More than 80 years at the heart of New Zealand’s potato industry
Founded in 1941, Alex McDonald Ltd (Almac) has been part of New Zealand’s potato industry for more than 80 years. From its beginnings as a family business to the modern seed potato operation it is today, Almac has built its reputation on strong relationships, innovation and a commitment to producing healthy, high quality seed potatoes.
Prior to Colin McDonald’s retirement, the business was sold to Kerry and Antoinette Hughes in the early 2000s. Having worked within Almac for 31 years, Kerry has a strong connection to the company, its customers and its history. Today, he is proud to continue the family business values established by Alex McDonald, working alongside his children, Hannah and Logan, and carrying that legacy into the next generation.
Relationships have been central to Almac’s success. Over the decades, the business has developed long standing partnerships with seed growers, commercial growers, customers and breeders. Today, they work with second generation and in some cases, third generation members of the same farming families. These relationships have played an important part in the company’s 84 year history.
Almac represents six of the leading potato breeders from Europe and the United Kingdom, including the world’s largest potato breeding company. With more than 50 commercial varieties in production, the team works closely with growers and customers to match the right potato varieties with the right growing conditions, end users and markets.
Pioneering healthier seed potatoes
Innovation has also been a defining part of Almac’s history. In the late 1970s, Alex McDonald Ltd became the first company to introduce the Pathogen Tested Scheme to New Zealand, working in partnership with Plant & Food Research (now Bioeconomy Science Institute) at Lincoln and Pyper’s Produce of Invercargill.
The programme represented a significant step forward for the industry, establishing a new standard for the production of healthy, disease free seed potatoes. What began as a pioneering initiative has since become the backbone of New Zealand’s seed potato production system. Today, we produce the majority of New Zealand’s seed potatoes under this system. It is a legacy the business remains proud of, not only for the role Almac played in introducing the process, but for its continued commitment to advancing seed potato health and quality.
Contact Alex Mc Donald
Contact: www.almac-nz.com
Phone: 03 358 3390
Sales Manager: Logan Hughes: [email protected]
Glasshouse and Office Manager: Hannah Hughes: [email protected]
Field Operations Manager: Wayne Feast: [email protected]
