Andrew Fenton was on the other side of the premier presentation at this year’s New Zealand Horticulture Industry Awards.

The inaugural Horticulture NZ president, Andrew has presented the Horticulture Bledisloe Cup – the supreme industry award – on several occasions.

This year the Te Puke-based kiwifruit and avocado grower, involved in the industry for 50 years, was the recipient.

Organisers of the 2025 awards ceremony had asked him to speak on the 20-year anniversary of Horticulture NZ.

“It was an enormous surprise when I was actually presented with the trophy,” he says. “I was completely duped… just gob smacked.”

Andrew, who first bought a kiwifruit block in 1972, now runs two small orchards, both with kiwifruit and one also with avocados.

“We’ve had some great years, and some disasters,” he says.

The latter included the financial crisis of 1991, which saw kiwifruit growers struggling to stay on the land.

“It was a tragic time.”

Andrew says this turned around with a restructure of the industry, particularly in marketing.

Kiwifruit growers also faced the devastating disease Psa and “offshore opposition”.

“Now, we are riding a very positive wave,” says Andrew.

From a family of lawyers, he always had an interest in the business side of horticulture, its management and leadership.

‘Industry-good activities’

“I like being involved in industry-good activities,” says Andrew. “I’m not that good at saying no.”

Initially part of the Te Puke Fruitgrowers Association, he was elected to the national body in 1997.

He is the current president of the NZ Fruitgrowers Federation and chairs the associated NZ Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust.

The trust owns the Huddart Parker building in Wellington and Fenton chairs the body which disperses income from the property - $600,000-$700,000 annually - to the horticultural sector in grants and scholarships.

It also supported growers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023 and more recently growers in Nelson.

He has been a board director of the Horticultural Export Authority (HEA) and had a similar role with Kiwifruit NZ (KNZ) - the regulatory body of the kiwifruit industry.

Andrew recently retired as a director of produce co-operative Market Gardeners (NZ) and La Manna Premiere Group (now Premier Fresh Australia), a major fruit and vegetable supply chain company across the Tasman.

He was on both boards for 18 years.

A life member of Horticulture NZ, he says the sector was divided into product sectors, such as tomatoes, potatoes, apples and pears, before the formation of the unitary authority.

“There needed to be one voice to go to the Government on big issues such as water supply and the Resource Management Act.”

The Horticulture Bledisloe Cup is awarded to a person who has made an outstanding and meritorious contribution to the NZ horticulture industry.

At the awards ceremony in Wellington, Horticulture NZ board chair Bernadine Guilleux said for five decades Andrew had brought his passion for the industry, his experience, practical common-sense approach and constructive and positive team attitude to many aspects of the sector.

“His deep interest in industry good matters, in kiwifruit and the wider horticulture industry has benefited all growers. He enjoys making a leadership contribution to industry progress and advocacy.”

Top trophy

The Bledisloe Cup for horticulture was first presented in 1931 by the then Governor-General Lord Bledisloe, for a competition between orchardists for the best exhibit of NZ apples at the Imperial Fruit Show in London.

It is one of several cups Lord Bledisloe presented to NZ and is similar to rugby’s Bledisloe Cup, which was also donated in 1931.

Not surprisingly, the Bay of Plenty featured strongly at the 2025 NZ Horticulture Industry Awards.

The President’s Trophy, which recognises a person showing promise in a horticulture industry business and/or leadership, was presented to Daniel Kenna.

Bernadine Guilleux says, in a relatively short time in the sector, Kenna - orchard manager and researcher with Katikati-based KW KIWI - has made a significant contribution in the fields of research, community, innovation and sustainability.

“He is co-chair of Future Farmers NZ and has established, in partnership with Zespri, the ION Impact Orchard Network programme, which is designed to develop, improve and demonstrate sustainable and effective orchard practices.”

The Sustainable Innovation Award was presented to Gordon Skipage and Pranoy Pal of Te Puke-based Trevelyan Pack and Cool Ltd.

Bernadine says the award celebrates those who are developing, or have developed, technologies, an innovation or undertaken research that increased productivity, profitability, or environmental sustainability in the horticulture sector.

Gordon Skipage, Trevelyan’s head of technical and Pranoy Pal, kiwifruit technical manager, are working with research partners conducting regenerative agriculture trials to provide evidence-based knowledge for the NZ kiwifruit industry.

“This is laying the groundwork for further research that can help the industry move towards sustainable, low-carbon production and climate resilience,” says Bernadine.