‘Friend of the summerfruit industry’, Bruce Mackay, has been honoured by Summerfruit NZ with a Summerfruit NZ industry award. This award recognises people with long and dedicated service to a supplier or service role that have worked beyond the call of duty for the betterment of the New Zealand summerfruit industry.
Bruce started with Wattie’s during his university holidays 48 years ago but did not return fulltime until 2001, when he was contracted to provide a field service for Wattie’s fruit suppliers. Today, he is agricultural manager, a role he has been in for five years.
Bruce likes to be aware of what is happening. He uses his journey to and from work to look at orchards and crops. He is also focused on what other staff are doing – their priorities, timeframes and targets.
Bruce takes a keen interest in wider industry issues, especially research, which he considers is an important part of the business’s ongoing success.
‘I am actively involved in a number of industry groups looking at resource management, sustainability, and strategy, primarily with our primary production partners in mind, but also because Heinz Wattie’s is one of the most significant food processors in the country,’ says Bruce.
Summerfruit NZ Chair, Trudi Webb says Bruce is ‘a friend of the summerfruit industry’.
Summerfruit NZ would like to congratulate Bruce on his award and looks forward to continuing working with him on industry opportunities and challenges.