Bill Thorpe – Chairman

Founder of the company in 1989 Bill has over thirty years experience in horticulture covering the whole spectrum of activity from growing and packing to marketing and sales. As a major shareholder in three large orchards and Managing Director of NZ Fruits Bill lives and breathes all things horticulture. Bill’s other passion is sailing and it is fair to say he approaches this in the same way as he does his business – “driven to succeed”

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Ian Albers – Managing Director

Ian joined the company in 2000. With a background in primary produce marketing – Fish, Flowers, Fruit (does anyone see a pattern here!) Ian is tasked with working in and on the business providing strategic direction for the company as well assuming responsibility for Kiwifruit. Ian became a Director and shareholder of First Fresh in 2004.

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Wi Reedy – Financial Controller

Defying the stereotypical image of accountants Wi is as comfortable and accomplished at packing down on the side of a Rugby scrum as he is debating the finer points of the latest tax legislation! Wi is also a whiz when it comes to PC’s and has designed and developed the software for our grower payment system from scratch. Wi is a director and shareholder.

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Brian Pepper – Product Manager

From photocopiers to Persimmons - a giant leap for many but a small stride for Brian in 1998 when he joined First Fresh. 2 months later he broke his leg!! Brian shoulders the responsibility for arguably our single most important crop, Persimmons, as well as a number of others. He brings a “roll the sleeves up” attitude to the business and gets stuck in to get the job done no fuss. Brian also became a shareholder and Director of the company in 2004.

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Phil Croy – Product Manager

Since joining First Fresh in 2003 Phil has leapt into the role of product manager assuming responsibility for a large range of crops from big (like navels Oranges) to small (just ask him how many figs he has sold). After 13 years of peddling wine, and a brief stint in the Tobacco industry Phil decided that an industry with less vices was in order.

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Stuart Mansill – Product Manager / Export Sales

Stuart re-joined First Fresh in 2005, having worked for the company from 1994-1998. In the ensuing years Stuart has honed his skills on the horticultural export scene and we welcomed the opportunity to bring him back into the fold. Stuart oversees the majority of the companies export sales and takes direct responsibility of the “out of Gisborne” range of crops.

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Wayne Hall – Field Service Manager

Wayne is the ‘go to’ tech man for our grower suppliers and the marketing team. As a grower in his own right Wayne is able to provide growers with a wide range of orchard management advice and experience. He has established a highly regarded crop monitoring system and service for grower suppliers and regularly runs workshops and seminars. Passionate and direct sum up his approach to the business and he is a vital link between growing, packing and marketing.

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Sally Russell – Assistant Product Manager

Sally joined the First Fresh team in 2008 following a first-class grounding in the rural banking industry. Having grown up surrounded by a horticultural family in the Hawkes bay, she is well aware of the pressures and rewards in the wonderful world of growing.

Sally ensures vital tools like grower databases; crop monitoring results and sales information is kept up to date and accurate. She also collates our monthly newsletter ‘Fresh Focus’ and the weekly communiqués sent to growers and customers. Sally has also taken on product management responsibility for some of the smaller (but by no means less important) crops in our portfolio.

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Tim Creswell – Crop monitoring Scout / Field service

Affectionately known as ‘Bug Man’ Tim has been known to spot Californian Red Scale crawlers from 20 metres! Tim is the ‘eyes’ of the crop monitoring program spending most days looking at leaves and fruit through a 5x lens. Tim also provides assistance to Wayne in areas such as crop assessments, trial work and maturity testing.