Our history
Helping New Zealanders to live a healthy life in a healthy home is the driving vision of our founder and CEO Tony Falkenstein.
The story of Just Life Group begins in 1987. Founder and CEO, Tony Falkenstein had noticed water coolers in American sitcoms and came to see them as a symbol of healthy living – something he had always been passionate about.
Tony realised that giving Kiwis access to chilled, filtered water was the perfect way to help them live a healthy life – and Just Water grew from there. Today, Just Water can be found in more than 30,000 homes and offices throughout the country.
But Tony’s vision for healthier living didn’t stop there. Seeing that many Kiwis lived in homes with poor lighting and knowing how important natural light is for our wellbeing, Just Life Group acquired the homegrown Solatube brand. Solatube offers tubular skylight solutions to New Zealand homes to promote healthier living spaces with UV-free daylight.
Until recently, nobody considered how the air we breathe in our homes can affect our health. Just Life Group’s acquisition of Unovent ventilation systems in 2019 has boosted New Zealanders’ awareness of the importance of healthy air and helped to free them from the clutches of dampness, mould and odour.
Expanding its Healthy Homes segment further, in 2020 Just Life Group acquired The Cylinder Guy, which had become the first port of call for many people requiring a new hot water cylinder. In the following year, Designer Tanks, a rainwater harvesting tank brand, was brought into the Just Life fold.
Today, unlike when Just Life Group was taking its first steps, there is increased awareness of the importance of good health and wellbeing. Therefore, it made perfect sense to acquire About Health in 2021, a premium range of natural supplements to support New Zealanders to live healthier lives.
As Just Life Group continues on its mission to enhance the lives of all New Zealanders, the following words of Tony Falkenstein perfectly sum up the company’s values:
“I built Just Life Group on trust and fair play, and I treat every customer and shareholder as though they were my own family.”
Just Life Group is passionate about wellbeing, and we are constantly seeking ways to offer New Zealanders healthier choices. We are on a mission to enhance the lives of all New Zealanders.
1987
Red Eagle Office Supplies established by Tony Falkenstein as a subsidiary of publicly listed Unity Group
1988
Tony Falkenstein purchased the company and changed the name to Red Eagle Corporation. Principal business was the renting of facsimile machines
1989
Started renting water coolers
2001
Acquired Cool Water to move into the water delivery market
2002
Name change to Just Water (NZ) as water cooler rentals and water delivery had become the major activity of the business
2003
Name change to Just Water International reflecting desire to enter Australia and other markets
2004
Raised $8 million through an IPO and acquired Aqua Cool, the biggest New Zealand competitor in the water delivery business
2005
Acquired Clearwater Pty, a Sydney-based water cooler and filter company
2017
Reduced debt through the sale of Australian operations, allowing the purchase of the Head Office building in Penrose and an Auckland bottling plant operation.
2018
Acquired Hometech and Dolphin Water Coolers
2019
Name change to Just Life Group, reflecting entry into the ‘Healthy Homes’ segment through the acquisition of Hometech.
Acquired Unovent
2020
Acquisition of The Cylinder Guy
2021
60% investment Designer Tanks, an early-stage business
2021
Raised $3 million from Rights Offer, and together with bank funding acquired About Health
2021
Acquisition of Herbal Ignite, as an additional brand for the About Health range
2022
Acquisition of Natural Solutions