---
title: 'Growing Future Horticulturalists Internship at Mr Apple'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/growing-future-horticulturalists-internship-mr-apple-3zpammegt1kt'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-20'
---

# Growing Future Horticulturalists Internship at Mr Apple

- **Company:** Mr Apple
- **Posted:** 2026-10-07
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-20
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/mrapple/jobs/5260815007

## Job description

Get paid to learn. Experience horticulture first-hand. Discover where it could take you.

Mr Apple is looking for two Year 12 students moving into Year 13 in 2027 to join our Growing Future Horticulturalists Internship Programme.

This paid internship is an opportunity to experience the journey of an apple from orchard to market while gaining practical workplace experience and exploring career pathways across horticulture, science, technology, engineering and business.

What you’ll be doing:

Your internship combines hands-on work experience with opportunities to learn from people working across different parts of Mr Apple.

- Spend three weeks working alongside our orchard teams from 1 December to 22 December 2026
- Return during the Term 1 school holidays in 2027 for one week of post-harvest experience
- Gain exposure to our packhouses, coolstores and other areas of the business
- Discover the variety of careers available within horticulture
- Meet industry professionals and learn about their career journeys
- Take part in weekly mentoring and development check-ins
- Build confidence, communication skills and practical workplace experience
- Complete an end-of-programme presentation and receive a certificate of completion

## What you'll bring

You don't need previous horticulture experience. We're looking for students who are keen to learn, get involved and make the most of the opportunity.

- A current Year 12 student entering Year 13 in 2027
- Based in Hawke's Bay
- Curious, motivated and willing to learn
- Reliable and committed to completing the programme
- Positive and comfortable communicating with different people
- Interested in horticulture, agriculture, science, engineering, technology or business

## What we offer

- Paid, real-world work experience while you're still at school
- Exposure to the full apple journey from orchard to post-harvest
- Mentoring, development and connections with people working in the industry
- An opportunity to explore future study and career options within a modern and innovative industry

How to apply

As part of your online application, we'll ask you to:

- Provide the details of a school support person (teacher, careers advisor, dean, coach, mentor or tutor).
- Answer the question: "Why do you want to participate in the GFH Internship?"

Our selection process includes an online application, phone screening, interview and a check-in with your nominated school support person before the final two interns are selected.

Applications close 30 October 2026.

## About Mr Apple

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Mr Apple is New Zealand’s largest integrated grower, packer, and exporter of apples, obsessed with delivering safe, crunchy, and delicious fruit to markets around the world.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Subsidiary of Scales Corporation, NZX: SCL)
- **Headquarters**: Whakatu, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
- **Founded**: 2001 (merger of two largest growers following deregulation)
- **Founders**: Not individually named; formed from Grocorp Pacific Limited and another grower

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Agriculture (apple growing, packing, and export) / Food & Beverage
- Target customers: B2B (retailers, distributors in 60+ countries) and B2C (consumers via branded retail boxes)
- Mission or purpose statement: “Pure Perfection” – delivering the highest quality apples from New Zealand’s ideal growing conditions, backed by the **5 Point Promise** (safety, crunch, sweetness, juiciness, consistency)

## Products & Services
- **Mr Apple Fresh Apples**: A range of New Zealand-grown apple varieties (e.g., Royal Gala, Braeburn, Jazz, Envy) sold globally. Product is marketed with a 5 Point Promise that guarantees taste and quality.
- **Technology-Enabled Sorting**: World-leading scanning (external and internal) plus hand-checking to ensure every apple meets strict standards before packing.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (Mr Apple is a wholly owned subsidiary; Scales Corporation Ltd has a market cap of approximately NZD ~350M as of mid-2025)
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue – not disclosed for Mr Apple alone; Scales Corp’s Horticulture segment (primarily Mr Apple) reported revenue of NZD ~200M in FY2025 (approximate). Total funding: NZ$6.0K (minimal, likely a historical figure; company is self-sustaining)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Scales Corporation (parent); RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) partnerships with Pacific governments; customers in 60+ countries
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 2,000+ staff; export volume accounts for ~25% of New Zealand’s total apple crop; continuous investment in automation (packhouse scanning, coolstore technology); 13.9% YoY LinkedIn headcount growth (65 office-based roles)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Scale & Integration**: As NZ’s largest integrated grower-packer-exporter, Mr Apple controls the entire supply chain from orchard to port.
- **Technology & Quality**: Proprietary scanning (inside/outside) combined with manual inspection ensures consistent premium quality—hard for smaller operators to match.
- **Brand Trust**: The **5 Point Promise** creates a strong consumer and retail brand, differentiating Mr Apple from commodity apple suppliers.
- **Geographic Moat**: Hawke’s Bay climate and soil are ideal for apple growing; existing orchard and processing infrastructure is difficult to replicate.

## Strategic Focus
- **Automation & Innovation**: Investing in world-leading packhouse technology, coolstore automation, and IT systems to improve efficiency and quality consistency.
- **Global Market Expansion**: Growing export presence (currently 60+ countries) and strengthening brand in key markets like Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
- **Sustainability & People**: Enhancing workforce via RSE programmes and Pacific partnerships; maintaining “Always Growing” culture while scaling operations.
- **Operational Excellence**: Upholding high health & safety standards, traceability, and environmental stewardship across orchards and packhouses.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Values-driven environment (“We are one team”, “Always Growing”, “Embrace Diversity”, “Live the Standard”) with a strong focus on integrity, respect, and continuous improvement.
- **Work Style**: Predominantly on-site roles based in the Hawke’s Bay region (Whakatu, Hastings, CHB). Roles span orchards, packhouses, workshops, technology delivery, and head office functions.
- **Growth & Impact**: Opportunity to work in a world-leading agribusiness that exports a quarter of NZ’s apple crop. Career paths from hands-on technical roles to senior leadership (e.g., Head of Technology Delivery, Head of People & Culture).
- **Perks**: Being part of a close-knit, diverse team in a beautiful region; exposure to innovative agricultural technology; support for professional development through the “Always Growing” value.

## Sources
1. [mrapple.com – Overview & 5 Point Promise](https://www.mrapple.com/en)
2. [mrapple.com – Our Story & Leadership](https://www.mrapple.com/en/our-story)
3. [mrapple.com – Work With Us (Jobs)](https://www.mrapple.com/en/work-with-us)
4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io – Careers Page](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/mrapple)
5. [nz.linkedin.com – Company Profile](https://nz.linkedin.com/company/mr-apple-new-zealand-ltd)

## Other roles at Mr Apple

- [Logistics Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/logistics-administrator-mr-apple-whakatu-yvqr7pcbq52t) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Truck Drivers - 2027 Season](https://feeny.ai/job/truck-drivers-2027-season-mr-apple-whakatu-97k789vfy86p) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Technical Team Leader](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-team-leader-mr-apple-whakatu-ke05x981147x) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Safety Advisor](https://feeny.ai/job/safety-advisor-mr-apple-whakatu-70a5wsbynpk2) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Seasonal Orchard Work - Thinning 2026](https://feeny.ai/job/seasonal-orchard-work-thinning-2026-mr-apple-whakatu-ek67ktf8nn8a) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Orchardist / Orchard Experience Day](https://feeny.ai/job/orchardist-orchard-experience-day-mr-apple-33bc4pgkw2kb)
- [Growing Future Horticulturalists Internship](https://feeny.ai/job/growing-future-horticulturalists-internship-mr-apple-careers-site-all-txvgatf5mp2f) — All