The managers of the popular Auckland Night Markets, who have previously been in hot water over serious allegations, have announced their departure after 16 years.

Victoria Yao and Paul De Jonge, who run the Auckland Night Markets, revealed on social media this afternoon that they would be stepping down.

The late-night touring market, which is now changing hands, will continue to run in many locations across the city of sails after it first began in Pakūranga in 2010.

The network of markets runs seven nights a week in both Auckland and Hamilton.

‘16 amazing years’

The post announcing the change said that for over 16 years, the owners “poured their passion, time, and energy into building the Auckland Night Markets into what they are today”.

The announcement garnered mixed reactions from stallholders and market goers.

Some commenters wished the pair well and thanked them for their service, while others said it was a well-needed change.

“Good, needed a change in how it’s run,” one person wrote.

Yao and De Jonge said they would be “handing over the reins to an experienced event management team” before they left on their “next chapter”.

Victoria Yao, co-founder of Auckland Night Markets. Photo / Dean Purcell

The post said the new management has the skills, knowledge and resources to continue delivering “high-quality market experiences”.

The pair said they would still be around throughout the transition period and would work closely with the new team to help ensure everything continues smoothly.

The post thanked the pair for bringing communities together through food, culture, and lively atmosphere and highlighted the “lasting impact” they had on many.

It is not clear what the business partners Yao and De Jonge will be doing in the future.

Serious allegations

Despite being a popular part of the Auckland market scene, known for its late-night eats and a buzzy atmosphere, the market has not been free of controversy.

The Herald has previously reported on serious allegations made against the owners last year.

A viral TikTok video at the time, made by a stallholder who claimed her business was treated in an aggressive manner, sparked a flurry of unrelated and separate accusations against the market founders.

There were claims of aggression, unsafe working conditions, and unjustified increases in stall fees.

At the time, Yao and De Jonge said they strongly refuted all the allegations.

The managers of the Auckland Night Markets, who have previously faced serious allegations, have announced their departure after 16 years. Photo / Dean Purcell

“Many of which are either exaggerated or entirely false,” they told the Herald in a statement.

Last year’s allegations were not new, and in 2024, a food vendor left the Hamilton market after a manager allegedly “screamed at” her staff member, the Waikato Times reported.

De Jonge is also named as the director of the Hamilton market and was quoted as saying, “sometimes you have to yell”.