# NZ Prospect Sheet Research Guide
**Research Prompts for Each Column**

---

## Overview

This guide provides standardized research prompts for enriching the NZ Top 100 prospect database. Each column has a specific search strategy designed for speed and accuracy.

**Target Sheet:** https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13qrJ23UENZ5DlO6uAnVBC3dg5_9SirQRE8xHndrxLQQ/edit?gid=0#gid=0

**Time per company:** 3-5 minutes (efficient workflow)

---

## Column B: Domain (Website)

### Objective
Find the official company website.

### Prompt
```
Find the company website for [COMPANY NAME].

Search: "[Company Name]" [City] New Zealand website

Look for:
- Official company domain (e.g., companyname.co.nz or .com)
- Verify it's the correct company (check location/industry)
- Prioritize .co.nz domains for NZ companies

Output: Just the domain (e.g., "goldenbayfruit.com")
If no website found: Leave blank
```

### Quick Tips
- Check Google Maps business listing (often has website link)
- Some companies use parent company domains
- Brands (like Luv'ya) may have marketing sites but no operational presence

---

## Column C: Phone

### Objective
Find the main business phone number.

### Prompt
```
Find the main business phone number for [COMPANY NAME] in [CITY], New Zealand.

Search:
1. Company website contact page
2. "[Company Name]" [City] phone number
3. Google Maps business listing

Output format: NZ format with area code (e.g., "06 878 8008" or "+64 6 878 8008")
If no phone found: Leave blank
```

### Quick Tips
- Check website footer, contact page, and about page
- Mobile numbers (027, 021) are acceptable if no landline found
- Toll-free (0800) numbers are good for larger companies

---

## Column D: Address

### Objective
Find the street address (not city/region - those are already populated).

### Prompt
```
Find the street address for [COMPANY NAME] in [CITY], New Zealand.

Search:
1. Company website (Contact/About page)
2. "[Company Name]" [City] address
3. Google Maps

Output: Street number + street name only
Examples:
- "61 Lyndhurst Drive"
- "548 St Georges Road, Akina"
- "2 Station Road, Whakatu"

Do NOT include city/region (already in columns E-F)
If no address found: Leave blank
```

### Quick Tips
- Some companies have multiple sites - use headquarters or main packhouse
- Industrial estates often share addresses (note building/unit if available)
- Rural addresses may be less precise ("off State Highway 2")

---

## Column F: Area Code

### Objective
Determine the NZ phone area code based on location.

### Prompt
```
Determine the NZ phone area code for [CITY/REGION].

NZ Area Codes:
- 09 = Auckland, Northland
- 07 = Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua
- 06 = Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, Taranaki, Manawatu, Whanganui
- 03 = South Island (Canterbury, Otago, Nelson/Tasman, West Coast, Southland, Marlborough)
- 04 = Wellington, Wairarapa

Output: Just the 2-digit code (e.g., "06")
```

### Regional Mapping
| City/Region | Area Code |
|-------------|-----------|
| Auckland | 09 |
| Hastings, Napier (Hawke's Bay) | 06 |
| Gisborne | 06 |
| Tauranga, Te Puke (Bay of Plenty) | 07 |
| Nelson, Motueka (Nelson/Tasman) | 03 |
| Christchurch (Canterbury) | 03 |
| Wellington | 04 |

---

## Column G: Fruit Type

### Objective
Confirm which target fruits the company works with: **apple, pear, banana, or citrus**.

### Prompt
```
Confirm which fruits [COMPANY NAME] works with: apple, pear, banana, or citrus.

Search:
1. "[Company Name]" products OR fruit OR crops
2. Company website (Products/About/Operations page)
3. "[Company Name]" apple OR pear OR banana OR citrus

Output format:
- Single fruit: "Apple" or "Pear" or "Banana" or "Citrus"
- Multiple: "Apple/Pear" or "Apple/Citrus" or "Citrus/Banana" etc.
- If they handle diverse produce but include our targets: "Mixed"

ONLY list apple, pear, banana, or citrus.
Ignore: kiwifruit, avocados, vegetables, berries, stonefruit (unless also handling target fruits)
```

