Located in Warkworth, the property consists of 26ha of glasshouses, housing approximately one million capsicum plants.
While the original growing operation can be traced back to a small business that began in a field in Matakana in 1988, the Southern Paprika Limited business (today known simply as SPL) started as a joint venture formed in 1998 by Alexander Cropping Limited (owned by Hamish and Robyn Alexander) and the Levarht Family of Holland. SPL was purchased by the New Zealand grower- owned cooperative, Market Gardeners Limited (MG Group), in March 2023.
SPL Today
Today, the 86ha SPL site is located in Warkworth, 60 minutes north of Auckland, is home to one million plants at any one time. The operation consists of five glasshouse complexes totaling 26ha.
SPL is one of the largest employers in the Warkworth region, with 130 permanent staff, along with 68 RSE workers Kiribati and Tuvalu.
MG Group
Since March 2023, SPL has been a wholly owned subsidiary business of grower-owned co-operative, Market Gardeners Limited, trading as the MG Group.
Established in 1923, the MG Group, is a leading fresh produce business, servicing the entire market with a full range of fruit and vegetables through a network of nine large temperature-controlled branches, along with two MG Direct branches.
MG partners with hundreds of growers (many of whom are shareholders), along with retail and food service customers.
MG is also involved in a number of complementary businesses including IP, exporting and marketing fresh flowers. It is the New Zealand partner for large international brands, including Dole and Sunkist.
In addition to owning SPL, MG owns 100% of the large Nelson hothouse and outdoor growing operation, JS Ewers, and the undercover berry fruit business, Kaipaki Berryfruits.
