About us

Whitehall Fruitpackers is one of the Waikato's leading horticultural businesses, with more than 300 canopy hectares of green, gold and red kiwifruit, including a strong organic production focus. Our operations also extend across dairy farming, dry stock, and apiaries.

About the role

An exciting opportunity for an experienced beekeeper—or a motivated beginner with a genuine willingness to learn—to join the established apiary team. This hands-on role offers variety across the full beekeeping cycle, from maintaining healthy colonies and supporting pollination through to honey production, queen rearing and seasonal hive management. You will work alongside a close-knit team, build practical skills and help maintain high standards of hive health, productivity and animal welfare across operations.

Key responsibilities

• Maintain colonies of healthy bees for pollination and production of honey

• Collect hive products including honey, beeswax, and pollen

• Help make decisions on yards, treatment, splits, honey harvesting and all other beekeeping activities

• Build and manage queen-rearing operations

• Ensure breeding yards are kept at an optimal level of production

• Maintain strict control over diseases and pests

• Identify and report hive health concerns

• Prepare colonies for both production and wintering during season changes

About you

• Passionate about beekeeping and willing to learn

• Strong work ethic, flexibility and commitment to get the job done

• Team player who enjoys working in a close knit and diverse team

• Observe all health and safety requirements and treat others with respect

• Communicate and listen well

• Physically strong and well, with the ability to lift up to 25kg

• Preferred: Commercial beekeeping experience

• Preferred: Queen rearing experience

• Preferred: Full Drivers license (Class 2 or above is advantageous)

• Preferred: Forklift license