Our Story
Te Mata Orchards is a family run business started by Ken and Marion Kiddle. Ken, an industrial chemist, and Marion a university lecturer in Zoology, in a complete change, and after much thought, purchased their first orchard in Waimarama Road, Havelock North. Later, they, along with Dr Don McKenzie, a good friend and world renown pomologist, extended their holdings with the purchase of a nearby property.
Ian Kiddle, Ken and Marion's son, now manages the orchard with the assistance of his sister, Leigh. The orchard is located in the foothills of Te Mata o Rongokako (Te Mata Peak), in Havelock North. A beautiful area of Hawke's Bay with a number of orchards and well established wineries close by. The Tukituki river meanders past the orchard on its way to the Pacific Ocean.
The orchard grows BioGro certified organic fruit; peaches, apricots, nectarines, a large variety of plums and apples and pears. Most of this fruit is sold on the local market. Although some apples are exported.
Ken and Ian take a quality driven approach to growing fruit. They both take immense pride in producing fruit that customers enjoy and rave over. The fruit is "Sweet As", juicy and/or crunchy, great colour and arrives in prime condition to the customer. In such good condition we have been asked if the apples are conventionally grown!! We of course will supply fruit that is supermarket quality of various sizes.
But now we would also like to bring to you fruit that the supermarkets don't like to handle ie 'ugly fruit' and fruit that is 'inappropriately' coloured. Believe me, you won't want another apple after you have tasted a sun bleached, green/yellow Granny Smith. We will endeavour to bring you fruit that not only tastes good, is good for you, is bio gro certified because we use organic growing principles and methods.