### Examples
- Mr Apple → "Apple/Pear"
- Darling Group (Citrus) → "Citrus"
- T&G Global → "Mixed" (handles apples, bananas, kiwis, etc.)
- Poulter Group → "Banana"

### Quick Tips
- Check "Products" or "What We Grow" sections
- Export companies often list varieties (Jazz, Envy = apples)
- Banana companies: look for "ripening" services
- Citrus companies: often in Gisborne region

---

## Column H: CA Storage

### Objective
Confirm whether the company has **controlled atmosphere (CA)** storage or general **cold room storage**.

### Prompt
```
Confirm whether [COMPANY NAME] has controlled atmosphere (CA) or cold room storage.

Search:
1. "[Company Name]" "controlled atmosphere" OR "CA storage" OR "CA room"
2. "[Company Name]" coolstore OR "cold storage" OR "cool store"
3. "[Company Name]" post-harvest OR packhouse facility

Output: 
- "Yes" if they have CA storage or coolstore/cold storage
- "No" if they don't (growers only, use third-party facilities)
- Leave blank if uncertain

What counts as "Yes":
✅ Controlled atmosphere rooms (CA)
✅ Coolstore / cold storage facilities
✅ Post-harvest facilities (implies storage)
✅ Packhouse with coolstore
✅ Commercial coolstorage operators

What counts as "No":
❌ Growers with no mention of storage
❌ Marketing/export companies that lease storage
❌ Brands/cooperatives using shared facilities (unless explicitly own)
```

### Quick Tips
- Apple/pear companies almost always have CA storage
- Banana importers have ripening rooms (count as "Yes")
- Citrus growers may have basic cold storage (not CA) - still "Yes"
- Check for terms: "packhouse and coolstore," "post-harvest facility," "on-site storage"

---

## Column I: CA Rooms (Cool Room Count)

### Objective
Estimate the number of individual cool rooms / CA rooms the company operates.

### Prompt (FAST Version - 3-5 minutes per company)

```
Estimate the number of cool rooms / CA rooms for [COMPANY NAME].

STEP 1: PRE-CHECK (30 seconds)
- Is this a brand (e.g., Luv'ya) or actual operator? → Brands = estimate low
- Has it been acquired? Search: "[Company] acquired OR sold"
- Part of larger group? → May share facilities

STEP 2: HIGH-YIELD SEARCHES (run 3-4 only)
1. "[Company]" coolstore sqm OR "square metres" OR investment
2. "[Company]" site:apolloprojects.co.nz OR site:mclbuild.co.nz OR site:britkin.co.nz
3. "[Company]" expansion OR "new coolstore" OR "million" investment
4. "[Company]" site:fruitnet.com OR site:ruraldelivery.net.nz
5. "[Company]" bins capacity OR pallets OR tonnes storage
6. Company website → Facilities/Operations page

STEP 3: ESTIMATE (if no exact data found)

Use company scale:
- Small grower (<50ha): 2-6 rooms → use 4
- Medium grower (50-200ha): 6-12 rooms → use 9
- Large grower (200+ha): 12-20 rooms → use 16
- Major exporter/packer: 15-30 rooms → use 23
- Wholesaler/distributor: 8-15 rooms → use 12
- Banana importer (medium): 10-20 rooms → use 15
- Banana importer (large): 20-40 rooms → use 30

Use building size (if sqm found):
- 1,000-3,000 sqm = 2-4 rooms → use 3
- 3,000-7,000 sqm = 4-8 rooms → use 6
- 7,000-13,000 sqm = 8-16 rooms → use 12
- 13,000+ sqm = 12-20 rooms → use 16

Multiple facilities? Add them up:
- If "5 sites" mentioned → multiply single-site estimate × 5

Output: Single number (midpoint of range)
Example: If range is 10-16 rooms → enter "13"
```

