Located on the Waimea Plains, a short drive from Nelson, a family-run growing operation where third-generation growers Mark O’Connor and his brothers, Brendon and Michael, have been working together to grow green vegetables under the trading name of Appleby Fresh for over 26 years.
With the brothers now passing the torch to the next generation, Mark’s sons, Oliver and Joseph, have stepped into management roles, overseeing the 180-hectare property and its production of 36 different vegetables.
Family is at the centre of Appleby Fresh. While Mark and Michael are no longer leading the management side of things, they’re still present in the business and, along with their other brother Brendon, sit on the board in a governance capacity. Mark also spends time giving back to the industry, including serving as a board member of Market Gardeners Limited (MG Group).
“You can’t have two bosses,” says Mark. “You’ve got to step back and let the next generation come through. Like us, they’re not always going to get it right, and our role is to be around to help guide them.”
“Farming, and what we have here today, is a result of the people before us, and we’re pleased to be able to manage succession to bring through the next generation. It will keep improving, and an important part of that is having new thinking, along with really good employees.”
Even though they’ve developed into a large growing business, they’ve retained the family feel that resonates through their team of 56 permanent staff.
“We’re only as good as the people we have working in our team,” says Mark. “We keep looking to do things better, and people are a big part of that.
“We brought on a production agronomist who has been excellent for taking practices to a new level, and we have a lot of other good people in key spots.”
A strength of the business is the number of long-standing and loyal team members. This is a testament to the inclusive culture and family feel of the business.
“Don’t always focus on money first,” says Mark. “If you focus on the people first, the other stuff, like money, takes care of itself.”
“We like to make sure everyone feels included.” A small example is the way we give health and safety updates—we put them out in four languages. Everyone really appreciates that sort of thing.”
“Having happy teams is about being fair, respectful, and making them feel comfortable in the environment.”
It takes an outsider to recognise that Mark’s description of the work they do to drive a positive culture is modest. It’s clear the O’Connors put time and effort into getting to know their people, supporting individuals, valuing different cultures, and showing generosity towards the communities where their teams live. It’s not one thing, but a culmination of a lot of small gestures and doing the basics well, including making sure everyone is informed and feels part of the business’s success.
“We’re also big on communication, and our key staff are in touch with each other all the time. This is supported by technology, with the Chat-Line platform used to keep everyone informed” says Mark.
“Typically, the production agronomist will flow information through to the eight groups working directly with her, giving instructions and timings for the day.”
“For example, the tractor driver might have to finish ground preparation on a block. An alert is sent, which triggers the pre-emergent sprayer, which signals to the planters to come in. When they’re finished, the irrigation team is told to come in.”
Two-way communication is also important with the team at MG Group, with shared information and market feedback between the MG procurement team, branch network, and team at Appleby Fresh supporting good decision-making that benefits both parties.
Photo: Jade Reeves & Greig Pullar from the MG Group along with Oliver and Mark O'Connor