| 33 T T Sue Russell Company expands Whitehall Fruit Packers has acquired 50% ownership of Sunfruit Ltd. “It is about 230ha of productive apple trees, has a highly automated packhouse and recently built new cool store facilities,” says CEO Mark Gardiner. Sunfruit REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ORCHARD DESIGN, BUILD, PROTECTION & MAINTENANCE HELPING YOU TO GROW BETTER ZESPRI RUBY RED ORCHARD DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS zane@growtechgroup.co.nz | +64 27 220 9984 BUILT FOR GROWTH Proud to supply Sunfruit Ltd ORDER ONLINE | agsteel.co.nz Whitehall Fruitpackers Proudly supplying quality corrugated packaging to OjiFS Packaging Central | +64 6 367 6800 | casectrl@ojifs.com ojifs.com Toward the end of 2020, family-owned and operated Whitehall Fruit Packers, based just south of Cambridge, acquired 50% ownership of Sunfruit Ltd, formerly in the Waikato, but now operating in Hawke’s Bay. CEO Mark Gardiner, says purchasing the business made sense as it is about the same size as their Waikato kiwifruit growing, processing and packing operation, however in the case of Sunfruit Ltd, crops grown are apples and stone-fruit. “It is about 230ha of productive apple trees, has a highly automated packhouse and recently built new cool store facilities. Though producing different fruit, it was in line with the type of horticultural operation we already had in the Waikato.” The relationship with Sunfruit Ltd is more in the governance realm. “It is managed on site and this transition has worked out well. Fruit is sold through marketing company ‘Pickmee’ with 30% sold to Countdown Supermarkets and the balance exported,” Mark explains. Mark says the situation in Hawke’s Bay is stabilising after a horrid year heralded by Cyclone Gabrielle. Fortunately Sunfruit Ltd didn’t suffer much loss in terms of orchards, but the impact was felt in the packhouse and coolstores where contract packing was a main activity, given the huge loss of crop overall in the region. In the Waikato, Whitehall Fruit Packers has been concentrating on developing more kiwifruit growing capacity, with over 30 kiwifruit orchards centred around the Waikato but not too far from home base. Along with growing at Karapiro, pockets of kiwifruit orchards are located south of Te Awamutu, in Ohaupo and near Cambridge, within easy reach of the Karapiro packhouse operation. In all, kiwifruit is grown over about 300ha. Gold Kiwifruit grown by Whitehall Fruit Packers is grown under license sold by Zespri, who own the intellectual property rights to the cultivar and who also manage all New Zealand’s kiwifruit exporting. “License prices have come back somewhat and generally the whole industry seems to have pulled back, given rising costs and interest rates, so there is some rationalisation going on at this time.” Mark says looking way back the kiwifruit situation could best described as a roller coaster ride but in the last 20 years or so has been more ascending, except for the PSA years of 2010-13, which greatly impacted the green varieties more so than Gold. Today, strong volumes are coming on stream for processing which is encouraging and testament to the hard work pioneering growers put in establishing and expanding orchard areas. It’s a real family business with three children and son-in-law James all actively engaged in running the businesses. The company continues to diversify as well, with WFP Apiaries forming six years ago. “It produces Hartford Honey and we are also involved with beef and sheep as well as dairying and some forestry. It’s good to have a wide spread of business activities to cushion the impact of any particular sector being under strain.” Mark says he’s happy with the situation of the company generally and the fact that the fruit processing plant is now less reliant on manual labour. “We also have a very good team of managers reporting to the General Manager. Our son Ben is in this role, while Paul, our youngest son is the CFO. Kristin our eldest daughter looks after inventory, shipping and HR.” It’s been three years since Business North last spoke with Mark and since that time the Whitehall site has had its plant upgraded to the latest automation. Today, it processes approximately 3million trays this season and that number is set to increase in ensuing years.
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