Rockit Global, a firm from Hawke’s Bay, is set to export 100 million tiny apples this year. However, that number is likely to increase to more than 400 million by 2025, after the company made a multi-million investment in a new Hastings headquarters and facilities.
Chief executive Mark O'Donnell said the state of the art 21,000 m2 pack house, cool store and global office used artificial intelligence to sort, pack and store the PremA96 miniature apple variety, for which Rockit Global holds the exclusive world rights.
When at full production Rockit aimed to pack 400,000 to 500,000 tubes of its snack apples a day, O’Donnell told stuff.co.nz.
In March, the completion of a successful capital raise to fund the new facility and new orchards was announced, with Ngāi Tahu Holdings taking a 6 per cent stake, and foundation investor Punchbowl Investments, along with its PB Rock group of investors increasing their combined stake to 15 per cent.
At that time, the apples, marketed under the brand name Rockit were sold in 30 markets, with demand continuing to grow exponentially across America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
The miniature apple, weighing just 100 grams, is a world first. It took 20 years of breeding by New Zealand Plant and Food scientists to develop and was sold as a speciality snack. The apples were a hybrid of the popular gala and splendor apples, O’Donnell said.