New Zealand’s fastest growing hospitality platform, Barcats, continues to experience an incredible growth rate, gaining a number of high-profile new investors and sponsors amid the COVID pandemic.   

Barcats has expanded its growth, securing a $2.54 million (NZD) capital raise to help provide much needed job opportunities for New Zealanders. 

“To be in a position to help New Zealanders find work and help our industry survive during these unpredictable times is an opportunity that we’re openly embracing,” Barcats CEO Jeffrey Williams said. 

“New Zealand has done a great job managing the pandemic; but many hospitality businesses are struggling to find enough people to work to keep the industry going.”

Mr Williams said:  “The impact of the global pandemic border closures and immigration restrictions have meant we need to really champion home-grown talent and encourage New Zealanders to upskill and consider a career in the hospitality industry. For example, we see students, unable to go on gap years and travel abroad, as being able to help fill the staffing void left by the international travellers.”

With continued support from top industry leaders including Lion, Nestle, Aspire2 and MIT, Barcats will continue to review growth and expansion opportunities in New Zealand, Australia and further afield.

“Access to staff is one of the most critical issues facing the industry in New Zealand currently. It’s rewarding to see Barcats growing and providing support to our hospitality community in an incredibly challenging time,”  Craig Baldie, Lion NZ Country Director, a significant founding investor in Barcats, said.

Barcats continues to support the community with free online tools and training to upskill staff.   

The leading hospitality platform has processed more than 340,000 job applications in the last four years. Venues all over New Zealand are jumping on board with a 400% increase in registered venues. 

In the last 3 years, registered staff has increased by 500% with 97,000 workers across 27,000 venues currently using the platform. Barcats has secured industry leaders Diageo and ResDiary as new sponsors and has partnered with various new training organisations including working directly with the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).

Entrepreneur Chris Morris, Founder of Computershare and owner of the Colonial Leisure Group, has extended his share in the start-up from 7.25% to 12.9%, and Barcats welcomes prestigious new investors including business and finance expert Ross Greenwood (Sky News Anchor and Business Editor), Garry Lord (co-founder of global Fintech OFX, formerly OzForex), David Zehner (Managing Partner at Bain Consulting) and Private Equity fund Investible who were early backers of the global graphic design platform Canva.

The new funding will be used to build on foundations in New Zealand and accelerate growth nationally and internationally.

Leading the board and the start-up’s growth plans is newly appointed Chairman Garry Browne AM, a prominent businessman and community figure. Browne is the former CEO and current Chairman of Stuart Alexander & Co.

For more information visit www.barcats.co.nz