Pest control company Goodnature has promoted two staff as new co-chief executives, following Dave Shoemack’s return to Amsterdam.
Chief operating officer Hannah Vaatstra and chief commercial officer Adam Cording now head the Wellington firm, which was founded in 2005. Since then, its products had eliminated more than 25 million pests in over 60 countries.
Goodnature was founded by Craig Bond, Robbie van Dam, and Stu Barr as a conservation-led organisation, before shifting to consumer sales about a decade ago.
The founders are actively involved in the business, while Gallagher Group is the biggest shareholder, with a 24% stake. Craig and Mary Bond have a 23% stake, van Dam holds 21% jointly with Sam Kebbell, and Stu and Rachel Barr have just under 8%.
A decade ago, New Zealand was its biggest market, but about 85% of its products are now exported. The United States dominates sales, along with the UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, as well as Australia. Customers range from homeowners to farmers, as well as companies looking for better and smarter ways of controlling pests.
Vaatstra said the company had entered a crucial period, particularly as global scrutiny of toxin-based pest control intensified. “The growing pushback on toxins shows we’re bringing innovation into a tired industry at exactly the right time.”
Cording joined Goodnature seven years ago and said while evolution was key, the company’s original mission remained on point.
“We’ve come a long way as a business, but the mentality of our founders – less pests, more nature – still exists in our DNA,” he said.
“We’ve achieved a huge amount in a relatively short period of time, but we’re still only at the beginning of our mission to disrupt the pest control industry. Later this year, we’ll launch a brand-new product that will expand our reach and impact even further.”
In 2024, the business moved into its purpose-built factory in Newtown, Wellington. Vaatstra said Goodnature was focused on balancing commercial growth with its long-term goals.
“We want Goodnature to become a genuine New Zealand success story, not just a growth opportunity. Commercial success gives us the ability to scale our impact globally.”
Vaatstra and Cording officially took on the co-CEO roles at the start of this month.
