Abel Butler doesn’t shout. He doesn’t posture. And he definitely doesn’t fit the “hypergrowth founder” stereotype. But don’t be fooled: this quiet Kiwi is building something big. As CEO of HealthPost Group, Abel leads a portfolio of natural wellness brands including HealthPost, Flora & Fauna, and Nourished Life across New Zealand and Australia.
What sets him apart? He’s scaling ethically, moving fast without chaos, and running loyalty programs that literally help save seabirds. His mantra “nature keeps me sane and grounded” is more than a personal belief. It shapes how he approaches everything from supply chain decisions to customer loyalty and the role of AI in retail.
We pulled Abel into The Checkout to get a better feel for what makes him tick and got insights on vagus nerve devices, AI landscaping tips, and the challenge of staying human in a noisy world.
The Ear Gadget That Promises Sleep (and Sanity)
First impressions: Abel seems calm. Too calm for someone who just turned around two collapsed Australian brands in six months. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find the secret: he’s experimenting with a vagus nerve stimulation device that hooks onto his ear to send calming pulses before bed.
He admits he hasn’t tested its full powers yet, but when you’re up at 3 a.m. doing AI workflows in ChatGPT, you’ll try anything. It’s a perfect snapshot of Abel’s mindset: curious, open to experimentation, and not afraid to test the weird stuff if it will help him think clearer and lead better.
Why He Rates Banish Over the Big Guys
When asked which retailer inspires him, Abel doesn’t name a global juggernaut. He calls out Lottie Dalziel from Banish, an Aussie startup solving the hard problem of recycling waste into usable goods.
He loves that Banish isn’t just doing commerce: it’s making systems change. That resonates deeply with Abel, who’s long pushed HealthPost beyond just product to focus on environmental restoration, supply chain integrity, and real community impact. This isn’t lip service. It’s a pattern: Abel rates people who get their hands dirty to solve hard things. Just as he does.
Landscaping by GPT and Customer Service by Humans
Abel’s most essential tool? Probably the same as yours: ChatGPT. But not just for work. He uses it to plan his landscaping at home (yes, even the tree placements). While that’s good fun, he also drops a sharp point for eCommerce teams:
AI is brilliant at saving time and spotting inefficiencies, but you’ve got to pick your moments.
He’s cautious about over-automating customer service, especially at HealthPost, where customers are seeking natural (and genuinely useful) health advice. That’s where human guidance still matters most. So he’s leaning into AI where it’s safe and smart (like order queries), but keeps a firm hand on the wheel when it comes to trust.
Loyalty That Doesn’t Just Pay. It Gives Back
When HealthPost overhauled its loyalty program, they didn’t just offer more points, they rethought the whole point. Soon, customers will be able to redeem points to fund environmental initiatives like restoring native seabird populations near Abel’s home in Golden Bay. That’s loyalty with purpose, not just perks. And it reflects a deeper shift in how Abel approaches both customers and leadership.
Because in a world full of noise, Abel’s real challenge is knowing what to act on and what to ignore. Sure, he’s tried a vagus nerve-stimulating ear gadget, but his real strategy is radical transparency, even when it’s uncomfortable (like being the non-vegan owner of a 100% vegan brand.) Loyalty becomes stickier when it’s grounded in substance. And so does leadership. That’s the edge HealthPost is quietly capitalising on.
The Abel Butler Playbook: Move With Purpose, Lead With Integrity
Abel’s Checkout answers reveal exactly what makes him such a steady force in eCommerce: he’s open-minded without being naive, forward-thinking without chasing fads, and values-led without being self-righteous.
He doesn’t talk about balance. He lives in balance. Whether he’s rewilding cliffs, planning loyalty mechanics, or troubleshooting ERP data in NetSuite, it all ladders up to a single goal: building a business that delivers real impact at scale.
And if that means trading some speed for substance? That’s a deal he’ll take every time.
🎧 Want more from Abel?
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