KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's fastest-growing companies braved export headwinds, doubling the value of export sales recorded by last year's growth companies, says the latest Deloitte Fast 50 survey.
Deloitte's ranking of high-growth companies shows exporters made up more than half of this year's top 50, between them increasing export sales by 318 per cent over the three years surveyed.
Deloitte partner Matt McKendry said there was a greater propensity for this year's companies to have entered into partnerships to break into overseas markets.
"I see that becoming more of a model for the future, that partnering is a way you need to manage your growth and certainly it's a way of doing it without requiring as much capital as if you were doing it yourself," said McKendry.
According to the survey, the average Fast 50 company is six years old, has 48 staff, annual sales of just over $20 million and recorded revenue growth of 504 per cent since 2005.
The list includes Trade Me, Kiwibank and the makers of Aunt Betty's puddings, Old Fashioned Foods.
Topping the table was Christchurch Ecobulb manufacturer Energy Mad with close to 3000 per cent revenue growth in the past three years.
Energy Mad managing director Chris Mardon said the drive to turn energy efficiency into a long-term business allowed the company to overcome having no lightbulb to sell and convincing utilities and supermarkets to sign up to a project which risked them losing revenue. The company has now sold 3.5 million Ecobulbs, reaching its goal of five energy-efficient lightbulbs in half of New Zealand's homes.
"The utilities realise that our focus is on energy efficiency," said Mardon. "We don't have any mixed incentives."
