Snack-sized apple firm wins top award
Rockit judged best large business and supreme winner
AHawke’s Bay apple company specialising in snacksized apples has won one of New Zealand’s most prestigious business awards. Rockit took home the prize for best large business and the coveted overall supreme award at Thursday night’s New Zealand International Business Awards.
Rockit adds the latest awards to a list of other recent wins, including two Hawke’s Bay Export Awards, an Axis Award, gold at the Best Awards and best large business at the China Business Awards earlier this year.
The awards coincided with Rockit plans to expand into the South Island.
Chief executive Mark O’Donnell was on hand to accept the awards and told industry leaders gathered in Auckland that the Hawke’s Bay company has had to adapt, revise, and remain resilient during some of the toughest times the world has seen.
“Fortunately, we’ve been able to rely on our incredible team and our unyielding enthusiasm to pull us through,” O’Donnell said.
Judges commented that Rockit showed good awareness of the risks faced by the business and a deliberate strategic focus on managing issues such as maintaining consistency across various product sources.
“They’ve executed this so well that they can partner with big global brands and beat other apple products significantly, which is great evidence of success,” one of the judges said.
O’Donnell said winning the NZIBA
Supreme Award was a particular thrill for any Kiwi business.
“To be recognised in this way by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is huge; not only that, it’s amazing to be acknowledged alongside such incredibly successful, often groundbreaking New Zealand companies.
“We’re delighted to be honoured,” he said. “It’s a testament to the huge energy and enthusiasm of our entire team across the globe, who dare to be different, always go the extra mile and consistently deliver excellence to the consumer,” he said.
Rockit is sold in 30 countries and is amid a strong growth curve across its global markets, with 45 per cent growth in total revenue last year (2020 v 2021).
O’Donnell said unlike other commodity apples from New Zealand,
Rockit apples are produced, distributed and marketed as a unique branded offering, and they stand out from the crowd. “Our ambition is to become the world’s most loved apple brand, and it’s this ambition that drives everything we do inside and outside the business.
“To reach our goal, we set the bar high in every aspect of how we operate, continuing to bring energy, new ideas and fresh innovation across every part of our value chain — orchards, packhouse, offices and into international markets.”
Rockit’s commitment to excellence begins, literally, at ground level.
O’Donnell said growers across New Zealand and other countries with a licence to produce the small, juicy, snack-sized fruit pull out all the stops to create optimal growing conditions for their high-value trees.
“It takes a very long time to grow a little apple.”
This year has thrown several curve balls at East Coast orchards, with weather events making it challenging for growers, and O’Donnell said he was proud of how his growers had tweaked and adjusted.
“Next year’s harvest is projected to be 100 per cent up on this year’s, showing that the global love for the Rockit brand continues to grow.”
As part of next year’s expansion, the pioneering apple company plans its biggest planting year yet, while also taking its success story south.
The company has identified suitable land and growers in Canterbury and Nelson and is seeking new partners in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, where fruit is already grown.
Rockit’s commercial general manager, Tom Lane, explained that with a thriving horticulture sector in both Canterbury and Nelson, it makes perfect sense to begin establishing a presence in the South Island.
Rockit has begun identifying some really great, fertile land and has found energetic, forward-thinking growers interested in diversifying their business by growing Rockit apples.
Lane said the company is on the lookout for more growers.
Rockit plans to work closely with new growers to ensure they are well supported as they put trees in the ground for the first time next year.
The company is also evaluating opportunities to establish a Rockit Management Services (RMS) team offering full orchard management options, support, and expertise for independent growers in the south.
“We’re looking to partner with some truly great horticultural operators, as well as arable, sheep, beef and dairy farmers seeking new income streams,” Lane said.
He believes there is a huge opportunity in the south for Rockit apples.
The “stable weather conditions, good water supply, and the prospect of growing brilliantly coloured fruit for our markets across the globe”.
A feasibility study is under way into establishing a shared packhouse facility in Canterbury.
While the expansion down south is exciting, O’Donnell wants everyone to know Te Ipu is Rockit’s home.
He explained expanding into the South Island provides more land availability and helps to future-proof its crop, especially in the face of more regionally based weather events. “It also spreads our harvest over an extended period, helping to streamline our packhouse processes by ensuring fruit doesn’t arrive all at once.”