These three ladies can all lay claim to winning New Zealand’s most prestigious award in horticulture. They’re not the only ones from Apata to shine either. So what’s the secret?
Kiwifruit is arguably one of the world’s most sophisticated industries and there’s a reason why Apata keeps outperforming its peers – which has nothing to do with the fruit itself.
Three staff have now won New Zealand’s Young Grower of the Year in the past eight years, with Technical Lab Manager Phoebe Scherer (pictured centre) claiming the 2025 title, cheered on by her colleagues and former winners, Apata GROW Manager, Erin Atkinson (pictured right), and Technical and Extension Manager, Melissa Bennett (pictured left).
“There were a few tears,” Melissa admits. “It’s pretty incredible to see someone you work so closely with, do so well. Since 2013 we’ve had a contestant nearly every single year from Apata and the number of first, second and third places we’ve achieved is pretty impressive. It all comes down to friendly peer pressure. Apata recognise there are some incredible people in our business and they encourage us to mentor and support one another.”
Erin says the fact that all three national winners are also young women is no surprise either. “In the last eight years we’ve had more females enter the kiwifruit industry than we’ve ever had. There’s been a significant increase in female orchard managers, technical roles, supervisory roles… there’s definitely more females coming out of university with degrees in horticulture too which is quite cool to see.”
Apata’s permanent workforce is now 60% male and 40% female which reflects changes happening in the wider industry. It’s far more common these days for daughters to take over their parents’ kiwifruit and avocado orchards, and for women to hold prominent roles throughout the supply chain.
Erin switched from working in the vegetable sector and joined Apata 11 years ago, starting out as a technical advisor. “One of the reasons I looked at kiwifruit was there were a lot of women in senior executive roles compared to the vegetable sector. Part of the reason I got promoted to Apata GROW Manager was because of my Young Grower win, to an extent. It put me ahead of other people and the company was willing to invest in my future because they could see the commitment I was capable of.”
Today, Erin has eight direct reports and leads an orchard management team who look after 524 hectares stretching from Athenree to Edgecumbe, Gisborne and Whanganui. She also chairs the Bay of Plenty Young Fruit Grower Upskilling Committee and has previously been an Associate Director of Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH).
“I have a philosophy, and I think Mel and Phoebe share this too, that it’s about working smarter, not harder. If we can put in an IT solution and make something easier or streamline a process, why would you not? At Apata we’re always willing to challenge the norm, and we’re always looking for that continuous improvement. It’s about asking ‘why do we keep doing it the same way? Is this the smartest or the best way?’”
All three women hold a Bachelor of Science (albeit with very different majors) and are keen to debunk the old stereotype that horticulture is a career path for non-academic students. Together they are responsible for helping Apata and growers make critical decisions – providing and analysing technical data, educating and informing on-orchard practices, and helping calculate vital crop estimates. They’re smart, driven and clearly love what they do.
Mel says the diversity and extent of opportunities that exist within horticulture is what appealed to her. “I started as a graduate and there are people within this industry that see you and want you to do better. They know that succession within horticulture is so important. So people are always looking at that next generation. ‘Who can we bring in? Who do we need to strengthen? What knowledge do we need to pass down as well?’ I’ve been in horticulture now eight years and have changed from avocado to kiwifruit. I’ve also started a family and currently work four days a week…There’s never been a ‘no’ for me. Apata has been an incredibly supportive company for my whole career. They’ve invested in me and given me a lot of opportunity and flexibility.”
Phoebe is the youngest of the trio at 29 years of age. She currently manages two Apata laboratories to carry out maturity testing and post-harvest analysis, helping to determine which fruit should be shipped out and when. “I also support Mel with crop estimates and help interpret data and produce reports so growers understand what’s going on as well. I just love people using data to make decisions. I’m a scientist at heart, so I love collecting data and using it to drive positive change.”
She also enjoys working in an industry where everyone is united under the Zespri brand and is working hard to grow the best possible kiwifruit for everyone’s benefit. “Ultimately, Zespri’s self-declared purpose is to help people, communities and the global environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit – and it’s cool to be a part of that.”
For Phoebe, entering the Young Grower competition was the opportunity to test her practical and technical skills against the very best in the country. “If anything it stretches you to do more than you would every day because you have to be an expert in a little bit of everything – plant nutrition, pest and disease, agrichemical safety, biosecurity, accounting… we covered everything.”
All three women wish more parents would encourage their children to pursue horticulture careers given the technical expertise required, leadership opportunities, work/life balance and money to be made. “It’s a great lifestyle,” Phoebe says. You get paid well, and quickly, without having to spend years climbing up the ranks like in other professions.”
Despite their youth, Erin knows growers respect their collective scientific and industry knowledge. “I’ve had people challenge me because of my age, especially earlier on in my career. But I have the technical knowledge and competency to back up what I’m saying. Everything’s up for a robust discussion but with time and respect, you build those relationships with people.” Mel adds that Apata is blessed to have some pretty incredible growers who respond well to the younger generation now coming through management. “For all three of us, we are known to have the knowledge. So when we’re sitting at the table, people take what we have to say seriously and we know we are making a real difference.”