WELLINGTON: Australasia’s largest kiwifruit grower – has announced a name change and rebrand which it says reflect its evolution into a leading premium produce company. Te Puke-headquartered Seeka Kiwifruit Industries Limited has been rebranded “Seeka”, with the new company name Seeka Limited, effective 28 October. The company will retain its NZX ticker code of SEK. “Kiwifruit remains our foundation, but the company has matured to the point where it is now time for us to reset the brand strategically for our next growth platform,” said Seeka chief executive Michael Franks.
The new brand was presented to internal staff on Thursday and announced at Seeka’s annual stakeholders meeting yesterdayafternoon in Tauranga. “We have a greatly diversified range of products, processing and marketing activities across New Zealand, Australia and internationally,” he said.
“The old brand didn’t reflect Seeka’s performance, activity and energy, or where we aspire to be. It was time for us to overhaul and future-proof the way we present Seeka for our growers, shareholders, customers and other stakeholders. Today we send more produce to key markets around the world than ever before.” Seeka has been in business for almost three decades. In addition to growing, processing and marketing kiwifruit, avocados and kiwiberries, Seeka also imports, ripens and distributes bananas and tropical fruits from the Philippines and South America in New Zealand, and holds the New Zealand agency for Sumifru.
Last year it acquired leading Australian kiwifruit company Bunbartha Fruit Packers Pty for $25 million and set up Seeka Australia. In addition to having an estimated 80 per cent of Australian kiwifruit production, the Australian arm of the company is also a major grower of Nashi pears, as well as plums, apricots and cherries. Seeka also recently acquired the Kiwi Crush and Kiwi Crushies nutraceutical product ranges and will move into a new, purpose-built head office in Te Puke early next year.
