People & Community

We care deeply about the community we live and work in and believe we have a responsibility to support those who support us. This is not just our growers and team, but our wider community.

Growing Local Money

Before the establishment of Golden Bay Fruit, only 50% of the gross selling price came back from the markets to growers. We changed that in year one. Our growers now receive 70-75%, empowering them to keep doing what they do best – growing great fruit.

Coupled with the wage spending of our staff of over 500, Golden Bay Fruit is proud to be a major financial contributor to our local economy.

Our Growers

Growing our worker family

The RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) international aid programme is one of the key pillars of Golden Bay Fruit. Now in its 13th year, we have been a partner in this scheme since its inception. Each year we employ around 400 staff from Samoa and Vanuatu. We are a family business and they fit naturally into our family model. During the season our RSE workers assist with thinning, picking and packing, all done with the level of care and attention required for premium fruit. In return we’re proud to help provide the resources and skills to help ensure a brighter future for them back home.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Giving Back

Community is everything. Although our fruit go all over the world, we are committed to being a positive part of our local community. That means giving back. Here are a few of the initiatives that we support:

Motueka Highschool Sports

For the past two years, Golden Bay Fruit has proudly sponsored Motueka High School’s sports program, part of a three-year commitment to help more local kids access the benefits of sport. With over half of the school’s 750 students participating in extracurricular sports, and a proud record of national success, including the top adventure racing team in the country. This sponsorship provides subsidised training gear and a new hardship fund to ensure all students have the opportunity to play, compete, and thrive.

New Zealand Food Network

Golden Bay Fruit is proud to partner with New Zealand Food Network, helping redirect delicious, nutritious fruit to communities who need it most. With rising food insecurity and healthy food often out of reach for low-income families, our weekly donations of up to 7,000 kilograms of apples and kiwifruit are making a real difference. By rescuing perfectly good fruit that doesn’t meet retail specifications, we’re not only reducing waste but also helping fill lunchboxes and pantries across the South Island.

The Care Foundation

Golden Bay Fruit was proud to support the Horti Boys calendar initiative, which raised an incredible $25,000 for men’s mental wellness in the Nelson Tasman region. Featuring familiar faces from the local horticulture industry—including our own Evan Heywood, Hamish Rush, Connor Wilkins, and Tiitii Apineru—the calendar brought a playful twist to a serious cause. Proceeds are helping fund mental health initiatives through The Care Foundation and Farmstrong, ensuring vital support stays within our local community.

Kaiteriteri Bike Park

Golden Bay Fruit is proud to sponsor ‘Cruise Control,’ one of the core connecting tracks at the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park. Nestled at the gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park, this volunteer-driven park offers something for everyone—from adrenaline-fueled descents to cruisy rides through stunning native landscapes. And with golden sands and a swim at Kaiteriteri Beach waiting at the finish line, it’s the perfect way to enjoy the best of our beautiful backyard.

Women’s Rugby 

For many years Golden Bay Fruit was a Gold sponsor of women’s rugby, including the Farrah Palmer Cup. The Cup is the highest-level domestic women’s rugby union competition in New Zealand and is named after former Black Ferns captain, Farah Palmer. This contest is held annually from late August to early November and is managed by the New Zealand Rugby Union, or NZRU.

Kai Fest

In February 2021 Birdhurst Orchards and Golden Bay Fruit were Gold sponsors of the Motueka Kai Fest. This popular festival celebrates and promotes our region as an excellent food growing region, thanks to outstanding water, soil, climate, and people.

We sold bags of our Stormy Fruit for just a Koha (donation) with all proceeds going to the Community House Motueka, supporting mental health. Some of our wonderful seasonal staff from Samoa and Vanuatu entertained the crowds with performances and cooked up delicious local Samoan kai (food).

Stormy Fruit, Gumboots and Mental Health

We believe in supporting local, supporting mental health awareness and supporting our young kiwis. Last year in New Zealand 137 young people died by suicide and it is estimated another 3,500 attempted to take their own lives. Late in 2021 Golden Bay Fruit donated $5 of every box of Stormy Fruit sold to Gumboot Friday, a charity which raises money for free counselling for New Zealand kids. This initiative resulted in a $5,000 donation.

Support for Covid response in Vietnam

We were immensely proud to support the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Vietnam by participating in a great initiative coordinated by the New Zealand Embassy – Hanoi and NZTE in Vietnam. In July 2021 over 10 tons of fresh imported New Zealand apples – including a ton of Golden Bay Fruit’s Cherish variety and Sungold™ Kiwifruit were hand delivered to the SỐNG FOUNDATION. The fruit was given to eight hospitals and Government owned healthcare centres fighting the Covid-19 outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City.

Careers

Are you thinking about how you can grow your career? At Golden Bay Fruit, we’re always on the lookout for motivated people who share in our values. If you’ve got passion, enthusiasm, and you’re not afraid of a little hard work, then the opportunities are endless.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Community News

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Don’t just take our word for it

Golden Bay Fruit’s drive for quality is behind our growing collection of both industry and market accreditations. Meeting these exacting and sought-after standards is part of our commitment to premium quality which is recognized globally.

All of our products adhere to a number of industry standards and accreditations across quality, environmental stewardship, health and safety with certifications available on request.