Mr Maxwell John Paynter

Businessman

In 1862 the Paynter family established their first apple and stonefruit trees near Stoke, Nelson, in the South Island.  In doing so, a legacy was planted that would transcend generations, influence an industry, contribute to the lives of Kiwis and become a household name for New Zealand families today.  In the early 1900s, the Paynter family moved to Hawke’s Bay. In 1962, after attending Massey University, Mr Paynter joined his father in business on their original 11 acre orchard.  It’s here Mr Paynter and business partner Mr Peter Andersen established the “Yummy” brand in 1973. Over time it became renowned for quality apples and stonefruit.

 Innovation, vision and leadership are at the heart of the business.  They have travelled the world in search of new varieties that would excite the consumer, planting more than 2000 hectares of fruit trees in his career.  Forever the innovator, Mr Paynter was the first to introduce frost-fighting wind machines to New Zealand in 1978.  They are now ubiquitous across the horticultural sector.

 Mr Paynter was instrumental in the development of the broader fruit industry, serving on the Apple and Pear Marketing Board for 18 years and the Kiwifruit Marketing Board for 8 years, culminating in becoming Founder Chairman of Zespri.  He also served on several other boards in including Hortresearch, the Port of Napier and NZ Post.

 In 2000 Mr Paynter received an ONZM in the New Year Honours. In 2016 he received Pipfruit New Zealand Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Pipfruit Industry, in 2017 the Award of Associate of Honour of the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture (AHRIH) and the Hawkes  Bay Primary Sector Industry Leader Award.