In 1920, the New Zealand Fruitgrowers Federation opened its first official store in Hastings, so it feels fitting that this September, we will open our new flagship hub at 1285 Omahu Road in Twyford on 7 September.
The new site more than doubles our current building and canopy area and adds over 6,000sqm of warehouse capacity. For you as a grower, that means a wider range of products on hand, greater certainty of supply and a superior retail experience, including dedicated parking and a fully covered drive-through. The new hub will also bring Fruitfed and wider PGG Wrightson services together under one roof, including Rural Supplies, Real Estate, Livestock and regional teams, alongside familiar members of our technical team.
September also brings another change, as Fruitfed Supplies will become Fruitfed Horticulture. It’s a small name change, but one that better reflects what Fruitfed has become. More than a product supplier, what sets Fruitfed apart is the industry and specialist technical know-how our people bring in the field, working alongside you with practical, reliable advice where it matters most.
That focus will continue to grow. We’re sourcing innovative products and technologies, strengthening our supply chain and expanding our R&D and extension programmes to ensure growers have access to solutions that can make a real difference on orchard and vineyard. Recent examples include the Kilter weed control robot from Croplands, our partnership with Syngenta Biologicals and the new trial programme underway at our Hastings research station.
There is plenty more to come over the next 12 months, but our vision remains the same: helping New Zealand growers succeed.