With nearly 30 years involvement in the global kiwifruit and viticulture industry’s, Craig has built a considerable body of knowledge in these fields with particular expertise in the kiwifruit industry. He prides himself in the strong relationships and networks he has built across both the New Zealand and global horticultural industry.

He seeks to lead by example, setting high performance standards and enjoys working in a team of great people who are motivated to deliver top results for all their stakeholders. He believes his core strengths are people management, kiwifruit and grape growing, post-harvest skills, business acumen, and common sense with a strong work ethic.

From 1988 until 2001 Craig worked in his family’s business and through hard work and determination built up his own portfolio of ownership in orchards and vineyards. He hails from a rural background, originally in dairy farming, with his first exposure in the NZ kiwifruit industry as early as 1984 working with John Kramer one of the earliest growers on No 3 Road in Te Puke.

Living and working in the Eastern Bay of Plenty he became the Managing Director of Opotiki Packing and Coolstorage (OPAC), an integrated kiwifruit company operating orchards across the Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay with a post-harvest site in Opotiki. This region is where Craig’s horticultural and viticulture investments are and where his management team operate across nearly 80 hectares of kiwifruit and 95 hectares of vineyards.

CRAIG THOMPSON

OWNER/ DIRECTOR

NZ + 64 21 595 184
IT + 39 346 492 9535
craig.thompson@thompsonsltd.co.nz