Our Story

In 1862 the Paynter family established their first apple and stonefruit trees near Stoke, Nelson.

In doing so, a legacy was planted that would transcend generations, influence an industry, contribute to the lives of Kiwi kids and become a household name for New Zealand families today.

Grounded by tradition, driven by innovation

In the early 1900s, the Paynter family moved to sunny Hawke’s Bay. It’s here, five generations later, that Yummy fruit has grown to a nationwide brand, loved by Kiwis for our quality apples and revolutionary varieties of stonefruit.

Innovation, vision and leadership sit at the heart of the old family homestead in Havelock North where our office is still based. Fourth generation grower and industry pioneer, John Paynter, and his son Paul, have dedicated their lives to growing and producing, and they’ve travelled the world in search of the latest varieties to grow on our shores. While classic favourites are still our thing, we’ve also been the first to bring you exciting new varieties that our customers have quickly fallen in love with.

We grow for New Zealand

Our country is well known for exceptional fruit production, so we think it’s only right that Kiwis should be able to get their hands on delicious, nutritious, locally grown apples, year round.

Which is why we grow and store our fruit specifically for the New Zealand market, selling our pick of the bunch right here for Kiwis to enjoy!

Yummy fruit is all grown in our very own apple and stonefruit orchards, spanning over 700 hectares of stunning Hawke’s Bay land. With over 100 full-time staff, and up to 300 seasonal workers, we pack fresh fruit 364 days of the year in our on-site packhouse. Then it’s out on the road in our dedicated temperature-controlled trucks ensuring it arrives fresh to you, daily!

With our own packhouse and transport system we can control and deliver consistency in quality, standards and freshness. It guarantees that Yummy fruit reaches you in the best possible condition for that eating experience that Kiwi families love and trust!

“The Yummy sticker represents quality fruit and is a brand you can trust, we keep our best apples for New Zealand”

John Paynter

Planting for tomorrow

Much like our ancestors did, we like to keep things simple, the way that nature intended. Growing quality fruit as naturally as possible in a healthy and safe environment is important to us. 

We’re always seeking smarter, greener ways of doing things. We’ve helped lead the way by introducing safer practices and more innovative methods, both out in the orchards, and in the packhouse. Find out more here.

We have a proud connection to the history that has paved the way to where we are today, and a commitment to ensuring a healthy and prosperous future for generations to come.