New ownership at Gilmours Hawke's Bay

Introducing Ollie Newton, new Owner Operator for Gilmours Hawke's Bay

My journey with Gilmours started three years ago, where I transitioned from my corporate career into a Commercial Manager role at Gilmours Wellington. Under the guidance of Matt Humphrey (Owner Operator, Gilmours Wellington), I was given the opportunity to learn the entire business, from operations through to commercial outcomes and strategy.

From the moment I joined Gilmours Wellington, I treated it as the start of my ownership journey and actively involved myself across every part of the business. I helped lead the warehouse management system implementation project, which forced me to learn the operations of the business inside-out. I’ve always aspired to own a business where I have autonomy to control my own destiny, build, develop and lead a high-performing team, and support a community. The strength and support of the Foodstuffs Co-op, is what drew me to Gilmours rather than a standalone business.

In January 2025, I was lucky enough to be hired into the General Manager role at Gilmours Hawke's Bay, and with Pete Blackwell living in Matakana, I had full operational control of running the business. Over that time, we have seen Gilmours Hawke's Bay open a Cash 'n Carry store and further establish its foothold in the Hawke's Bay market.

My wife, Maddy, and I have always been passionate about food and the hospitality industry and are frequent visitors to foodservice hotspots wherever we may be. We're looking forward to immersing ourselves in the Hawke's Bay foodservice scene and exploring the many fantastic venues the region has to offer.

Tell us a little bit about where you are from
I was born, raised and educated in Dunedin. I graduated from Otago University with degrees in Accounting and Law, later completing my Chartered Accountancy qualification and getting admitted to the Barr. Before joining Gilmours, I spent 10 years in corporate roles, predominantly focused on advising multi-national companies.

During this time, I played nine seasons of professional cricket for the Wellington Firebirds. I retired from cricket in 2024 to pursue my goal of becoming a Gilmours Owner Operator. Professional sport taught me what real passion and fulfilment feels like, and joining Gilmours gave me that same energy. The fast pace, the operations, the customer focus, and most importantly the people are what excite me most about this industry. 

What do you want to achieve for yourself and for Gilmours Hawke's Bay?
With a permanent base back in the Hawke's Bay, and a newly opened Cash 'n Carry store, I want to build on the success of the Gilmours brand and service offering and establish ourselves as the most trusted foodservice partner in the Hawke's Bay.

We have more exciting plans and developments in the future and continue to evolve our offering to ensure our customers are receiving great value and a high-quality service. We are a proudly NZ-owned and operated business and believe in investing in our team, business, customers and community.

Personally, I am committed to providing the best service we can to our valued customers, and as a result you will find me in-store most days working alongside our awesome team to deliver on this promise. We love to hear from our customers - if you have any feedback on your experience with us, please let us know.