| 37 T T Sue Russell Diversification plan reduces risks Punchbowl PackCo Ltd processes kiwifruit from around 365 hectares of orchards in the Auckland region, Whangārei and Kerikeri. HORTICULTURE Punchbowl PackCo Ltd Performing all works in: Residential, Commercial & Industrial Sectors focusing on maintenance, fit outs, new work builds, renovations etc. EW Electrical Ltd are proud to have a good working relationship with Punchbowl Kiwifruit Services Eamonn Wallbutton M 0211 366 121 E admin@ewelectricalltd.co.nz • Machinery Maintenance • Orchard Irrigation • Repair Relocation • Breakdown Response Punchbowl PackCo Limited is a successful kiwifruit packing business nestled in the heart of Patumahoe. In 1987 Rob and Maree Craig moved from Taumarunui to Patumahoe, south-west Auckland to follow their dream of building a kiwifruit orchard and packhouse to pack their own kiwifruit as well as other grower’s kiwifruit in the area. It wasn’t until 1990 that they got the opportunity to purchase the land and make their dream come true. Managing a small packhouse, it was not long before they realised they needed to expand to keep up with grower demand. In 2005 they built a larger packhouse. Colin Davies joined the small team and by 2017 had taken on the position of Managing Director. When PSA (kiwifruit vine canker) entered the country in November 2010, it brought with it devastating consequences, and even though Punchbowl was one of the last orchards to be hit, Punchbowl realised it was important not to have all their eggs in one basket. Although, with the introduction of the Sun Gold variety, which is more tolerant to the virus, PSA is not the issue it once was, it made Punchbowl realise they needed to reduce their risk by diversifying their operations. As part of the diversification plan, Punchbowl split into four companies, with Punchbowl Investments as the parent company (investing into several other horticultural and tech businesses), Punchbowl PackCo (the Kiwifruit business), Punchbowl Packaging (a company dedicated to exploring new packaging methods for fruit and other food products beyond the kiwifruit industry), and more recently Punchbowl Automation (formed in 2022, is an independent company formed to create automation to meet the evolving needs of its customers.). “It’s about continually asking ourselves what we can do to be smarter and more efficient. We’ve gone through a big growth phase establishing other businesses aligned to the kiwifruit industry,” says Colin. Today, Punchbowl PackCo processes kiwifruit from approximately 365 hectares of orchards in the Auckland region, as well as from Whangārei and Kerikeri. The company has grown into an integrated business, owning and operating managed and leased orchards. It employs about 100 staff on a permanent basis, and an additional 200 seasonal staff during the peak seasonal times. During the picking, packing, and storing season (March to June ) the packhouse runs 24/7. Colin says what makes Punchbowl so special is the true family engagement still to this day, with the whole family working in different areas of the business with the same goal of making Punchbowl a great place to work and bringing a quality product to market. The focus is to promote internally. Staff are actively encouraged to think about making the kiwifruit industry a long-term career. Punchbowl knows that at the core of the business is their people. Some of Punchbowl’s staff have been given the opportunity to become shareholders, giving a sense of ownership and responsibility. “When you have great people taking on the responsibility to manage, it is only right they have the benefit of being shareholders and a real sense of ownership.” Punchbowl PackCo also focusses on their local community, being a big employer in the area. They are pleased to be able to give back, not only by donations and sponsorships to the local sports, clubs, schools and emergency service, but also with their Kiwifruit for Schools Programme. Kiwifruit for Schools started in 2019 in conjunction with Opal, donating kiwifruit to local schools in the area and has gone from strength to strength expanding the distribution area further every year. It is run entirely by an awesome group of volunteers, and the response from the schools and community groups has been amazing. Some of these children had never tasted Kiwifruit before. While Punchbowl PackCo began largely as a post-harvest business, contract packing for other growers as well as processing fruit from their own orchards, the business has now moved into providing a full-service offering to their growers. As for the future, Punchbowl has its head very much focussed on innovation and creating added value from its core services of post-harvest and orchard management services. With a continuous focus on growth, innovation, and community engagement, Punchbowl PackCo has established itself as a reputable and successful player in the kiwifruit industry.
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