Trevelyan’s is committed to achieving a stronger kiwifruit industry for its growers through being an innovative employer.

Trevelyan’s is the largest single-site kiwifruit and avocado packing and coolstore operation in the country. It’s long been recognised as a responsible and innovative employer with free health checks, exercise classes and wellness initiatives, and was recently a finalist for the supreme award at the Primary Industries Good Employer Awards. 

“That tells us we’re on the right track with respecting our people,” says Managing Director James Trevelyan. 

“A healthy, safe and respected workforce we believe is key to longevity and success.” 

Trevelyan’s, which will have a stand in the Agribusiness marquee at Fieldays, operates five export packhouses and 39 coolstores spread over 20 hectares at No 1 Rd, Te Puke, employing 170 permanent staff and an extra 1500 seasonal staff between March and June each year. It packs over 17 million trays of kiwifruit a year for over 250 growers as well as 750,000 trays of avocados for over 200 growers.

The company has retained a number of workers who are part of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme after New Zealand’sborders were closed due to COVID-19.  To support them during their extended stay here, Trevelyan’s put it in place a programme to help them to obtain their NZ Driver’s licences. It’s also helped some permanent staff gain their full driver’s licences, giving them more flexibility in their work options.

Trevelyan’s strives to continually work smarter by adopting a lean philosophy and to tread lightly on the environment. 

Some of the recent wins in this area include putting in place suggestions from staff for example Mutu suggested to redesign the handwashing stations which reduced water use by 85%. Maki’s efforts to reuse packaging which has reduced plastic waste from the packhouse by 95%, while Troy’s use of improved monitoring of refrigerant systems cut refrigerant losses by 95% in 2019.

“:Having our people on the front-line make suggestions for the business through our improvement groups is invaluable.” James says. “They know what the issues are first hand, and given the opportunity have the best solutions to these issues. It not only gives them a sense of achievement, but they are invested and engaged with what Trevelyan’s is trying to achieve and that’s where the good stuff happens”.

Article for the Fielday Focus found in The New Zealand Herald.