Yates History

Yates was founded by Arthur Yates, a 4th-generation son from a family of seed merchants in Macclesfield, not far from Manchester. The damp, smoky Cheshire climate didn’t agree with Arthur’s asthma, so in 1879 he set off to New Zealand, in search of clearer skies and new horizons. 

Arthur started work as a shepherd in Otago, but his energetic side-hustle (harvesting and selling grass seed) rapidly took over as his main income. Arthur moved to Auckland in 1883, opening as a seed merchant in a modest shop near the bustling port. That seed business quickly grew into one of the most-recognised names in New Zealand gardening.

By 1893, Arthur had launched his seed packet range for home gardeners. He prided himself on the quality of his seeds, so ‘Yates Reliable Seeds’ became the company’s elegantly scripted logo. As time passed, Yates became more and more an integral part of the garden, selling a range of products that included fertilisers, sprays, pots, potting mixes and tools, alongside the seeds.

Arthur quickly saw the need for a publication that answered gardeners’ questions about how to adapt traditional gardening techniques to the climate in a new country. In 1895 he wrote the first edition of the Yates Garden Guide, an iconic gardening book that's still published 130 years later!

In 1886 Arthur visited Sydney and saw a great opportunity to expand his seed business. The following year he left his younger brother, Ernest, to manage in New Zealand and opened a branch in Sussex Street, Sydney. In Ernest’s talented hands, the NZ business went from strength to strength. In 1906 the brothers came to an amicable agreement to separate the two flourishing companies and run them independently either side of the Tasman.

Ernest’s son Norman took over in 1949; the gorgeous Yates catalogues and seed packets from this period are such an iconic part of NZ history, many of them are in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Norman went on to list Yates on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 1969.

The Yates growth trajectory continued until the turbulent late ‘80s, when the finance company Equiticorp gained control of the business in a hostile takeover. Equiticorp collapsed soon after, with Yates among nearly 100 companies placed into Receivership. When the dust settled, the Yates business in Australia came to the rescue; the two companies were rejoined after 83 years of separation.

Moving forward to today, Yates is proud to be part of DuluxGroup, alongside household name brands such as Dulux, Selleys, Cabot’s and British Paints.

Yates Milestones

1879       Arthur Yates travels to New Zealand

1883       Founded the company in New Zealand 

1887       Branch opened in Australia

1895       Arthur Yates writes the first Yates Garden Guide

1906       New Zealand and Australian companies separated

1906       Yates NZ moved to larger premises in Queen Street, Auckland

1911       Moved again, to a larger shop and warehouse in Albert Street, Auckland

1921       First branch opened at Whangarei

1926       Arthur Yates passes away. His son Harold becomes Managing Director in Australia

1945       Christchurch branch established

1958       Palmerston North branch established

1960       Wellington branch established

1964       Hamilton branch established

1985       Equiticorp New Zealand acquires control of Yates New Zealand

1987       Yates New Zealand acquired by Yates Australia following collapse of Equiticorp

1989       Moved to Henderson Place, Onehunga

1993       Yates floated on the Australian Stock Exchange

1995       Centenary Edition of the Yates NZ Garden Guide

1996       Sale of Samuel Yates Ltd (UK) to Sakata Seed Europe

1998       Sale of 'Billy Peach' pet care business

1998       Acquisition of Watkins New Zealand Ltd

2001       Scheme of Arrangement with Norgard Clohessy Equity Ltd.

2002       Moved to a purpose-built site in Neilson Street, Onehunga

2004       Yates Australia & New Zealand purchased by Orica Australia Pty Ltd

2008       Yates celebrates its 125^th birthday in New Zealand

2010       Orica demerges their Consumer Product Division to create DuluxGroup

2012       Yates celebrates its 125^th birthday in Australia

2014       Yates celebrates Thrive’s 50^th Birthday

2018       OCP joins the Yates family

2019       DuluxGroup purchased by Nippon Paint Holdings Co. Ltd.

2023       Seasol joins the Yates family

2024       Yates NZ Wins 'Most Trusted Brand' in Garden Care at Readers Digest Awards, for the 11^th consecutive year