Nationwide transport operator Booth’s Logistics, plays a huge role in transporting Central Otago’s seasonal fruit. Starting with cherries from December to January and then owing into all of the locally grown stone fruit through until March, the company is responsible for getting the fruit from the orchard packhouse to local markets across the country, and ready for export out of both Christchurch and Auckland international airports. The family-owned company has stayed true to its values ever since Graham Booth owned a potato farm in the Manawatu back in the 1980s. Now retired and living in Bannockburn, the 80-year-old company founder still chips in to make long haul trips to the North Island when needed. Starting out low-key with just two trucks in his transport business to take his own produce to market, the company has grown to over 400 trucks nationwide, with 24 depots and with over 800 sta . Sons Craig and Trevor run the business now and have continued that commitment to New Zealand growers - this season expanding their capacity delivery o ering, providing a full service from the Central Otago orchards to anywhere in New Zealand. Booth's General Manager of freight Angus Petrie, said there has been a lot of investment into bringing that next level of support to growers, providing a point to point service anywhere in the country. Once it’s loaded on the truck it stays on the truck, where in the past the fruit was handed over to di erent carriers in Christchurch to make the further journey north. This was all made possible through relationship building and support from orchardists, strengthening the industry with 10-12 growers in Central Otago now using their services. Clyde Orchards has been one of their long standing clients for more than 10 years. “We own and control the rst and last mile within the areas we operate out of and have become a trustworthy and critical partner within the fruit growing industry,” he said. For three months of the year it’s all hands to the pump at the Cromwell branch, and this was on top of its every day distribution of fresh and frozen goods for Foodstu s from Christchurch and Dunedin. As the central point for the supply chain into the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago, there are also contracts with the likes of Lion Breweries, large national companies within the construction industry and local businesses requiring a reliable pick up and delivery service, making Booth’s Logistics a critical link to the every day heart beat across the district. In the south, Booth’s Logistics has branches in Invercargill, Queenstown, Greymouth, Timaru, Dunedin and Christchurch, along with Cromwell. Its services include linehaul, metro, at deck and hiab transporting, warehousing and third party logistics, as well as container distribution and handling. Angus is usually based in Christchurch and runs the general freight network, but moved south temporarily over summer just to help the team get the fruit to market. The entire team have been working dawn to dusk to ensure their new end to end service right through into the North Island has run on time and to the right temperature to arrive fresh to the market - even company co-owner Craig Booth has been spotted out there picking up some fruit from the packhouses himself. Staying true to the Booth’s Logistics motto that is displayed on every truck “Can Do Will Do”, showing up when it matters and building those key relationships with clients is important to show they are taking their commitments seriously. It’s the Booth’s way that makes them one of the fastest growing transport companies in the country. Never losing that small town mentality to get the job done - just as Graham did with his potatoes back in the day. PARTNERING THE FRUIT GROWING INDUSTRY
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