The sweet taste of success is on the menu for Mount Maunganui-based Mpac, as revealed by its managing director, Brendon Lee. Harvesting opportunities, the local kiwifruit business is booming, growing from strength to strength.
Brendon Lee began his kiwifruit journey with an orchard cadetship. Just 20 years later, he is managing director of both Mount Maunganui’s Mpac and its Auckland-based sister company, Apac. His broad portfolio of responsibilities includes one of the world’s most technologically advanced kiwifruit operations based in a purpose-built 65,000 square metre facility at Tauriko.
Mpac moved part of its operation to the new Tauriko site in 2018 and has progressively built two pack houses and substantive associated cool stores. Cutting edge automation, rolled out in 2023, increased the Tauriko site’s processing capacity to 35 million trays annually, Brendon confirms.
“This year, Mpac is building another cool store on an adjacent Tauriko site and it’s a whopper! The 35,000sqm cool store will have a static capacity of five million trays and will be ready for operation from March 1.”
Growth has been experienced across the New Zealand kiwifruit industry in recent years, increasing production by 24 per cent since 2018. However, Mpac’s volume has increased by an impressive 374%, adding more than 700 jobs to its workforce at the height of the season along the way.
“Mpac’s growth has injected much needed capacity into the New Zealand supply chain and the company’s innovation and courage has been rewarded with significant growth. We had ambitious plans underway when Covid hit – we were well set up to ride out the uncertainty and it’s been hugely gratifying to kick back into gear in a big way and get these world leading facilities up and running.”
Labour supply has improved, fruit quality issues have been dealt with, weather patterns have been more settled, volumes look good, Mpac’s investment in energy efficient systems has proven well-timed and there is more positive news to come.
“When we are operationally faster, smarter and more efficient, we are able to pass savings on to our growers. We’re posting competitive orchard gate returns and winning a bigger share of the post-harvest market,” Brendon explains.
“It’s in the DNA of our company to be bold and innovative. Our shareholders have invested in plant and processes which has positioned us for significant growth and competitive edge. Just 16 years after Mpac was founded, we have grown – without acquisitions or mergers – to be the third-largest supplier in the industry.”
Despite its expansion, Mpac retains a small company feel, he asserts.
“We are people-focused, on our team and our growers. We work hard but we also have a good time at work, we care about our colleagues and work hard for our growers – it’s a great company!”
Aged just 37, Brendon is young to be at the helm of such a large operation, however his youth has proven to be an asset, he says. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious as he encourages local school leavers to consider opportunities offered by the thriving Bay of Plenty kiwifruit industry.
“Hard work and talent are rewarded and there are jobs for those who want to be outside growing a world-class export product, jobs for those who want a seat at the board table of an export business and jobs for those who want a bit of both.”
Brendon’s own career path reveals how opportunities can blossom. Starting out as an orchard cadet and label operator at a pack house during the harvest, he worked his way up to production supervisor, then line manager, pack house manager and site manager. He has been managing director of both Mpac and Apac for the past three years.
“We are so lucky to have such an interesting industry based here in the Bay of Plenty and I love that my horticulture career has developed into a role with such variety, spanning construction, automation, human resources and finance,” Brendon adds. “We have cadetships open and I am certain we will have more excellent locals coming forward to join us in this exciting industry as we move forward.”
