Farmers Trading Company

Farmers Trading Company Ltd (branded as Farmers) is a New Zealand mid-market department store chain. Headquartered in Flat Bush, Auckland,^[1] Farmers operates 59 stores across New Zealand,^[2] specialising in family fashion, beauty, homewares, furniture, large appliances and whiteware.

Trade name

Farmers

Private

1909 (1909)

Anne Norman and Family

James Pascoe Group

farmers.co.nz

Departments[edit]

Farmers departments include womenswear, beauty, including serviced cosmetics, fine fragrance, health & beauty and sunglasses; lingerie, including sleepwear; menswear including mercery; accessories, footwear, and luggage; home, including kitchenware, tableware, giftware and laundry; manchester including bathroomware; small appliances; children's including childrenswear, nursery, and toys; furniture; with electronics and large appliances/whiteware in selected stores. Christmas Shop and confectionery appear October–December. Fellow James Pascoe Group companies Goldmark and Stevens also have store-within-a-store outlets within selected Farmers stores.

Since the 2003 purchase by the James Pascoe Group, the chain has focussed on the lucrative fashion apparel and beauty categories. Unprofitable and loss-making departments such as hardware and computers were discontinued.

Ownership[edit]

Farmers is privately owned by the James Pascoe Group, in turn owned by Anne Norman and family. James Pascoe Ltd and Fisher & Paykel Finance bought Farmers on 6 November 2003 from Foodlands Associates for NZ$311 million.^[23] The business was split into the retail and finance arms with James Pascoe holding the retail arm and Fisher & Paykel Finance the finance arm which includes the Farmers Finance Card.