Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Boost for HB's Rockit apple brand

By Harrison Christian
Hawkes Bay Today·
18 Mar, 2015 04:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Economic Development Minister Stephen Joyce opened the Havelock North Fruit Company's new processing facility for the Rockit apple brand in Havelock North last night.

Economic Development Minister Stephen Joyce opened the Havelock North Fruit Company's new processing facility for the Rockit apple brand in Havelock North last night.

The Rockit apple brand has received another boost with a new 2500sq m facility opened in Havelock North by Economic Development Minister Stephen Joyce last night.

The Havelock North Fruit Company (HNFC) had the processing facility built to meet global demand for its Rockit apples, which are marketed in a clear plastic tube and exported to several countries.

At last night's function, Mr Joyce declared the building officially open for business, saying he admired HNFC's innovation.

"Here in Hawke's Bay and right around the country, there's a whole bunch of innovative companies that are going out and creating their own niches in the world and succeeding.
"You're not just taking on New Zealand, you're going to take on the world and win."

HNFC managing director Phil Alison said $17 million had been invested in the production and marketing of Rockit so far, and world-wide consumer demand for the apples was up 700 per cent from 2013.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rockit's success had proved a fruit such as an apple could be marketed as "a premium snack food and compete against sugar-coated confectionary".

"We're very proud of our of our Hawke's Bay heritage," Mr Alison said. Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the company had partnered with EIT Hawke's Bay and the Ministry of Social Development to develop a pre-employment course, which had provided jobs for more than 20 locals.

"What we're witnessing tonight is an absolute example of where New Zealand needs to go and where Hawke's Bay needs to go.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I'm told that in 2018 there could be 40 jobs and following on from that there could be 300."

The building was blessed by a local kaumatua and the dignitaries underwent a tour of the facility.

The new digs at Cooper St include a 2500sq m packhouse, coolstore, computerised grading equipment and administration offices.

HNFC exports Rockit apples the United States, Britain, Canada, Italy, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Discover more

With capping day near, Floyd's in the pink

22 Mar 10:35 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay

Hawkes Bay Today

'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues

Premium
Hawkes Bay Today

Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay
Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay

Some roads remained blocked.

17 Jul 06:02 AM
'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues
Hawkes Bay Today

'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues

17 Jul 04:06 AM
Premium
Premium
Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa
Hawkes Bay Today

Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP