Speaker Charlotte Connoly from Kings SeedsKings Seeds is a New Zealand-owned, family business. Charlotte, with her husband Rob and a young family of three boys, has recently taken it over. From a farming background in the Hakataramea Valley, Charlotte has over 20 years of experience in the seed industry and a desire to continue to build on the key vision set by the business over 40 years ago – making growing from seed accessible to everyone,
The heart of the business hasn’t changed since its inception by Ross King in 1978.
Ross had a lifelong love of herbs and began by selling herb plants from his Auckland backyard before quickly realising that there was demand for herb seed nationwide. The first seeds catalogue was produced in 1979 with 24 pages listing 240 varieties. In the early 1980’s a retail shop was started on Great North Road. They sold dried flowers, pot pourri, essential oils, gifts, books, seeds and plants together with a mail order operation.
By the early 1990’s a garden was added along with a café serving Devonshire teas whilst the reputation of Kings Seeds continued to grow.
Next owners Barbara and Gerard Martin bought the Kings Seeds mail order operation in 1999, relocated to Katikati and grew the business for over 20 years to offer some 1,000 varieties of flower, herb, vegetable, sprouting, microgreen, and lifestyle seed to home gardeners and commercial growers throughout New Zealand.
It became a household name throughout New Zealand and a key supporter of the local Katikati community. Seed packets are still all hand-packed and the focus is on outstanding customer service and gardening advice for our many customers.
Where possible the business works with other family-owned seed breeders and producers globally to retain a vast assortment of modern and heirloom varieties to satisfy every gardener and grower. New Zealand-sourced seed is preferred where it can be obtained with around 10% of the range coming from seed producers in New Zealand or produced in-house.
Kings Seeds is now the largest supplier of organically certified seed in New Zealand with over 100 varieties. A Seeds of Support program supports schools, early childhood centres, charities, and community gardens across New Zealand to provide opportunities for educating our communities in growing their food. The aspiration is to grow a food-resilient New Zealand