### Best Search Sources (in priority order)
1. **Construction company project pages** (Apollo Projects, MCL, Britkin) → often list sqm + room counts
2. **Real estate listings** (coolstore sales/leases) → detailed facility specs
3. **News articles** (expansions, new builds) → investment size + capacity
4. **Industry publications** (Fruitnet, Rural Delivery) → case studies
5. **Company website** (Facilities/About page) → sometimes lists room counts
6. **LinkedIn job postings** ("Coolstore Manager - 12 CA rooms") → rare but useful

### Examples from Research

| Company | Data Found | Estimate | Logic |
|---------|------------|----------|-------|
| Golden Bay Fruit | 20,000m² facility, 8 coolstore buildings | **13** | 8 buildings ÷ ~10-16 rooms = 13 midpoint |
| Mr Apple | 5 facilities, 7,000m² + 8,600m² confirmed | **28** | Multiple sites, large scale |
| Sunfruit | 13,000m² dedicated facility | **14** | Large building = 10-18 range = 14 midpoint |
| Kono Horticulture | 209ha, leases coolstore | **6** | Medium orchards, leased = lower |
| Freshco Ltd | Multi-location exporter, limited data | **9** | Mid-size exporter default |

### Quick Tips
- **Bigger ≠ always more rooms** (one giant CA room can be 2,000+ sqm)
- **Multiple sites** often means 15-30 total rooms
- **Banana ripening rooms** are smaller (50-100 sqm each) → more rooms per sqm
- **Leased facilities** → conservative estimate (company may only lease 4-6 rooms)
- **Brands/cooperatives** → use low end of range
- **When in doubt**: Use company hectares (column for reference)

---

## Research Workflow (Optimal Order)

For maximum efficiency, research columns in this order:

### **Phase 1: Website Research (2 min)**
1. ✅ **Domain (B)** → Find website first
2. ✅ **Fruit Type (G)** → Check products page
3. ✅ **Phone (C)** → Contact page
4. ✅ **Address (D)** → Contact page
5. ✅ **Area Code (F)** → Based on city/region (instant)

### **Phase 2: Deep Research (2-3 min)**
6. ✅ **CA Storage (H)** → Search for "CA" or "coolstore"
7. ✅ **CA Rooms (I)** → Fast estimate (3-4 searches max)

**Total time:** 4-5 minutes per company

---

## Quick Reference: NZ Fruit Industry Terms

### Storage Types
- **CA room** = Controlled Atmosphere (low O₂, high CO₂ for apples/pears)
- **Coolstore / Cool store / Cold store** = Generic refrigerated storage
- **Ripening room** = For bananas, avocados (ethylene added)
- **Packhouse** = Where fruit is sorted/packed (usually has attached coolstore)

### Capacity Measures
- **Bins** = Standard NZ apple container (~400kg apples per bin)
- **Pallets** = General produce (1 pallet ≈ 500-1,000kg)
- **Tonnes** = Total weight capacity
- **Sqm** = Building floor area (square metres)

### Common Facility Sizes
- Small orchard packhouse: 1,000-3,000 sqm
- Medium export operation: 5,000-10,000 sqm
- Large integrated facility: 12,000-20,000 sqm
- Banana ripening center: 2,000-5,000 sqm

---

## Troubleshooting

### "No website found"
→ Search company on Google Maps, Yellow Pages NZ, Companies Office NZ  
→ Check if acquired by larger company (use parent company website)  
→ Leave blank if genuinely no web presence

### "Can't determine fruit type"
→ Check location (Gisborne = citrus, Hawke's Bay = apples, Auckland = bananas/imports)  
→ Search "[Company] NZAPI" (NZ Apple and Pear Industry member directory)  
→ Default to "Mixed" if handles multiple produce types

### "Can't confirm CA storage"
→ If they're a grower/packer/exporter with 50+ hectares → assume "Yes"  
→ If they're just a brand/marketing company → "No"  
→ Banana companies: ripening = "Yes"

