---
title: 'Seasonal Orchard Work - Thinning 2026 at Mr Apple'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/seasonal-orchard-work-thinning-2026-mr-apple-whakatu-ek67ktf8nn8a'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-15'
---

# Seasonal Orchard Work - Thinning 2026 at Mr Apple

- **Company:** Mr Apple
- **Location:** Whakatu, New Zealand
- **Posted:** 2026-09-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-15
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/mrapple/jobs/5228153007

## Job description

Join New Zealand’s largest apple growing and export business this summer. We have full-time apple thinning opportunities available across our orchards in Hastings, Napier and Central Hawke’s Bay from November through to December.

This is a great opportunity to earn money over summer, stay active outdoors and gain hands-on experience in New Zealand’s horticulture industry.

## What you'll be doing

Apple thinning is an important part of producing our high-quality apples. You will be removing excess apples from trees, helping the remaining apples to grow to the quality standards we’re known for around the world.  You'll receive training and support from our experienced orchard teams.

This role involves:

- Working outdoors in a range of weather conditions
- Being on your feet for most of the day
- Repetitive hand and arm movements
- Carrying and working from ladders
- Walking across uneven orchard terrain
- Working as part of a team to meet quality and productivity targets

## What you'll bring

- Availability to work full-time throughout the thinning season (November to December)
- A good level of physical fitness and the ability to perform repetitive manual work
- Confidence working outdoors and on ladders
- Reliable transport to and from work each day
- A positive attitude, strong work ethic and willingness to learn
- Reliability and the ability to turn up ready to work each day
- The ability to work well as part of a team
- The legal right to work in New Zealand and the ability to pass pre-employment checks

Note: If you have exams, planned leave or other commitments, we encourage you to discuss these with us during the recruitment process.

## What we offer

- Hourly rate of $23.95, with piece rate opportunities available
- Full-time seasonal work
- Training and support from experienced orchard teams
- A great team environment where your contribution is valued
- The opportunity to stay active and work outdoors
- Exposure to New Zealand's largest apple growing and export business
- The chance to earn money and build experience over your summer break

## Who we are

At Mr Apple, apples are what we do. As New Zealand’s largest apple grower and exporter, we proudly grow, pack and market premium apples enjoyed around the world.

Our success comes from our people. With more than 2,00 team members from a wide range of background, we’re committed to creating opportunities for people to learn, develop and contribute to something they can be proud of.

Join us this summer and be a part of a team helping deliver the perfect crunch to customers around the world.

## 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

- [Pastoral Care Coordinator](https://feeny.ai/job/pastoral-care-coordinator-mr-apple-whakatu-5b17vyajytv7) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Communications & Content Partner](https://feeny.ai/job/communications-content-partner-mr-apple-whakatu-afj4ytnkv01x) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Export Sales Executive](https://feeny.ai/job/export-sales-executive-mr-apple-whakatu-4eqzz3gkhcxv) — Whakatu, New Zealand
- [Orchard Foreman](https://feeny.ai/job/orchard-foreman-mr-apple-p9nfeswckxke)
- [Orchardist / Orchard Experience Day](https://feeny.ai/job/orchardist-orchard-experience-day-mr-apple-33bc4pgkw2kb)
- [Seasonal Orchard Work - Thinning 2026](https://feeny.ai/job/seasonal-orchard-work-thinning-2026-mr-apple-careers-site-blyth-orchard-2t7t485n3zcg) — Blyth Orchard