Client Spotlight – Goodnature Ltd
As a business, we are privileged to work with a range of successful manufacturers.
This week, we sat down with Goodnature’s CEO, Hannah Smith, to share their growth story.
Can you tell us about your business and what inspired you to start it?
Goodnature has been shaking up the pest control industry since 2005 with smart, toxin-free, and A-class humane traps. It all started when Wellingtonians Craig Bond and Robbie Van Dam took on the challenge of designing a self-resetting trap to eradicate stoats on remote New Zealand islands. Nearly 20 years later, we’re rewilding the world with the safest, smartest, multi-kill pest traps—trusted by conservation groups like Predator Free 2050, The Nature Conservancy, and the UN.
What began as a mission to protect New Zealand’s fragile ecosystems has grown into a global success, with more than 80% of our production exported. Our traps are now widely used not just in conservation, but across home consumers, agriculture, and professional pest control industries—delivering smarter, safer, and more effective solutions worldwide.
Describe how your product is unique compared to others in the market?
Our traps eliminate the need for toxins, are certified humane, and reset automatically. The flagship A24 Trap uses CO₂-powered pneumatics and a patented lure that lasts for months. Offering constant protection with minimal upkeep. Our Bluetooth-enabled Smart Traps send notifications via the Goodnature App, ensuring customers only engage when needed while helping us connect the dots on global pest patterns—gathering insights that shape smarter pest control and drive conservation impact worldwide.
We’re not just selling traps—we’re making predator control smarter and more sustainable.
How do you find searching for talent to match the businesses innovation?
Wellington is a hub for design and innovation, and we’ve hired some brilliant young graduates over the years. But being based in the inner city means our production assembly team is often fresh to manufacturing, coming from a wide variety of industries and experiences.
This has shaped how we approach recruitment—we focus on hiring for attitude and adaptability, then seek out expertise to upskill our people. We also maintain close ties with like-minded businesses, creating a strong local network for knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
Partnerships with recruitment agencies that have expertise have supported us to bring in specialist expertise to level up our organisational skillset.
What recent technology capabilities have been added to help the business?
We’re exploring machine vision cameras to enhance quality control and have undergone significant organisational upskilling in mechatronics development and assembly following the launch of our first electronically powered trap, the Goodnature Mouse Trap.
How do you maintain a strong company culture and keeping staff engaged?
We try get out into nature together, celebrate wins (and birthdays) properly, and keep everyone connected to the product. Whether that’s helping with field trials at Titahi Bay or rafting into River Valley Lodge to service A24s protecting Whio populations.
We also invest in looking after our people. Every team member gets two Rewilding Days per year—paid time to get out in nature and support an environmental cause they’re passionate about. On top of that, we’ve introduced Wellbeing Days, recognising that supporting mental health is just as important as professional development.
We all spend a lot of time at work and for me, having real connections with the people I work alongside is key to getting through the ups and downs.
How has your industry evolved in recent years, and how have you adapted?
The demand for non-toxic, sustainable pest control is surging, and the industry is finally catching up. More awareness of rodent impact, regulatory changes making toxins less accessible (especially in the EU), and a shift toward smart, connected solutions mean we’re well positioned in the industry.
How are global political changes impacting your business and distribution?
Like many exporters to the US, we’re keeping an eye on potential tariff changes. But demand for our products keeps growing—pest populations are booming with global warming, and more countries are cracking down on toxins. In 2024 alone, we saw a 200% increase in Goodnature kills worldwide.
What role does innovation or technology play in your business?
Innovation is at the core of everything we do. First and foremost, we are a product design company, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in pest control. From a trap that sets up in seconds to a lure that lasts for months and smells like a PB&J. Every detail is engineered to make trapping smarter, more effective, and effortless for users.
Click here to see some other innovative business we work with.