Our friends at Zespri, recently hosted a LinkT event at the kiwifruit marketer’s head office in Mount Maunganui, and gave LinkT members a peek behind the vines at the new building.

The total office space has been expanded to 5,264m2 after both phase one and phase two of the build were completed in April 2019 and February 2020 respectively. Growers, staff, the wider industry and customers were on hand to see four of Zespri’s previous Chairs cut a commemorative ribbon, and unveil a plaque commemorating the opening of the building by Hon Damien O’Connor, Minister of Agriculture.

Zespri Tours and Events Co-ordinator Sarah Hickey says the office space was designed to be a hub for the kiwifruit industry and Zespri had received a lot of positive feedback about its look and feel.

“It’s great to have our colleagues from NZKGI and KVH located in the building and with the new meeting wing now operating we’ve got a fantastic space to host guests, and share the history and successes of our industry,” says Sarah.

“I love the fact that each of our meeting rooms carry a name of significance to the New Zealand kiwifruit industry, reflecting the fact our industry’s growth has been the product of a lot of hard work from a lot of people. The names recognise people like Alexander Allison, Isabel Fraser and Hayward Wright, as well as key locations around the world including where our global offices are based.”

The building also features a number of unique and sustainable features that Sarah was proud to outline during our visit.

“Sustainability is a major priority for us, and we’ve weaved those principles into the build. The complex features solar roof panels, energy efficient sensor lighting, grey water storage, and electric vehicle charging stations.

“We also have the ability to charge 16 electric bikes and the building’s fitted with recycling stations so we can continue to play our part in caring for the environment,” says Sarah.

Alongside her team, Sarah enjoys working across a variety of events at Zespri, from hosting AGMs and university groups, to Women of Influence Award functions and tour groups.

“This year given COVID-19 restrictions, our events have largely been held online so we’ve made use of the digital capabilities within the office.

“I’m really proud to work with a vibrant and diverse team, and to have the opportunity to organise and host key events that allow us to bring people together and to showcase our fantastic, collaborative industry.”