| 53 Hawke’s Bay: McCain Hawke’s Bay PRODUCTION McCains big employer in Hawke’s Bay Karen Phelps McCain Hawke’s Bay processes peas, beans, corn and carrots, all grown by local farmers in Hastings, central Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu McCain Hawke’s Bay is helping to feed the world and provide great employment opportunities for locals, says plant manager Sonny Quilliam. The plant in Twyford processes peas, beans, corn and carrots, all grown by local farmers in Hastings, central Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu. The business supports around 120 growers and employs 117 full time staff making it a significant employer for the region. Sonny says supporting farmers and staff to achieve their best is McCain’s aim. The company has a special ag department that liaises with farmers on an individual basis to give them advice on how to get the best out of their crop to maximise their business and troubleshoot any problems. “We work with farmer partners who support our views on quality and ethics. Our values are at the heart of everything we do to deliver high food safety and quality standards. We are always striving to be better so that’s why we embrace innovative thinking in farming practices. It enables farmers to be more competitive and maintains standards of excellence,” says Sonny. With regards to its full-time staff, McCain is proud to be a family company and takes care of business and its staff like a family, says Sonny. “Above all, the health and safety of our people always comes first. Ultimately we aim to be the employer of choice.” This is important as staff numbers swell to up to 200 during peak season, supported by casual labour. Sonny says McCain is dedicated to helping its people to perform, develop and progress and work in this area is ongoing. This includes regular performance and development planning reviews, graduate, internship and apprentice programmes and the ability to progress in McCain globally as opportunities arise. Staff benefits include access to special pricing on McCain product, competitive wages and celebrating achievements through dinners and team building exercises. For example recently McCain Hawke’s Bay put together a bowling team for a Staros Foundation fundraiser, which McCain was pleased to win on the night. Other initiatives include family days and redecorating the staff cafeteria. Sonny says inspiring a team atmosphere is an important part of delivering a quality product. Initiatives include a new look uniform and investing in technology to make the job easier and safer. “We’re always looking for ways to improve engagement and we’re dedicated to fostering a safe, inclusive, ethical and supportive workplace where people can thrive.” The pandemic was a good example of how important a team atmosphere was as supply chain disruption and staff shortages have meant everyone has had to pull together. “We were up to 60 people short during the pandemic so we had to shut down the packing room for two months. But because we had a good stock built prior that carried us through. The team was vital as they made sure we got everything out of the ground on time and processed when it needed to be.” Sonny says supporting the local communities in which McCain Hawkes Bay operates is also important. This is largely via food donations and has seen McCain help local schools, St Johns Ambulance and Nourish for Nil. All of these drivers feed into McCain’s focus on sustainability and its target of a 25 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030. “Sustainability is at the heart of our purpose at McCain,” says Sonny. “This means growing food responsibly, reducing our carbon footprint, supporting the communities where we operate and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. This is ingrained in our company ethos, inspired by our founders’ belief that good ethics is good business. Around 90% of waste is recycled at McCain Hawke’s Bay, and options to transition from the gas fire boiler are being examined.”
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