Supporting Safe Food Handling for More Than 20 Years — and Planning Ahead for What’s Next
For over two decades, Unipak™ has helped New Zealand businesses maintain safe food handling standards through reliable personal protection and packaging solutions.
From hospitality kitchens and food manufacturers to healthcare and agriculture, thousands of organisations rely on Unipak products — particularly disposable gloves — to protect their staff, customers, and products every day.
As food safety remains a top priority across the industry, we recently sat down with founder Julian Anderson and General Manager Hank Anderson to reflect on how Unipak has grown over the past 20 years, and how the company is preparing to support customers through the challenges ahead.
From humble beginnings to nationwide supply
Julian smiles when he recalls the early days.
“I started Unipak in 2004 as a small wholesaler focused mainly on supplying quality disposable gloves,” he says. “The goal was simple — provide reliable products and build trust with customers. I never imagined we’d grow into what we are today.”
Demand grew quickly. By 2005, Unipak had developed a nationwide reseller network supplying businesses from Cape Reinga to Bluff, while also beginning to import food packaging products for customers looking for a reliable supply partner.
A key moment came soon after.
“In 2006 we onboarded a major New Zealand agriculture company, and demand for disposable gloves doubled almost overnight,” Julian says. “That really cemented our place in the industry.”
Expanding protection and food service solutions
As customer needs evolved, Unipak expanded its product range to support businesses across multiple industries.
In 2012, the company partnered with Bastion Australia to establish Bastion New Zealand, strengthening its offering of specialised personal protection equipment.
Food packaging solutions also continued to grow.
“In 2015 we introduced compostable packaging options to support customers looking for more sustainable takeaway solutions,” Hank explains. “Then in 2016 we launched our Emperor™ and Green Choice™ ranges, which helped build a stronger presence in the food service market.”
Today Unipak supports businesses across food service, hospitality, food production, healthcare, agriculture, and industrial sectors, helping them maintain safe handling practices every day.
Supporting communities when it matters most
Giving back has always been part of Unipak’s culture.
Over the years the company has supported organisations including Starship Hospital, Whanganui Hospice, SPCA, and the NZ Food Network, alongside global humanitarian initiatives supported through the Global Funding Team.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Unipak played a critical role supporting New Zealand’s healthcare sector.
“We supplied more than 246 million protective gloves and garments to frontline medical staff,” Hank recalls. “It was a challenging time globally, but we knew how important reliable supply was for the people protecting our communities.”
Investing in growth and resilience
Hank stepped into the General Manager role in 2020, just before the pandemic.
“It was definitely a challenging time to step into leadership,” he says. “But our team stayed focused on supporting customers and strengthening our supply network.”
Since then, Unipak has continued to invest heavily in product development, manufacturing partnerships across Southeast Asia, and supply chain resilience.
In 2021 the company launched an industrial safety glove range, further expanding its protection offering.
In 2024 the business refreshed its identity, with Unipak™ stepping forward as the unified master brand across its product ranges, reflecting the scale of the company’s growth.
Late in 2025, Unipak also moved into a purpose-built national office and distribution centre in Whanganui, significantly expanding warehousing capacity and improving national delivery efficiency.
Planning ahead in a changing global environment
Reliable supply is critical for businesses that depend on food-safe packaging and protective products.
As part of its commitment to transparency, Unipak continues to monitor global factors beginning to place pressure on supply chains and input costs.
Ongoing geopolitical developments, including conflict in the Middle East, are contributing to volatility in crude oil prices, freight costs, and international logistics. At the same time, currency movements are influencing the cost of globally traded raw materials.
Some of these pressures are beginning to flow through global supply networks, with manufacturing partners experiencing rising input costs.
At Unipak, these dynamics are actively managed. The team continues to review inventory levels and work closely with supplier and freight partners to minimise disruption and reduce potential cost impacts wherever possible.
“Our priority is making sure customers can continue operating with confidence,” Hank explains. “We’re planning ahead so we can respond early and maintain the reliability our customers expect.”
With expanded warehousing, strong manufacturing partnerships, and long-standing industry relationships, Unipak is well positioned to maintain consistent supply and support customers through changing global conditions.
A trusted partner for Kiwi businesses
Today Unipak supports more than 1,500 direct customers, along with many more through its nationwide reseller network.
While the business has grown significantly over the past two decades, its focus remains the same: delivering reliable products, supporting safe food handling, and building long-term partnerships with New Zealand businesses.
As the industry continues to evolve, Unipak remains committed to helping customers maintain safe, efficient operations — today and into the future.