Business North November 2021

24 | EHC Orchard Management REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Passion for kiwifruit drives company’s success T T from page 23 EHC Orchard Management employs a team of 55 full time staff, along with 300 staff supplied from subcontractors. “During the Psa outbreak we used to joke that if we all walked off our orchards the town would get overtaken by vines. It’s a vigorous weed so there’s a lot of time and money spent on controlling that vigour. “That work will take us right through to mid/ late February and then we start harvest in the middle of March, which goes through to middle of June.” Including twelve experienced field manag - ers, and a sizeable machinery division, EHC Orchard Management employs a team of 55 full time staff, along with 300 staff supplied from subcontractors. That swells to between 400 - 500 in the peak season from October to late November. “Our General Manager has a strong techni- cal background and a wealth of experience. He ‘s worked for Zespri and so he’s a great asset to the team. “We have an Orchard Operation Manager and his primary role is looking after the newer guys coming through. “There’s a Machinery Operations Manager and a strong administration team looking after all the day–to-day detail.” Tom says that while EHC Orchard Manage- ment has grown to quite a sizeable Te Puke- based business, remaining a family based business with family values has been key to the company’s success. The company’s flat management structure means that both staff and clients can easily access Fee and Tom. While Fee looks after all the important behind the scenes functions of the business, and often wears the friendly hat of ‘camp mother’, Tom has retained the vital role of Field Manager. “I do that so I can experience what the man - agers are experiencing, because every season is different and I can see it in live-time, rather than from behind a desk. “But Fee and I are also growers so we can relate back to the managers from a growers perspective. Being growers, as well as a management company we are keeping it real for the managers; it’s not always easy for the growers at all.”