Tēnā koutou katoa. Ngā mihi nui o te tau hou!

Welcome to our first Miro pānui for 2019. It is an honour and a privilege for me to have been appointed CEO of Miro in December 2018. You can read my bio later in the pānui along with our terrific Board.  First up, let me share with you some of the great progress we’ve made since the AGM in September.

Meihana Koata orchard, Te Teko

We were proud to sign the lease with Meihana Koata Trust at the AGM and get underway with building our next 28.5ha orchard in Te Teko. Earthworks on stage 1 (8.5ha) are now complete and design of orchard infrastructure is underway. We met with Miro investors interested in forming a growing syndicate for this project in December and documents to form that syndicate will be released in February. Construction of the tunnels will get under way in April.

A real highlight during November was the 5 Employment Expos we ran at Fort block to build a pipeline of orchard workers that could be used for Meihana Koata. More than 130 local whānau attended and applied. As a result, we employed 20 people to complete harvest, weeding, bird netting, and commence re-potting of plants. When construction gets underway at Meihana Koata, we’ll reach out again to those who are keen to be a part of the Miro whānau.

Mangaroa X orchard, Bridge Pa, Hastings

Another proud milestone was the signing of a lease on 60 ha of land in Bridge Pa, Hastings with Mangaroa X Trust.  It’s an exciting time as planning for this orchard gets underway as we work through the consenting process and pull together the development team. Ka rawe!

Harvest 2018 Summary – Our fruit comes to fruition!

Eureka! We completed our first harvest this year, picking 1.5 tonnes from Miro’s Fort orchard in Te Teko. Eureka and First Blush are the Mountain Blue Orchards (MBO) varieties (Australian) we grow – they are big, juicy, sweet and consumers pay a significant premium for these blueberries.

The NZ supply season for Eureka finished in the second week of December with BerryCo selling a total of 22,149 ILuv trays (circa 33k tonnes).  56% was sold through the NZ market and the remainder exported to Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.   The sales programme went for 16 weeks with most fruit sold through by Christmas.  Average return to growers per tray was $42.46 for Eureka branded fruit and $34.94 for Class two ILuv brand (only 1,296 trays). There are 1.5kgs per tray.

A summer of construction for Miro orchards

It’s been an extremely busy summer as seven Miro orchards got underway including:-

• Ngāti Kuri, Waimārama Orchards, 2 ha, Houhora

• Miro-Tupu Ake - Ngāti Hauā and Maungatapu D4 Trust, 2 ha Morrinsville

• Tauranga Moana Miro LP, 2ha, Matakana Island

• Wipere Trust, 0.3ha, Gisborne

• Ngāti Porou & Ngāti Hauiti, 1ha, Tolaga Bay

• Ngāti Ruanui, 0.9ha, Pātea

• Miro-Meihana Koata, 8.5ha, Te Teko

Each panui we’ll profile a different orchard.  This month is Ngāti Hauā and Maungatapu D4 under the mighty guidance of John Te Maru and Uncle Jack.

Ngāti Hauā and Maungatapu D4 Trust Orchard, Morrinsville

“The is a dream project to work on”

At 6am every morning, kaumatua and trustee Uncle Jack arrives at the orchard for karakia. The 4ha site employs seven people including orchard manager John Te Maru who sums up what the orchard means for his people of Ngāti Hauā in one word – Opportunity.

The orchard utilises the Haygrove tunnel and growing system that provides profitable, functional and sustainable solutions to growers and enable the grower to increase yields, improve quality, maximise cropping area, lengthen harvest periods and smooth production peaks.

John is most excited about the future and says the only challenge has been ‘pulling plastic.’

He tells us that feedback from kaimahi has been mixed, from “this is a dream project to work on”, to “that’s the most water I have ever drunk!”. For many it’s the ability to work on their whenua that has been the biggest reward, “I’ve always wanted to work on our own land.”

 Take a look at this short video to get a glimpse of what’s happening at the orchard. Ngāti Hauā Orchard Video, Enjoy!

