Huljich family

The Huljich family is a wealthy New Zealand family of Croatian descent based in Auckland. It is associated with several generations of commercial activity rather than with a single operating company or consumer brand. The family's interests have extended across food manufacturing, property, financial services, private investment, technology ventures, filmmaking and charitable work. The family's business history is principally associated with Peter S Huljich, a restaurateur and property owner, and his three sons, Christopher, Paul and Michael Huljich. In the 1980s, the brothers established a food-manufacturing enterprise initially known as Top Hat Bacon. The business produced processed pork products including bacon, sausages, pâté and salami. It later expanded into Best Corporation, which became a significant participant in New Zealand's small-goods market and held substantial Australian assets. The Top Hat Bacon name continued as an important product brand within the business. In the late 1990s, the brothers sold Best Corporation to the French food group Danone and separately disposed of valuable Australian assets. Following the sale, the brothers pursued different investments and professional interests. Christopher Huljich and his son Peter established Huljich Wealth Management in New Zealand in 2007. The business grew rapidly but later faced regulatory scrutiny over investment-management failures. It was sold to Fisher Funds in 2011 for a reported NZX 20.9 million, and the company was subsequently prosecuted by New Zealand's Securities Commission and fined. The episode became one of the most significant regulatory events associated with the family's financial-services activities. Christopher and Peter also participated in private investment through Christopher and Banks Limited, associated with managing partner John Banks. Their investments included technology businesses and Pushpay, a company providing digital donation and payment services for charitable organisations. Interests connected with Christopher and Peter sold a substantial block of Pushpay shares in July, with the family retaining a significant holding afterward. The eventual sale of the family's Pushpay stake was reported as producing wealth of at least NZD 444 million in 2021, although the family itself is not a listed operating group. Paul Huljich developed a public profile as an author and lecturer. His books draw on his experiences with depression and stress, including the fiction work "Betrayal of Love and Freedom," and he has spoken internationally about approaches to depression and recovery. His son Mark has worked as a film producer, including on children's films loosely inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island." Another member of the next generation, Simon Spire, is associated with music, while Jason Huljich is a businessman resident in Australia and Rachel Huljich is a former Miss New Zealand. The family has also been connected with public controversy. In 2022, Peter Huljich was charged by the New Zealand Financial Markets Authority over insider trading involving information about the intended departure and share sale of Pushpay co-founder Eliot Crowther. He was convicted and initially sentenced to community detention with a NZD 100,000 fine; the Court of Appeal later increased the fine to NZD 200,000. The matter is distinct from the earlier regulatory action involving Huljich Wealth Management. Philanthropically, the family established the Huljich Foundation, a charitable trust supporting seriously ill children. Its model is to help children with poor prognoses choose a memorable experience to share with their families. The family has also been involved in a prolonged intra-family property dispute. In 2014, Elizabeth Huljich sought relief in the Auckland High Court concerning a mortgage registered over her St Heliers property. The dispute was ultimately dismissed in 2018, with Christopher Huljich awarded costs. Because the Huljich…

The Huljich family's New Zealand business history began with Peter S Huljich, a restaurateur and property owner, whose commercial interests were later carried forward by his sons Christopher, Paul and Michael. The family is of Croatian descent and became associated with Auckland-based business activity across several sectors. In the 1980s, Christopher, Paul and Michael Huljich established a food-manufacturing operation called Top Hat Bacon. The company specialised in processed pork and delicatessen products, including bacon, sausages, pâté and salami. It expanded into Best Corporation, which developed a substantial position in New Zealand's small-goods market and acquired considerable Australian assets. Top Hat Bacon remained a prominent brand associated with the business. During the late 1990s, the brothers sold Best Corporation to Groupe Danone and also sold valuable Australian assets. The transaction enabled the brothers to pursue separate investments after exiting food manufacturing. Christopher Huljich and his son Peter moved into financial services and founded Huljich Wealth Management in New Zealand in 2007. The company experienced rapid growth, but investment-management lapses led to regulatory action. Fisher Funds acquired the business in 2011 for a reported NZX 20.9 million. The Securities Commission later prosecuted the company, which was fined NZD 239,000 and ordered to pay NZD 95,265 in legal costs. These events placed the family's financial-services activities under sustained public scrutiny. Christopher and Peter subsequently developed private-investment interests through Christopher and Banks Limited, with John Banks identified as managing partner and Christopher as a partner. Their portfolio included technology companies and Pushpay, a platform that facilitates donations to charitable organisations. Christopher and Peter were identified as directors associated with Pushpay. In a later share sale, connected interests disposed of approximately five percent of Pushpay's register while retaining roughly fifteen percent. The family's Pushpay investment was eventually associated with reported family wealth of at least NZD 444 million in 2021. The Pushpay investment also produced a criminal-market-conduct controversy. According to the court account summarized in the reference material, Pushpay co-founder Eliot Crowther told Peter Huljich that he intended to leave the company and sell his shares. Peter Huljich traded before the information was announced publicly and was prosecuted by the Financial Markets Authority in 2022. He was sentenced to community detention and fined NZD 100,000; the Court of Appeal later increased the fine to NZD 200,000. Other family activities have been more personal or cultural. Paul Huljich has written fiction and non-fiction about depression and stress, including "Betrayal of Love and Freedom," and has lectured internationally on mental health and drug-free recovery. His son Mark has worked as a film producer, including children's films loosely based on "Treasure Island" and featuring Randy Quaid. Jason Huljich is described as a businessman resident in Australia, Peter Huljich as a businessman, Rachel Huljich as a former Miss New Zealand, and Simon Spire as a musician. The family established the Huljich Foundation, a charitable trust focused on seriously ill children. The foundation's distinctive approach is to help children with poor prognoses select a memorable activity or experience to enjoy with their families. This philanthropic work complements the family's commercial interests in property, finance, technology and media. The family has also experienced internal legal conflict. In 2014, Elizabeth Huljich brought proceedings in the Auckland High Court seeking repayment of a mortgage registered over her St Heliers property. Christopher Huljich contested the claim. In 2018, the judge dismissed several causes of action, characterized the case as frivolous and vexatious, and awarded Christopher NZD 650,000 in costs. The available material does not establish a single current corporate structure for the family, and its present business holdings are therefore best understood as a private and diversified network rather than as one consolidated enterprise.

