Our team

The people behind the fruit

A Northland team with deep roots in horticulture, from the orchard to the coolstore.

Owners / Directors

Alan & Helen Thompson

Alan and Helen have been involved in horticulture for nearly 45 years, growing melons, squash and other ground crops in the early 80s, and then diversifying into citrus and kiwifruit. After overseeing the rapid growth path of Kerifresh Ltd, Alan and Helen started Kainui Pack & Cool in 2009, a family-owned business which has grown from a small packing business using leased premises to a fully integrated orchard management and post-harvest business. The 2023 packing season saw the opening of the modern post-harvest facilities we now enjoy, with further coolstore developments underway for the 2025 season.

John Proctor

General Manager

John joined the Kainui Pack & Cool team in 2023, coming from a background in farming, valuation and rural finance. He was born and bred in Northland with a strong passion for horticulture and the primary industry.

Jamie Bevan

Operations Manager

Jamie joined the Kainui team after moving up from Auckland from a career in a third-generation plumbing and property business. Jamie’s extensive knowledge of all aspects of construction underpinned his role as Project Manager for our successful packhouse build, completed early in 2023. Now as Operations Manager, Jamie brings a fresh perspective to our post-harvest business, driving changes in better practice and efficiency.

Sarah Bingham

Crop Protection Manager

Sarah joined Kainui in 2021 as Crop Protection Manager after 10 years as Regulatory Product Manager with Syngenta ANZ and APAC. Previously, she worked in retail and production nurseries, then as a Horticultural Technical Officer at the University of Western Sydney, where she developed an interest in integrated pest management and studied insect-plant interactions. Sarah is passionate about producing quality fruit with minimal environmental impact, using science, practicality, and her knowledge of beneficial insects.

Kerry Carduso

Post Harvest Manager

Kerry started her horticulture career packing kiwifruit and mandarins during school holidays. After school, she worked full-time in the packhouse, gaining a thorough understanding of post-harvest processes and earning a horticulture certificate. As Post Harvest and Logistics Manager, Kerry manages all grower data and post-harvest software.

Kristen Henty

Compliance Manager

Kristen has been with Kainui for over 7 years as our Compliance Manager. She is responsible for RSE employment, food safety and GAP. She has a PhD in Biochemistry and worked as a research scientist prior to joining us.

Barb Peri

Quality Manager

Barb started out in the kiwifruit industry in Whangārei in 2001, initially in the documentation team, then moving into quality. Barb joined the Kainui team in 2012 and was appointed Quality Manager soon after. Barb manages the quality team, which is responsible for crop estimation, pest monitoring, maturity testing and fruit quality in the packhouse and coolstores.

Richard St George

Orchard Manager

Richard, trained as a builder and former Project Manager, joined Kainui Pack & Cool over 5 years ago. He brought skills in managing people, resources and projects, successfully overseeing an extensive development programme. Richard now manages over 130 ha of kiwifruit and citrus, building lasting relationships with growers and maximising orchard results each season.

Phil Wallis

Finance Manager

Phil Wallis, an accountant and administrator with over 12 years in horticulture, was Finance Manager for the Kerifresh Group (2000–2007) and joined the Kainui Group in 2019 after 10 years overseas. Known as “Zane Gray”, Phil is the self-appointed captain of the Kainui running team, organises the annual golf tournament, and offers fishing expertise.

James Rogers

Assistant Orchard Manager

James began picking kiwifruit for Kainui 10 years ago and has since worked in nearly all aspects of fruit production. Focusing on structure maintenance in recent years, he is now the Assistant Orchard Manager. With a farming background and years in horticulture, James studied horticulture and silviculture, gaining extensive knowledge of native plants and birds.

Alf Muaulu

Kiwifruit Vine Manager

Alf came to Kerikeri from Samoa over forty years ago and has worked in the kiwifruit industry in the Kerikeri region ever since. He joined the Kainui team in 2010 as our Kiwifruit Vine Manager. Alf has a thorough understanding of growing kiwifruit and enjoys close relationships with our RSE staff.

Heather Burgess

Coolstore Supervisor

Heather joined Kainui in 2017 from a background in logistics. She has worked in a variety of roles including administration and local market despatch. Now as the Coolstore Supervisor, she is responsible for the efficient management of the cool storage of our fruit and despatch.