About
Founders, Hendrik and Beverley Pieters, have been growing Kiwifruit for over four decades and together with their son Simon, they've developed Pieters Horticulture into a well regarded, quality-focused, contracting business.
"We take great pride in the skills and experience of our team and what we can offer growers -
all underpinned by a positive environment for our staff that fosters knowledge and learning"
...so what's happening
on the orchard?
Different seasons require different work to be completed in the orchards. We retain a small team of people to undertake vine management throughout the year. This work includes pruning, vine training, and bud thinning. In the autumn (between March and June) we employ much bigger teams of people for the busy harvest season. This involves picking fruit from our own orchards and other local growers. Then again in the spring (November) we employ another team of people to help us pick flowers and process pollen.
What makes us different?
learn on
the job
Full training is provided on your first day, so you will learn everything required to do a good job and keep yourself safe.
employment agreements
We provide you with an employment agreement to ensure you understand what is required, and what you will be paid, before you get started.
seasonal
work
We employ all our picking staff on a casual basis. This is perfect for those of you who are backpacking through New Zealand and only want a few weeks work. But you can, of course, stay the whole season!
work direct
You will work directly for us, so if you have any issues, questions or concerns we are right there to help.
No middlemen and no sub-contracting.
clear
communication
We understand that there is nothing worse than not knowing what is happening, so we pass on as much information as possible, whenever it is available.
Nico & Alba
Spain
Backpackers 2025 & 2026
Pieters Horticulture was the first company we worked for in New Zealand, and what a gem it is!
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It’s an amazing family-owned business, and what we appreciated most was the close relationship we had with the owners, working side by side with them every day. We truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The entire team is incredibly welcoming, and every time we’ve come back, we’ve felt right at home. We’re very grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such a wonderful workplace, the experience and the good memories made there!
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Thank you so much, and see you very soon!
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(Roles: Spring flower picking 2025, supervising and tractor driving autumn kiwifruit harvest 2026)
Aaron Holz
Germany
Backpacker, 2023 & 2024
​Ich bin ein 20-jähriger deutscher Backpacker und kam im Oktober zu Pieters Horticulture, wo ich bis Dezember gearbeitet habe. Meine Erfahrung war einfach großartig. Ein Highlight war, dass die Leute, mit denen man arbeitet, auch die gleichen sind, mit denen man zusammenwohnt, egal ob man auf dem Zeltplatz bleibt, der fantastisch ist mit gemütlichen, warmen Duschen und einem coolen Aufenthaltsraum, oder in den Häusern. Dadurch entstehen schnell starke Freundschaften, und man hat sowohl bei der Arbeit als auch in der Freizeit viel Spaß.
Pieters ist eine Firma, die sich wirklich um ihre Mitarbeiter kümmert. Sie zahlen fair und immer pünktlich, was ich sehr geschätzt habe. Die Supervisor und die Besitzer sind unglaublich freundlich, und man merkt, dass es ein Familienunternehmen ist, in dem die Mitarbeiter wirklich geschätzt werden. Sie führen gerne Gespräche mit dir, was eine sehr angenehme und entspannte Arbeitsatmosphäre schafft. Es überrascht nicht, dass so viele Leute im Laufe des Jahres immer wieder zu Pieters zurückkehren.
So wie ich, der seine letzten Monate des Working Holiday dort von August bis September verbracht hat, um noch etwas Geld zu verdienen. Ich kann euch nur ans Herz legen, bei Pieters Horticulture zu arbeiten und diese Zeit zu genießen!
Ashley Langton
Australia
Backpacker, 2022 to 2026
I've returned for multiple picking seasons and winter pruning seasons with Pieters Horticulture and they have always been happy to have me back each time. The company has a welcoming vibe and Hendrik is always happy to stop by the camp to catch up with everyone and give us the latest updates.
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The work itself is challenging, but that's the reality of orchard work. Seeing all the different steps through the year, the time and the hard work that's invested into the kiwifruit industry is a unique experience. Additionally, being able to share that experience with other fellow travelers is truly something special. ​
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Thanks for the wonderful times!