Food processing in Hawke’s Bay has been under the spotlight recently. Announcements from major manufacturers around plant closures and reduced operations have raised understandable questions (and prompted a parliamentary hearing) about the future of regional processing and what it means for growers, workers and local supply chains.
At the same time, businesses across the sector are continuing to adapt, invest and grow. For Reid Produce Co., that growth has always been closely tied to relationships. Relationships with growers. Relationships with customers. And relationships with the Hawke’s Bay region itself.
What began as a small scale supplier to the food service industry has steadily evolved into a trusted processing and supply partner for customers across New Zealand and international markets, while still remaining firmly connected to the people and land that underpin the business.
Built in Hawke’s Bay
Reid Produce Co.’s roots are in Hawke’s Bay, one of New Zealand’s most important horticultural regions. Surrounded by growers producing a wide range of fruit and vegetable crops, the business developed with a practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with seasonal produce.
That close proximity to growers still shapes how we operate today.
Strong grower relationships remain central to the business, particularly as export markets place increasing emphasis on consistency, traceability and reliable supply. For processors, access to quality produce is only part of the equation. Long-term partnerships and open communication across the supply chain are just as important.
This has become even more relevant in recent years as growers and manufacturers navigate changing weather patterns, rising operating costs and shifting international demand.
Growing alongside changing markets
Over time, we expanded from a local operation into a supplier supporting customers across domestic and Asia-Pacific markets.
That growth has reflected broader changes across food manufacturing. International customers are increasingly looking for produce suppliers who, in addition to quality raw ingredients, can provide processing capability, flexible formats and dependable year-round supply.
For us, adapting to these market needs has meant continuing to invest in processing capability while maintaining the flexibility that often comes with being a family-owned business.
Rather than moving away from its local roots, the company’s growth has strengthened them. Relationships with Hawke’s Bay growers continue to sit at the centre of the business, helping connect regional produce with customers across wider international markets.
The value of local processing
Recent conversations around the closure of food processing operations in Hawke’s Bay have highlighted the wider role processors play within regional economies.
Processing businesses support far more than manufacturing alone. They help growers access markets efficiently, reduce transport complexity and create pathways for produce that may not meet fresh retail specifications but still hold significant value within frozen or prepared applications.
Local processing capability also helps support supply chain resilience. Once infrastructure, industry knowledge and skilled workforces are lost from a region, they can be difficult to rebuild.
Remaining locally owned continues to influence how we, as a business, approach growth and long-term investment. Decisions are made with local stakeholders – the growers, customers and communities connected to the business itself – front of mind.
A people-focused business
Despite the increasing scale and complexity of food manufacturing, our day-to-day operations remain highly relationship-driven.
The Reid family continues to play an active role across the business, with expertise spanning operations, finance and sales. Alongside growers, processors, quality specialists and logistics partners, that collaborative approach helps support consistency across every stage of the supply chain.
As the food processing sector continues to evolve, we remain focused on combining that collaborative approach with the capability required to support modern domestic and export markets.
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Demand across global food markets continues to change, particularly throughout Asia-Pacific regions where customers are placing greater emphasis on health, convenience and the use of technology in food and shopping experiences.
For Hawke’s Bay processors, those shifts present both challenges and opportunities.
Reid Produce Co.’s story reflects how locally owned businesses can continue to grow while staying connected to the regions and communities they were built in.
In an industry increasingly shaped by scale and global competition, that local connection remains one of our greatest strengths.
