Saffron Riley

Saffron Riley is an Orchard Foreman at Mr Apple's Brookfields orchard, a role she stepped into in early 2026 after progressing steadily through the ranks since joining the industry in 2021. In her current position, she leads daily crew operations, coordinates irrigation schedules, manages labour allocation during harvest, and oversees health and safety on the block. Her path to foreman is all the more notable given she made a deliberate career change from a qualified trade in hairdressing, committing to formal horticultural study within her first two weeks on the job.

Saffron holds Level 3 and 4 certificates in Horticulture Fruit Production from EIT, completed with two scholarships, and is currently studying towards a Level 4 qualification in Business and Administration through Open Polytechnic. Her five and a half years in the industry have taken her from orchard trainee to senior leading hand, building expertise across tree training, chemical application, tractor operation, irrigation maintenance, and team supervision.

Looking ahead, Saffron wants to deepen her understanding of orchard budgeting, export logistics, and compliance, applying her business studies to ensure operational success translates into a sustainable and profitable business model. As a mother working in the industry, she is driven by a strong sense of purpose and a genuine commitment to helping future-proof the Hawke's Bay fruit sector for the next generation.