Each month we’ll profile a member of the Miro team. To kick off, this month we’re introducing our Board and CEO.

Our Board

Rukumoana Schaafhausen, Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust (Chair)

Rukumoana is a commercial and property lawyer, and a Director and executive member on Regional Facilities Auckland Ltd, Te Waharoa Investments Ltd, Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui, and Genesis Energy. She has strengths in governance, sustainable economic development, and leadership, especially for communities, business, youth and women.

Lain Jager (Independent director)

Lain is best known for his role as Chief Executive Officer of Zespri from 2008-2017 led and transformed the Zespri group from an exporter of NZ Kiwifruit to a business that is now well positioned to develop kiwifruit related IP and to leverage that IP globally. Lain was nominated NZ Business Leader of the year in 2015, and awarded top Agribusiness Communicator in 2017. In 2018 he was appointed chairman of the government’s 15 person Primary Sector Council.

Bob Major (Independent director, Deputy Chair)

Bob spent his executive career in various roles within the New Zealand dairy industry, working for Fonterra Co-operative Group, the New Zealand Dairy Board and the New Zealand Dairy Research Institute. Bob is a director of Kiwirail Holdings and Westland Milk Products; Chair of Gibb Holdings Ltd; a director of BioVittoria Ltd and a member of the Investment Committee of Oriens Capital Private Equity Fund. He Chairs High Value Nutrition, and the Avocado Primary Growth Partnership.

Dr Riri Ellis, Tauranga Moana Miro LP

Riri is General Manager, Tākairangi Investments. Trustee/ Director, Ngāi Tūkairangi Trust in Mount Maunganui - one of the largest Māori producers of export kiwifruit in NZ. Delegate for the Federation of Māori Authorities. Governance positions in the past and present include: iwi investment companies; Ministerial appointments to a Māori Economic Development Panel, Work & Income Advisory Panel and Local Government Efficiency Taskforce; and representing New Zealand Indigenous people in United Nations and Human Rights projects in the Philippines and Bangkok.

Steve Saunders, Rockit Holdings Ltd

Steve has 32 years’ experience in the horticultural sector, international ventures, applied technology, environmental research & development, innovation and science. He is the founder, owner and Managing Director of the Plus Group of companies, specialising in horticulture and orchard management, pollen production, and robotics development via Robotics Plus Ltd. He is the Director of Priority One, Lincoln Hub, Agrigate, Rockit Global Limited, Tūhono Whenua Horticulture Ltd, and the Māori Economic Development Advisory Board, of “WNT Ventures” tech incubator and Planttech Regional Research Institute.

John Charleton, Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust

John is the COO of Ngāti Rārua Ᾱtiawa Iwi Trust. He is a Chartered accountant with 20 years’ experience including 10 years working in leading international financial institutions in the UK, the US and Australia. He has a broad knowledge base of financial and operational experience from a wide range of industries – with strengths in communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills, and commercial developments.

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer – CEO Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust

Debbie is the Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Trust, the Chair of Iwi Collective Fisheries Ltd Partnership, and a panel member of Work and Income Board. Debbie is also a director for Tūi Ora Ltd, Director-Chairman for Te Pātaka o Rauru and Nga Rauru Fishing Investment Ltd, Ngāti Ruanui Holdings Ltd, Ngāti Ruanui Holdings Operating Ltd, and a member of the Local Govt Efficiency Taskforce. She is also involved with Tourism Operation Mt Taranaki and Te Pataka o Tangaroa.

Our CEO

Liz Te Amo

Liz is the CEO at Miro. Of Waitaha, Tūhourangi, Tapuika and Ngāti Moko descent she spent 18 years in the public sector (with NZTE and MBIE) and 10 years in the private sector working with international businesses. Liz has lived and worked in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the US and Australia, dedicating her career to Māori business and New Zealand exports.

In other Interesting Berry News

Breakthrough research hails benefits of blueberries via Newshub.

For further info contact Liz Te Amo,

Email: liz.teamo@mirolp.co.nz

Phone: 021 224 8406