It has been a fruitful kiwifruit season for Riwaka’s Thomas Bros orchard.
The orchard harvested 1.12 million 3.55kg trays (approximately 4 million kg) of Zespri kiwifruit, with the season finishing at the end of May.
“The season was one of our best ever with excellent quality and high yields,” says Steve Thomas, kiwifruit general manager.
The Thomas Bros orchard is more than 150 hectares in total, with 84 hectares of kiwifruit, growing Zespri’s main varieties; Green, Sun Gold and Ruby Red.
This makes Thomas Bros, which has been in the Thomas family for six generations and more than 160 years, the largest kiwifruit grower in the South Island, despite starting out as a sheep station in the 1860s.
Alongside kiwifruit, Thomas Bros grows 70 hectares of apples and pears, along with 2.2 hectares of cherries.
Although there are a lot of the Thomas family working in the family business, the bumper season needed plenty of help from other willing participants.
Thomas Bros required 300 orchard workers from New Zealand and overseas to help get the kiwifruit ready to be sold, with Thomas Bros kiwifruit going to Europe, China, Japan, Australia and USA among other places.
Steve puts the successful season down to an excellent team culture, calm weather and plenty of rain at the right times.
“It has been excellent to have the support and workforce of our local community through our busiest harvest ever,” Steve says. “Maintaining a good relationship with our peers and community is key for Thomas Bros and we would like to thank you all for the help that we have had.”
Among the workers at Thomas Bros is recent arrival Nursery Manager Amelia Marsden, who won the Nelson Young Grower, earlier this year, for the second time. “Amelia is a great addition to our team,” Steve explains.
“She is a well driven, and intelligent individual that really adds to our team’s culture and ability.”
The 30-year-old will now go on to compete against six other regional winners in the national Young Grower of the Year competition in Cromwell on August 27-28. “We are honoured to have her on board and representing Thomas Bros now on the national stage,” Steve says.
Zespri has reported a strong financial result for the 2025/26 season, reflecting continued global demand for high-quality kiwifruit. Its global fruit sales revenue reached a record NZ$5.9 billion from sales of a record 248.1 million trays, up from NZ$5.0 billion and 220.9 million trays the previous year.
Zespri chief executive Jason Te Brake says, the 2025 season results signal the industry’s momentum. “These results are something the industry can be proud of, particularly given we delivered a record crop in a much more challenging and complex environment. Record per-hectare returns and our improved per tray returns reflect improved yields and our ability to secure strong value for growers, shareholders and our communities through the strength of our brand and supply chain.”