1. 2022Peter Huljich convicted in Pushpay insider-trading case

   Peter Huljich was convicted after trading on non-public information concerning the planned departure of a Pushpay co-founder.

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2. 2018Auckland property dispute dismissed

   The High Court dispute involving Elizabeth and Christopher Huljich was dismissed, and Christopher received a costs award.

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3. 2011Huljich Wealth Management sold to Fisher Funds

   Fisher Funds acquired Huljich Wealth Management after the company's rapid expansion and subsequent regulatory problems.

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4. 2007Huljich Wealth Management founded

   Christopher Huljich and his son Peter founded Huljich Wealth Management in New Zealand.

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5. 1990Expansion into Best Corporation

   The brothers' food business developed into Best Corporation, a significant New Zealand small-goods producer with Australian assets.

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6. 1990Best Corporation sold to Danone

   In the late 1990s, the brothers sold Best Corporation to Groupe Danone and separately sold valuable Australian assets.

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7. 1980Top Hat Bacon established

   Christopher, Paul and Michael Huljich established a food-manufacturing business initially operating under the Top Hat Bacon name.

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A privately held, multigenerational New Zealand business family with diversified interests spanning operating businesses, financial services, technology investment, media and philanthropy.

• Top Hat BaconProcessed meat1980

  Top Hat Bacon was the original trading name of the Huljich brothers' food-manufacturing business, established in the 1980s. The operation produced bacon and other processed pork and delicatessen goods, including sausages, pâté and salami. The name continued as a major brand after the broader business developed into Best Corporation.

• Huljich Wealth ManagementWealth management2007

  Huljich Wealth Management was a New Zealand investment-management business founded by Christopher Huljich and Peter Huljich in 2007. It grew quickly before investment-management lapses led to regulatory prosecution. Fisher Funds acquired the business in 2011.

• Pushpay investmentTechnology investment

  Christopher and Peter Huljich invested in Pushpay, a technology company providing digital donation and payment services for charitable organisations. Their interests were also associated with board-level involvement and later share disposals. Pushpay was an investee company rather than a Huljich family product.

• Huljich FoundationPhilanthropy

  The Huljich Foundation is a charitable trust supporting seriously ill children. It helps children with poor prognoses choose a memorable experience to share with their families.

• 2011Sale of Huljich Wealth Management to Fisher FundsM&A

  The wealth-management business had expanded quickly but faced regulatory issues relating to investment management.

  What changed. The business was sold to Fisher Funds.

  Aftermath. The company was later prosecuted by the Securities Commission and fined.

  Reported acquisition price. NZD 20.9 million (2011)

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• Diversification into technology and private investmentStrategy

  After exiting the food-manufacturing business, Christopher and Peter Huljich pursued investments across technology and other private businesses.

  What changed. They invested through Christopher and Banks Limited and took interests in businesses including Pushpay.

  Aftermath. The Pushpay investment became a significant source of reported family wealth, although the family remained a private investor network rather than a listed group.

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• 2022Pushpay insider-trading convictionControversy

  Peter Huljich was convicted after using non-public information about Pushpay co-founder Eliot Crowther's intended departure and share sale. He received community detention and a fine that was later increased from NZD 100,000 to NZD 200,000 by the Court of Appeal.

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• 2011Huljich Wealth Management regulatory prosecutionControversy

  After rapid growth and investment-management lapses, Huljich Wealth Management was prosecuted by New Zealand's Securities Commission. The company was fined NZD 239,000 and ordered to pay NZD 95,265 in legal costs.

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• 2018Auckland High Court dismisses Elizabeth Huljich property dispute

  A long-running dispute concerning a mortgage over Elizabeth Huljich's St Heliers property was dismissed, with Christopher Huljich awarded costs.

  Lawsuit
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• Christopher and Peter Huljich interests sell a large Pushpay share block

  Interests associated with Christopher and Peter Huljich sold a block representing about five percent of Pushpay's share register while retaining a substantial holding.

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1. Huljich family