Orders soar for Banks Peninsula beef-box business

Tuesday, 9 June 2026

Life has changed for the Savage family after mum and dad Rachel and Kristen launched a direct-to-consumer beef business that has boomed since a TV appearance.

A family run Banks Peninsula farm’s direct-to-consumer beef business has recorded a “1000%” surge in sales, after a national TV appearance triggered a flood of orders.

Hickory Bay Farm owner Kristin Savage said demand for the farm’s beef boxes spiked immediately after the May 8 broadcast, with orders arriving within minutes of the story airing.

“It was pretty astounding really,” Savage said.

“As soon as the story finished, we were just getting people getting in touch and ordering straight away, and it just didn’t stop for quite some time.”

Savage said the response was unlike anything the family-run business had experienced since launching the beef box venture last November.

“We were just building up some organic growth and repeat customers. We knew that that was the best way to start because it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” he said.

“But then it jumped about 1000%. The sales graph wasn’t really a mountain shape — it was more like a very steep J-curve.”

People gather at the Hickory Bay Hoedown Summer this February, a summer celebration featuring live music, fire-cooked food, activities, and community festivities at Hickory Bay.

The sudden spike quickly overwhelmed operations, forcing him and his wife Rachel to focus entirely on fulfilling orders.

“It was a baptism of fire, but a really good problem to have. The customers have been really understanding and patient, and we’re really grateful for that.”

The business was launched last November after Savage became frustrated that high-quality New Zealand beef was often exported while local consumers were left unsure of their meat’s origin.

He said the idea took shape earlier last year, with the couple beginning research and setting up systems and partners from June.

“My main frustration was that we’ve got beef going offshore that ends up cheaper in a supermarket in London after travelling halfway around the world,” he said.

“Kiwis deserve export-quality beef too.”

The business was built on a simple idea: cutting out traditional supply chains and selling directly from farm to customer.

Kristen Savage's family run direct-to-consumer beef business, based in Banks Peninsula, has proved wildly popular with customers.

“You go to the supermarket and unless the farm’s written on the label, you’re guessing really.”

To meet rising demand, Savage is now looking at expanding the herd.

“Last year we were calving about 25. We might increase that to around 40 next year, but essentially it’s got to match the demand.”

Hickory Bay Farm now runs about 70 Speckle Park cattle on 1200-acres of coastal land on Banks Peninsula. The farm is certified organic, with cattle raised entirely on grass-fed pastures.

Hickory Bay Farm on Banks Peninsula, home to a direct-to-consumer beef business that has seen a sharp rise in orders in recent weeks.

Savage said the breed is known for its marbling and eating quality, while the direct-sales model allows customers to buy beef at prices comparable with supermarket products.

The cattle are processed in Ashburton before being cut and packed in Oxford, then delivered nationwide. Christchurch urban customers receive free delivery. The recent surge has expanded the business’s reach well beyond Canterbury.

“We’ve got customers as far north as Northland, up past Whangārei, as far south as Invercargill, across to the West Coast, and right through the central North Island to places like Tūrangi, and everywhere in between.”

Hickory Bay Farm now runs about 70 Speckle Park cattle on a 1200-acre coastal land on Banks Peninsula.

A former commerce teacher in Wellington and a keen surfer, Savage said his move into farming, and then direct-to-consumer sales, has been an exciting shift.

“For farmers, it’s one thing to ring up the stock agent and sell an animal to a ready market. It’s another thing to go straight into direct marketing and find customers and sell,” he said.

“It requires you to be a beginner again at a skill.”

Despite rapid growth, Savage said the focus remains on sustainable expansion. The business is investigating a Christchurch office and warehouse, with the possibility of a small retail space for local pick-ups.

“We want to grow at a sustainable pace,” he said. “There are a lot of decisions to make when things ramp up.”

He said seeing the full journey from paddock to plate has added new meaning to the work.

“You see the calves born, and then you see customers happy, giving feedback, sharing food with their families,” he said. “It’s fulfilling.”

And when it comes to cooking the perfect steak, Savage keeps it simple.

“On the farm, we cook it over a fire pit at the woolshed — just a bit of butter and salt,” he said. “Ask any chef, they’ll tell you the same thing.”