It has been a journey of setting strategic goals and reviewing objectives for Cromwell orchard owners Simon and Trudi Webb.
The couple have had to be brave and back themselves as they had a vision to expand the family business over the years.
Simon and Trudi were nominated for Rural Champions for that vision and their hard work expanding their orchard business.
Both sit on governance boards for the industry and Trudi is involved at a national level.
The orchard now grows 60ha of summer fruit and pip fruit on the outskirts of Cromwell.
Around 35% of the fruit is sold locally from their roadside shop and local supermarkets and the remainder is sent to the North Island where it is distributed to supermarkets under a home brand.
The Webb family has been synonymous with fruit growing in the Cromwell area for 110 years.
Simon’s great-grandfather purchased the land in 1914 and each subsequent generation has taken the operation ahead with innovation and tenacity.
It isn’t an easy industry to be in — sensitive to drought, floods, economic disruption and ever-changing market tastes.
John and Ainsley Webb, Simon’s parents, took over the orchard in 1974 and were responsible for a lot of development and innovation.
His parents showed great foresight and nerve to use water from overhead sprinklers to protect crops from frost damage; a concept his grandfather Jack had been experimenting with since the 1950s, Simon said.
Simon and Trudi met at Massey University while studying horticulture and they worked overseas before returning to the orchard in 2002.
He enjoyed 10 years working alongside John on the orchard while also setting up a large cherry orchard nearby.
Had his father not become ill and died within six weeks, he would likely still be ‘‘tinkering away at something’’, working on the orchard.
‘‘Dad was a great mentor to have. I probably miss him more socially than for any other reason.
‘‘ A Friday night beer or a Sunday cup of tea. We were pretty good mates in that respect,’’ he said.
The business growth has been a steep and deliberate expansion with the couple setting themselves clear strategic goals.
When Simon and Trudi moved home in 2002, 15ha of land was in orchard and they have since expanded this to 60ha.
A strong numbers man, Simon enjoys analysing data.
‘‘You have to earn the right to grow a business and put yourself in a good position in order to do that.’’
An orchardist is also a patient operator, the first lot of fruit will come 18 months after a tree has been planted but peak production will not happen until year seven to eight.
Simon has been involved with the development of new varieties and has ensured the business is well-positioned with fruit the market wants.
‘‘A lot has changed in that respect over the years.
‘‘Some people say the new varieties just aren’t as tasty, but I would tend to disagree.
‘‘We now have fruit that stays firmer for longer and I believe with a superior taste. It means less wastage for both supermarkets where the fruit has a longer shelf life and, in the home, where the fruit will go the distance in a lunchbox.’’
The orchard now has 10 full-time workers year-round and employs 80 seasonal staff through the summer.
Their three children are keen workers.
‘‘We focus on employing our local students when they are on school holidays and, when they go back to school, we will employ backpackers’’.
He also enjoys taking on the students, ‘‘some of them are with us right through their teenage years. You see them come in as shy 15-year-olds and six or seven years later they do their final season confident, hard-working adults. That’s a pretty cool thing to be part of.’’ — Alice Scott
