Forklift Operators - Season 2026

Secure Your Spot Early — Forklift Operators Wanted for 2026!

Join New Zealand’s largest apple grower and exporter as a Forklift Operator for the season commencing January working through to August 2026.

Each year, Mr Apple hires skilled drivers to help move apples through our packhouses and coolstores. If you’re experienced and keen to play a key role in supporting our world-class apple supply chain, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll be doing:

As a Forklift Operator with us, you’ll play a vital role in keeping our operations running smoothly. You’ll be responsible for receiving, storing, moving, and loading bins or pallets of apples across our packhouses and coolstores. With two packhouses and multiple bin and coolstore sites, there’s plenty of variety in your day-to-day tasks. 

You’ll be part of a fast-paced, supportive team environment where safety, efficiency, and teamwork are key. Whether you're moving freshly picked apples from the orchard or loading pallets for export, your work helps ensure our apples reach global markets in top condition.

What you’ll bring: 

• Proven experience operating forklifts – an OSH certificate is a bonus, but not essential
• A strong commitment to health and safety practices
• Confidence with basic reading, writing, and numbers
• A team-first attitude and the ability to work well with people from all walks of life
• Flexibility to work across various sites in Hawke’s Bay
• Eligibility to work in New Zealand and able to pass pre-employment checks

What we offer: 

• A modern, reliable fleet to help you get the job done
• A supportive, down-to-earth team that treats you like whānau
• One of the longest-running seasons in the horticulture industry – more work, more opportunity
• A chance to turn seasonal work into something more permanent

This is a great opportunity to sharpen your forklift skills, work with a modern fleet, and gain hands-on experience in one of the country’s leading horticulture operations.