The New Zealand Loyalty Association has launched with an advisory board drawn from major retailers, banks, airlines and technology suppliers, a formal move to organise the country's loyalty and customer engagement sector under a dedicated industry body.
Formed in 2026, the organisation will focus on events, education, research and professional development for loyalty practitioners. It sits within the Loyalty Group APAC network, alongside the Australian Loyalty Association and the South East Asia & India Loyalty Association.
Loyalty schemes are a fixture of New Zealand consumer life, with the association citing research that 97% of New Zealanders belong to at least one retail loyalty programme. It argues expectations have shifted beyond points and discounts, with consumers seeking more personalised and relevant rewards.
Advisory board
The founding advisory board includes loyalty and marketing leaders from Woolworths New Zealand, Foodstuffs New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Z Energy, McDonald's New Zealand, SkyCity Entertainment Group, BNZ, ANZ Bank New Zealand and Green Cross Health.
Members include Steph Welch, Head of Loyalty at Woolworths New Zealand; David Brem, Head of Customer Engagement & Loyalty at Foodstuffs New Zealand; and Alexander Larsen, General Manager Loyalty at Air New Zealand. Other brand-side members include Bronwyn Barberel, Head of Loyalty at Z Energy, and Kayne Monroe, GM Membership & Experience Design at ANZ Bank New Zealand.
The board also includes service-provider executives from Mastercard, Simplicity Loyalty, Salesforce, Zeta, Braze and Ellipsis & Company. The group represents customer relationships across grocery, financial services, aviation, fuel, quick-service restaurants, healthcare, telecommunications and entertainment.
Research focus
The launch includes a new loyalty study, positioned as the most comprehensive of its kind in New Zealand. The research benchmarks programmes and categories across more than 20 customer experience measures, alongside analysis of emerging trends.
The study will examine nearly 80 loyalty programmes nationwide, spanning grocery, financial services, fuel, aviation and other retail categories. It is intended to provide sector benchmarking, performance comparisons and insights into shifting consumer expectations.
Welch described the association as a response to changes in how brands manage customer relationships.
"It's an exciting time to be launching the New Zealand Loyalty Association, and I'm thrilled to contribute as a member of the Advisory Board. As AI reshapes how brands build customer relationships, our industry needs strong foundations in education and shared best practice. This initiative ensures New Zealand remains at the forefront of loyalty innovation," said Steph Welch, Head of Loyalty, Woolworths New Zealand.
Sarah Richardson, CEO of the NZLA, linked the launch to the research programme and its role as a benchmarking tool for programme owners.
"The launch of the New Zealand Loyalty Association is accompanied by the most comprehensive loyalty study ever undertaken in New Zealand. By benchmarking programs and categories across more than twenty Cx measures, alongside analysing emerging trends, we're giving loyalty leaders the practical, data-led insights they need to enhance performance and evolve their programs with confidence," said Sarah Richardson, CEO, the NZLA.
First summit
The association has scheduled its first industry event, a Loyalty Leaders Summit, at the Park Hyatt Auckland on 28 May 2026. The agenda will include senior industry speakers and the release of the loyalty insights study.
The study builds on the Australian Loyalty Insights Research. The summit is positioned as a platform for sector leaders to compare approaches across categories, where loyalty programmes have become central to marketing, customer retention and data collection.
Regional links
The NZLA highlighted New Zealand representation at the Asia Pacific Loyalty Awards in Melbourne, listing Genesis Energy, Foodstuffs New Zealand, Mitre 10 New Zealand and One NZ as finalists. It also noted Woolworths New Zealand among last year's winners.
Training plans
In the coming months, the association plans to introduce a Loyalty Foundation programme and additional modules. Advanced course topics include Loyalty Economics, AI and Behavioural Science.
It will use its event schedule, research and training to connect practitioners across brands and suppliers as loyalty programmes evolve across New Zealand's retail and services landscape.