50 | Mount Pack & Cool T T Richard Loader Mpac empire continues to thrive “Back in 2018, we set about designing and building the most modern, state-of-the-art, purpose built post-harvest kiwifruit facility in the world. Since then we have added a huge amount of capacity into the industry.....” T T to page 52 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT From its beginnings in 2009 as a small and humble kiwifruit packhouse located in Mount Maunganui, Mount Pack & Cool (Mpac) has evolved as a significant success story within the industry, with enviable growth built upon performance, a passion for providing growers with a high level of service, and capacity. The company was founded by Jan Benes, Andrew Darling and Craig Lemon, and within the first year packed one million trays of kiwifruit. Fast forward to 2016 the company was packing six million trays and had reached capacity at the Mount Maunganui facility. With its eye to the future, Mpac commenced development of a new state-of-the-art kiwifruit facility in Tauriko, a suburb of Tauranga, moving into its new home in 2018. Brendon Lee had joined the business in 2012 with experience that spanned the entire sector — from growing to post-harvest, Zespri, grower relations and entities, and a variety of senior management and governance positions. Together with Andrew Scott, Brendon became a Mpac shareholder in 2018, and has held the mantle of Managing Director since 2021. Jan continues to be Executive Director and Craig a Director. “Back in 2018, we set about designing and building the most modern, state-of-the-art, purpose built post-harvest kiwifruit facility in the world. Since then we have added a huge amount of capacity into the industry, which has meant that we have grown from six million trays to over twenty-one million trays this season.” Under management of Mpac’s sister company Groplus, catchment is about 800 hectares, growing gold, green and red kiwifruit. “Growers have a few options available to them including straight management where we manage the orchard and do all the work on it, with the grower paying all the bills and receiving income from the orchard. “Another option is to lease the orchard where we manage and operate the orchard, we pay the bills and receive the income from the orchard on a profit share basis. “The third option is a straight contract for packhouse and coolstore services, and around seventy percent of the business that goes through the packhouse is under that arrangement.” While Mpac’s wider catchment goes as far north as Auckland and as far south as Gisborne, the fruit is predominantly based around the Bay of Plenty — Katikati, Tauranga, Te Puke, and Whakatane — making Tauriko central location key for Mpac. 94 Gargan Road, Tauriko, Tauranga 3110 | 07 575 2027 | office@harkinroofing.co.nz | www.harkinroofing.co.nz PROUD TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH MOUNT PACK N COOL AS THEIR PREFERRED INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL METAL ROOFING AND CLADDING SPECIALISTS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=