### "Can't find room count"
→ Use hectares from "Scale" or "Hectares" columns  
→ Default to company type average (see table above)  
→ When truly uncertain: use 8-10 rooms (safe middle estimate)

---

## Tools & Resources

### Search Engines
- Google (primary)
- Google Maps (addresses, phone numbers)

### Key NZ Websites
- **Companies Office NZ:** companiesoffice.govt.nz (company info)
- **Yellow Pages NZ:** yellow.co.nz (business directories)
- **White Pages NZ:** whitepages.co.nz (phone numbers)

### Industry Sources
- **Fruitnet:** fruitnet.com (global fruit news)
- **Rural Delivery:** ruraldelivery.net.nz (NZ horticulture news)
- **Fresh Plaza:** freshplaza.com (produce industry)
- **HortNZ:** hortnz.co.nz (NZ horticulture association)

### Construction/Engineering (for coolstore data)
- **Apollo Projects:** apolloprojects.co.nz
- **MCL Construction:** mclbuild.co.nz
- **Britkin:** britkin.co.nz (refrigeration)
- **Sharp Consulting:** sharpconsulting.co.nz (engineering)

---

## Advanced Tips

### For Faster Research
1. **Batch by region** → Research all Hawke's Bay companies together (same area code, similar facilities)
2. **Use browser tabs** → Open company website + Google search + Google Maps simultaneously
3. **Template searches** → Copy/paste search strings, just swap company name
4. **LinkedIn intelligence** → Search "Coolstore Manager [Company]" for job postings with facility details

### For Better Accuracy
1. **Cross-reference sources** → Verify phone/address matches across website + Google Maps
2. **Check acquisition history** → Companies sold/merged may have outdated info
3. **Note confidence level** → Flag estimates vs. confirmed data for follow-up
4. **Save sources** → Bookmark URLs where you found room counts (for verification calls)

### Red Flags
- Website doesn't match location (wrong company)
- Phone area code doesn't match region (old listing)
- Facility size seems too small for hectares (missing data)
- "Brand" with no operational info (marketing entity, not operator)

---

## Example: Complete Research Workflow

**Company:** Yummy Fruit Company (Row 3)

### Phase 1: Website (2 min)
1. **Domain (B):** Google "Yummy Fruit Company Hastings" → yummyfruit.co.nz ✅
2. **Fruit Type (G):** Website shows apples, stonefruit → "Apple" ✅
3. **Phone (C):** Contact page → 06 877 8127 ✅
4. **Address (D):** Contact page → 548 St Georges Road, Akina ✅
5. **Area Code (F):** Hastings = Hawke's Bay → "06" ✅

### Phase 2: Storage Research (3 min)
6. **CA Storage (H):** Search "Yummy Fruit controlled atmosphere" → website mentions DCA storage → "Yes" ✅
7. **CA Rooms (I):** 
   - Search "Yummy Fruit sqm coolstore" → No direct result
   - Notes say "600ha orchards" → Large grower (200+ha) = 12-20 rooms
   - Website mentions "DCA storage" (modern) → Use midpoint: **12 rooms** ✅

**Total time:** 5 minutes  
**Confidence:** Medium (no sqm data, but scale suggests 10-15 room range)

---

## Summary Checklist

Before marking a company "complete," verify:

- [ ] Domain found (or confirmed no website)
- [ ] Phone number in NZ format
- [ ] Address is street-level (not just city)
- [ ] Area code matches region
- [ ] Fruit type limited to apple/pear/banana/citrus
- [ ] CA Storage confirmed (Y/N based on evidence)
- [ ] CA Rooms is a single number (not range)
- [ ] Research took <5 minutes (efficient workflow)

---

**END OF GUIDE**

*Last Updated: February 13, 2026*  
*For: NZ Top 100 Prospect Database*  
*Sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13qrJ23UENZ5DlO6uAnVBC3dg5_9SirQRE8xHndrxLQQ/edit*