I know this is
not your department, but what would you say to someone
that says, well, I'd rather buy it at the warehouse
than came out because warehouse is owned in ze is
that's still a good thing to do.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I suppose it's better than some money you know, directly overseas,
but you know it's still important products. So we raally
urged topers, you know, especially going into the back Black
Friday training period to give local brands a chance. You know,
it's probably you know, dropping in the bucket for a big,
big retailer, whereas for a small New Zone business that
(05:33):
spending could make a massive difference going into Christmas.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
My concern is, how do we know that we're buying
that Kiwi brand if it's not I mean that black
triangle used to be on things so proud. How do
we know that we're buying Kiwi stuff?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yeah, it's still kicking around. So the logo is used
by as I said, one thousand, five hundred businesses and
you've got to keep an eye out for it. You know,
you if you go to the supermarket, as I say,
you've got the choice between you know, more often than
not Australian made and New Zealand made produce. And you know,
keep an eye out for the logo because it is,
it is still around and it is used quite widely,
(06:08):
and once you've seen it, it's quite hard to unsee it.
So keep an EyeT for that. Look out for you know,
Keywi companies telling their new zellem Maide story as well,
and how much your support means to them.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Can I just quickly because I've got to go, but
ask you what your thought was when you saw the
zero report that if one if we if we just
spent one dollar in every ten, we'd inject eleven billion
into the economy.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yeah. Well, but what we've been advocating for since the
beginning of buying New zeale made you know, as as
I say that that money really circulates in the local economy.
And yeah, as I said, drop in the bucket for
an overseas retailer, but you know, a massive boost for
a New Zealand business. So so consume wisely and shop
wisely going into Christmas and think about how you can
(06:50):
support a local business because they're so heavily reliant on
the Christmas trading period.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Dane, thank you very much for joining us. That's Dane
Ambler from Buy New Zealand and he's right. I mean,
this is a period of time that we can invest
back in New Zealand and we don't want you don't
expect anyone. No one should have to pay a hell
of a lot more. But if it's a couple of
bucks more, why wouldn't you buy New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news Talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Executive director of Buying New Zealand MAT it is Dane
Ambler and he joins us. Now, Dane, how are you good?
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Thank you, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Good to talk to you again. Why aren't we buying local? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I think it's probably a sign of the times. Things
are still incredibly tough for consumers out there, and when
push comes to shove, I think you know, the dollar
signs speak and people are saving their money right now.
So yeah, I think you know, we are heading into
the Black Friday spending period and you know, shopping local
(00:45):
really keeps our money, job skills and innovation here at
New Zealand, so really important that we do turn inward
going into that Christmas period during what is still a
really difficult time for retailers and manufacturers.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Explain the difference between Buy New Zealand by bye in
Z to a New Zealand shop selling stuff that have
imported to sell. Is there a difference?
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Ah, Yes, there is a difference. So we have quite
a strong mandate that they have to manufacture products in
New Zealand, and we've got a very stringent eligibility criteria
and we turned down probably forty to fifty percent of
all the applications. So yeah, they are allowed to import components,
but the imported components have to undergo a significant manufacturing
(01:34):
process in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
So major clothing companies like that, you know, is that,
you know, that's really big at the moment.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Though, Unique Clothes yep, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
They they know, not Uniclothing, you know the clothing shop
outlet in an Auckland, it's massive, it's all over New Zealand.
I think it's called you know, they wouldn't wouldn't be
classified even though they're in New Zealand company, they wouldn't
be classified as buy a New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
That's correct. We're very focused on, you know, keeping skills
and the money in New Zealand. And yeah, quite often
when when items are imported, that money flies back overseas, of.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Course it does. So what happened to all the campaigning
that you guys used to do, is it now that
there's such a pew there's so few New Zealand products
that are exactly what you're saying, made in New Zealand,
manufactured in New Zealand that we don't have those big campaigns.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
That we used to have. Yeah, I think the economy
changed a lot, and buy New zeal Made did used
to get quite a bit of funding from government. What
I would say though, is that you know, we're at
our highest number of license holders ever, so we do
have one five hundred companies signed on to New Zealand Made.
