When frost hit Owen and Liz Coster’s kiwifruit orchard, one of the first people who rang to check on them was Mpac Executive Director and co-founder Jan Benes.
For Liz, that gesture sums up what has kept them loyal to Mpac for almost a decade.
“I don’t even know how many orchards they’ve got, but Mpac knew we were frosted and Jan rang. He’s the boss. He hasn’t got enough hours in the day to do what he does, but he took that time out to check on us. You really feel like you’re part of the family.”
The Costers got into kiwifruit almost by accident. Owen grew up farming, while Liz taught at Tauranga Girls’ College for 30 years. After Owen sold his share of the family farm to his brother, friends suggested they invest in an orchard.
“We knew absolutely nothing about kiwifruit,” Liz admits.
They bought five hectares near Katikati in 2016, initially all Hayward Green with 0.8ha of licence to convert to Gold. Today they grow just under 2ha of Green and 2.4ha of Gold – a mix they feel is just right.
After an unhappy first year with another packhouse, they were introduced to Mpac and (then) grower representative Hugh Gardiner.
“Hugh became our go-to guy when Owen had questions or wanted advice about when to do this or that. He was really that middle connection as we were learning and trying to get the best out of our crop.”
As his knowledge grew, Owen became increasingly involved in the hands-on side of the orchard. Contractors take care of pruning and spraying, while he does the mowing, mulching and other machinery work himself. “I quite enjoy just tootling around on the tractor in the orchard,” he says.
Over the years, the couple have worked hard to improve the property, transforming it into a tidy, well-presented orchard that now reliably qualifies for Early Start picking. This year their Gold crop was harvested in week one – an achievement Owen modestly struggles to explain.
“I haven’t quite worked out why or how, but it must be something we’re doing right.”
The couple have watched Mpac expand substantially over the years, yet Liz says their experience as growers has remained remarkably consistent.
“The best thing is there’s been an enormous amount of growth and change, but the people haven’t changed. That makes you feel secure. You’re not a cog in the wheel. You’re still an important grower to them. That’s the way it feels.”
Hugh has now retired as their grower representative, but he still rings to catch up – a relationship that has continued well beyond his official role.
Owen says Mpac’s increasing scale and investment in modern packhouse technology have created efficiencies that help deliver good returns to growers, with its packing prices setting a benchmark others have had to follow.
“Everything in their packhouse is so new and fancy that they need less people, so more money goes back to the grower.”
But ultimately, it is the relationships that matter most.
Liz’s father worked in the kiwifruit industry for decades as a contractor. When he passed away last year, a group of Mpac staff – including Jan and Hugh – turned up to his funeral to pay their respects. “That really sticks out for me about Mpac,” Liz says. “They value people, and they value growers. You’re not just a number to them. That’s why we will never leave Mpac. It’s people that we trust and we value their expertise and guidance.”