Thomas Bros
- What we do

We grow quality New Zealand fruit through sustainable, future-focused farming.

Custodians of the land

We grow Premium New Zealand fruit

Thomas Bros Ltd operates at a medium-to-large scale for a family business, balancing size with hands-on decision making. A “normal” peak season often means 60+ hour weeks for several months, with workload rising or falling depending on weather and crop conditions. What makes us different is our ability to combine:

Scale
Family ownership
Long-term thinking
Operational flexibility

All while keeping quality and people at the centre.

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Future-proofing

Sustainability in Practice

To us, sustainability isn’t a buzzword — it’s about ensuring the business remains profitable and viable without sacrificing the future. Key focuses include:

Softer Chemistry
Recycling of waste pruning's into compost for our orchard
Investment in our solar farm
Making decisions today that won’t create problems tomorrow

People are a critical part of sustainability. We value staff who work efficiently, think critically, and bring forward ideas that help us improve how we operate.

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Harnessing the future

Technology & Agricultural Expertise

We combine experience with modern tools. Day to day, this includes:

Active involvement in the development and use of orchard apps
Continuous monitoring of orchard systems
Use of AI in management processes
Daily data collection by supervisors to inform real-time decisions

This data helps us forecast crop volumes, packing requirements, and profitability well before harvest.

That said, experience remains our anchor. Having seen many seasons before allows us to read signals early, guide decisions, and adapt when conditions change, even if we don’t get it right every time.

Seizing opportunities

Innovation & Adaptability

We actively innovate, trial, and adapt. Some examples include:

Producing our own compost from prunings, waste fruit, and cardboard, returning nutrients directly to the land
Trialing new varieties and growing techniques, both at small and commercial scale
Remaining open to change, with a clear belief that the only constant in horticulture is change

If new opportunities arise, we’re willing to test them - because standing still isn’t an option.

Our fruit

Working on the land

Growing operations throughout the year

Summer Harvest

Harvest begins with our local favourites, cherries November to January. Things really get going late February with the start of the apple picking season. Kiwifruit harvest begins in March going through May.

Packing

Once picked, our apples and kiwifruit are carefully packed right here on the orchard between February and May, making sure every piece of fruit leaves us in the best possible condition.

Storing

Before heading to export markets around the world, our fruit rests in cool storage — keeping it fresh and flavourful until it's ready for the journey ahead.

Winter Pruning

When the orchard goes quiet in winter, our work doesn't stop. Careful pruning during these cooler months sets the foundation for a healthy, productive season ahead.

Soil Care

Healthy fruit starts from the ground up. We tend to our soil year-round, nurturing the land that has supported the Thomas Brothers Orchards for generations.

Pollination

Come spring, pollination is everything. We work closely with our bees to give every blossom the best chance of becoming the fruit we're proud to grow.

Crop Protection

Growing great fruit means looking after it at every stage. From managing pests and disease to shielding our vines and trees from Riwaka's winds, we take a hands-on approach to keeping our crops healthy from blossom to harvest.

Fruit thinning

Through November and December, we're out in the orchard thinning both our apple and kiwifruit crops by hand. It's time-consuming work and gives each fruit room to breathe making all the difference at harvest time.

Join our team

Orchard work & employment opportunities

We're always looking for passionate, hardworking people to join our team. We focus on matching people to the work that suits them best, so both our team and our fruit can thrive.

We’re surrounded by long sunshine hours, clean rivers, fertile soils, and the landscapes of Abel Tasman National Park and Kahurangi National Park making this a great place to live!

Explore work opportunities at Thomas Bros Orchards.

Orchard Work