I think the economy just looks very different to how
it looked, you know, twenty or thirty years ago when
(02:45):
we made all our white wearing even cars in New Zealand.
The economy is very service focused these days, so about
seventy percent of our GDP comes from servi space businesses.
So yeah, I think things look different. But we're still
thriving in some areas and most of our marketing has
moved from TV, which is very expensive, to social media.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Okay, so what are the sort of things. Give me
some examples of things that are New Zealand made that
we probably don't think of.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well, we can get New Zealand made clothing. On that topic,
you know, there's a number of clothing manufacturers across the country.
So Earth Sees Sky done in christ Church, Untouched World
done in christ Church examples of companies. But basically anything
you can imagine can be made in New Zealand apart
from you know, appliances and TVs and things like that.
(03:36):
We went just went down to Dunedin and visited a
company that makes a bench top coffee roaster and it
leads the world. It sales three hundred of these things
a month and they retail for over ten thousand dollars.
So Cafe Logic is na the name of that business.
There's a ton of furniture companies still around. Yeah, And
as I say, service businesses are the ones that are
(03:57):
rarely growing at the moment. So we're seeing a huge
number of service companies, probably half of all the applications
these days as service based businesses. I think you know
you're deliver easy and businesses like that.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
So explain those businesses to our listeners.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Are the service based businesses? Yes, yeah, so we've we
recently launched the Service logo last year for New Zealand
service businesses, so they have to be ninety percent New
Zealand owned and they have to offer a service in
New Zealand where the New Zealand staff. So if you
think about you know, you've got Uber Eats and door Dash,
you've got a local option that is up against these
(04:35):
these foreign businesses. All of the money goes back into
the New Zealand economy. It goes into you know, wages, supplies, contractors,
local services, the drivers, and it's keeping you know, all
the innovation in New Zealand. So consumers always have a choice,
you know, we we you know, the price parody is
almost identical, and they can choose a New Zealand based business,
(04:56):
service business where they can.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So what would you say, and I know this is
not your department, but what would you say to someone
that says, well, I'd rather buy it at the warehouse
than came out because warehouse is owned in ze is
that's still a good thing to do.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
I suppose it's better than some money you know, directly overseas,
but you know it's still important products. So we raally
urged topers, you know, especially going into the back Black
Friday training period to give local brands a chance. You know,
it's probably you know, dropping in the bucket for a big,
big retailer, whereas for a small New Zone business that
(05:33):
spending could make a massive difference going into Christmas.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
My concern is, how do we know that we're buying
that Kiwi brand if it's not I mean that black
triangle used to be on things so proud. How do
we know that we're buying Kiwi stuff?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yeah, it's still kicking around. So the logo is used
by as I said, one thousand, five hundred businesses and
you've got to keep an eye out for it. You know,
you if you go to the supermarket, as I say,
you've got the choice between you know, more often than
not Australian made and New Zealand made produce. And you know,
keep an eye out for the logo because it is,
it is still around and it is used quite widely,
(06:08):
and once you've seen it, it's quite hard to unsee it.
So keep an EyeT for that. Look out for you know,
Keywi companies telling their new zellem Maide story as well,
and how much your support means to them.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Can I just quickly because I've got to go, but
ask you what your thought was when you saw the
zero report that if one if we if we just
spent one dollar in every ten, we'd inject eleven billion
into the economy.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yeah. Well, but what we've been advocating for since the
beginning of buying New zeale made you know, as as
I say that that money really circulates in the local economy.
And yeah, as I said, drop in the bucket for
an overseas retailer, but you know, a massive boost for
a New Zealand business. So so consume wisely and shop
wisely going into Christmas and think about how you can
(06:50):
support a local business because they're so heavily reliant on
the Christmas trading period.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Dane, thank you very much for joining us. That's Dane
Ambler from Buy New Zealand and he's right. I mean,
this is a period of time that we can invest
back in New Zealand and we don't want you don't
expect anyone. No one should have to pay a hell
of a lot more. But if it's a couple of
bucks more, why wouldn't you buy New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news Talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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