Search Aotea's history began in 1979 with the founding of the Aotea Greenstone & Sheepskin Factory (located in Takanini, near Auckland). Founder Peter Hanson was intrigued by a certain location he passed on his way to work at the New Zealand military camp in Papakura, where he worked at the time. As soon as the site came up for sale, he decided to take on a new challenge. The initial store was small, with just five employees, but Peter had big ambitions. 
The Aotea Greenstone & Sheepskin Factory soon expanded to Auckland city, Rotorua, Christchurch and Queenstown. Peter and Joan spent a lot of time in these places and realised the need for quality shops to sell New Zealand products. So in the 1980s Aotea stores were opened in these areas, trading under the names Aotea Souvenirs and Naturally New Zealand.
In the 1990s Aotea stores expanded to Ashburton and Omarama.
Unfortunately, the 2011 Christchurch earthquake forced us to close our three stores in the city, but it also gave us the opportunity to look for new locations, and we opened a store in Tekapo, a famous tourist destination. In 2016, we opened a store in Britomart in Auckland and our first store in Dunedin. We then reopened one store in Christchurch in 2019. Although the impact of COVID-19 was significant, most of our stores remain open. Only our Dunedin store is closed, and our Rotorua store is currently closed.
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our business but most of our stores remain open. Only our Dunedin store has closed, our Rotorua store is currently closed.
Over the years Aotea has adapted its brand and corporate structure to tourism industry trends and all eight Aotea stores and online shop now operate as Aotea Gifts. 
Peta and Joan are ambitious and passionate about their country, New Zealand. Their passion is to give visitors a wonderful memory of their time here. Over the course of 40 years, they have built a strong team and have poured everything into their business and passion.
Unfortunately, the founder Peter passed away in 2019, but Peter and Joan's sons, Richard and Donald, currently run Aotea Gifts as directors, carrying on the company's founding spirit as a family business.
