Project brings together six businesses in the New Zealand kiwifruit industry to transition away from high global warming refrigerants
A collaborative project helping to decarbonise New Zealand’s kiwifruit cool chain has been named a finalist in the 2026 Sustainable Business Awards Outstanding Collaboration Award, recognising the impact that can be achieved when organisations work together to address industry-wide challenges.
The Kiwifruit Post Harvest Industry Refrigerant Decarbonisation Project, a partnership between Seeka, Trevelyan’s, Apata, DMS, G4 Kiwi Supply and Hume Pack-N-Cool, has been named a finalist in the Outstanding Collaboration category at the 2026 Sustainable Business Awards.
Established in 2024, the project was formed in response to a significant challenge facing the kiwifruit post harvest sector: transitioning away from high global warming refrigerants while managing ageing refrigeration infrastructure. Recognising the scale of the challenge, competing post harvest operators chose to work together to identify practical, commercially viable solutions for the collective benefit of the industry.
Supported by NZ$1.75mn in joint industry and government funding, the project has undertaken seven pilot projects, upgraded 29 refrigeration systems to lower-impact alternatives, and reduced potential emissions by more than 17,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The work has also generated valuable data and insights to support refrigeration decarbonisation across the wider horticulture sector.
The Outstanding Collaboration Award recognises partnerships that combine expertise, resources and relationships to achieve meaningful environmental or social outcomes. It celebrates not only the results achieved, but the willingness of organisations to work beyond traditional boundaries in pursuit of a shared goal.
The project’s steering group comprises Lloyd Franks (Seeka), Ollie Hoare (HumePack), Sarah Lei (Trevelyan’s) and Les Dimond (G4 Kiwi Supply), supported by technical partner DETA and funding partners across government and industry.
Seeka’s sustainability and risk manager Lloyd Franks said: “It’s great to have our efforts recognised in the Sustainable Business Awards. This project shows what we can achieve when businesses come together around a shared goal. Sustainability is something we all have a part to play in, and we’re already setting our sights on the next steps to future-proof our industry”.
The finalist recognition follows the project’s recent success at the 2026 Horticulture Industry Awards, where it received the FMG Sustainable Innovation Award.
Winners of the 2026 Sustainable Business Awards will be announced on 26 November in Auckland.
