32 | Kiwifruit company still rooted in the regions from page 30 Seeka Ltd REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT 0 4 8 12 09 446 0709 - WWW.MILTEK.CO.NZ IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE CONTAMINATION WITHIN THE FOOD PRODUCTION SECTOR BETTER WASTE HANDLING & DISPOSAL PROCESSES MANAGE RECYCLABLE AND NON-RECYCLABLE WASTE REDUCE YOUR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT CLEANER WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR STAFF REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT SAVE TIME, SPACE & MONEY SALES ∙ SERVICE ∙ PARTS For a broad range of Orchard, Farm, Lawncare machinery + mini-loaders and telehandlers 0800 77 88 99 | info@jml.co.nz | www.gotojacks.co.nz Jacks Machinery are proud to support Seeka Opac With its head office still in Te Puke where the business was founded, Seeka Ltd remains a regional business, and these regional developments are part of their ‘Heartland Growth Strategy’, which in itself was part of their response to the general uncertainty that came along with the global pandemic. “We wanted to profitably grow our business in the regions as part of our growth strategy so when the opportunities came along we took them,” says Michael. “We believe they’ll add value to our shareholders and growers in the long-term.” For Seeka their sustainability platform and their investment in staff (social sustainability) sit alongside their intention of being ‘a profitable growth company that’s delivering returns for its shareholders and its growers’. As Michael says they’re in the business of hiring people and the difficulties that’s presented in the last 24 months hasn’t stopped the ten-year-old Seeka Cadet programme from continuing with 18 cadets currently involved. People from all over the country, of all ethnic, cultural and religious persuasions, male and female, are taken through every aspect of the company and get their relevant level 4 diplomas along with an introduction to Maoritanga. It’s not only the obvious high achievers that are taken on, and help is there for those that might be more practically than academically aligned. Having embraced sustainability as a company Seeka has now completed three years of verified carbon footprint data. They’re putting that knowledge to good use as they seek to be carbon zero by 2050 and hopefully sooner. Initiatives already underway to achieve a 30% reduction by 2025, 50% by 2030, include plans to recycle 100% of orchard strings and divert 100% of organic waste from landfill in the next three years. To transition to zero-carbon refrigerants, to hybrid and electric vehicles, and to install solar power plants as well as a host of other initiatives many of which also feed into their financial bottom line as well as their environmental. Using their bio-waste from their packhouses to feed their worm farms for example, effectively reduces their artificial fertiliser needs and boosts their soil health. It’s a winwin for all. Put their regenerative horticulture approach together with their social sustainability and environmental impact goals and Seeka Ltd. looks like a company with values that New Zealand can be proud of, all while achieving the profitable bottom line that is part and parcel of any thriving business. Seeka’s packhouses have the capacity to handle more than 50 million trays of kiwifruit, as well as avocado.
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