Can you tell us about your business and the products/services you provide?

We love what we do! Here in Wainui Bay in the top of the South Island we have been creating balms from only the good stuff since 1984.  We are established as the preferred medium for massage with therapists in NZ and beyond.  Families love our range of products to nourish and protect the skin.  We are a not-for-profit workers’ co-operative donating at least 5% of all sales to over 30 charities annually. Today the co-op employs 14 part-time staff, supporting families and individuals living at the remote Tui Community in Wainui Bay in rural NZ and nearby.

What led you to work within the massage therapy and wellbeing industry?

Tui Balms was founded in the mid 80’s based on our original recipe, Tui Bee Balm. This was developed by a local bee keeper looking to diversify his product range. He soon passed on the recipe and production of Balms to a group of people he lived with as part of Tui Community. It didn’t take long before a massage therapist in the team recognized what a superior massage medium a balm would make as compared to oils; no more spills and great control over the massage flow!

What value do you see in collaboration and connection within the massage therapy sector?

40 years into making Balms, massage therapist make up about 50% of our customer base. Frequent dialogue with the massage therapy sector has seen us ongoingly evolve our range of professional products. From one type of massage balm in the 80s, we now offer 17 different professional balms. We prioritize sourcing quality ingredients from assured suppliers, affordability and a commitment to only using natural ingredients – always.

How do your products or services support massage therapists in their day-to-day practice?

As a massage medium Tui Balms goes a long way, offers excellent control over the massage flow, is moisturising for both the client’s as well as the practitioner’s skin, avoids spills, and there is no need to wipe off at the end of the massage. The Tui Balms range for massage now includes 13 different scents for all-over body massage, as well as specialty balms for reflexology, spotwork and myofascial release. This allows for customizing your massage to exactly what you need.

Our friendly customer services team is always only a phone call away. We pride ourselves in prompt, efficient service and offering true human connection to our customer base,

What do you enjoy most about working alongside massage therapists and the wider wellbeing community?

As a worker’s co-operative committed to people care and earth care, we enjoy sharing our love for people’s wellbeing with the massage therapist community. By providing top-quality, all natural balms you can trust, we enjoy making a tangible contribution to supporting the wellbeing community.

Over many years, the positive feedback of massage therapists using Tui Balms has been overwhelmingly affirming. Word of mouth remains our strongest marketing channel. Despite a growing market of massage media, we are proud to be trusted as “The Original Massage Balm”, made in New Zealand.

How do you ensure quality, safety, and professionalism in your products or services?

We have strict production procedures and quality control processes to ensure consistently high quality of our product range. We source our ingedients solely from trusted suppliers who can verify that they are altogether natural, free from GMOs or any chemical or synthetic additives.

What are some of the unique characteristics of your business structure?

Tui Balms is a workers’ co-operative. We aim to improve our working together continuously and set an example for a sustainable co-created business model.

We operate with minimal management hierarchies and a flat wage structure that values the participation in the business, rather than creating premiums for personal skills. Decision-making within the co-operative is generally by consensus on all important matters.

Consequently, every staff member’s contribution to the business is seen as equally important.  Workers are paid wages and profit not used to develop the business is donated out to registered charities each year.

How are you aiming to reduce your environmental footprint as a manufacturer?