Strengthening the Avocado Industry Through Partnership with Customers and NZ Avocado Industry
Over the past few years, Hill Labs has worked closely with avocado customers and industry partners to continuously improve our internal systems and services. One significant outcome of these ongoing discussions is our formalised partnership with New Zealand Avocado Industry. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to raising standards and supporting the broader sector.
Listening to feedback from growers, exporters, and packhouses, we’ve implemented changes that directly respond to their needs – most notably, adopting a four-working-day turnaround time not only for avocado residue testing but now extended to heavy metal testing as well. These tests are conducted using one representative sample per batch, ensuring efficiency while maintaining quality. This quicker turnaround plays a big role in helping growers make timely harvest decisions on-orchard, supports packhouses in managing workflows, and gives exporters the confidence to meet tight market access deadlines.
Importantly, we recognise that transparency is key. As our services evolve, we are committed to keeping the industry informed of internal improvements and new capabilities. Regular updates and clear communication remain at the heart of our customer relationships. We take a holistic approach to supporting growers beyond testing crops. Our services cover the full growing cycle, including:
Through our engagement with exporters, growers, and packhouses, we’ve also been able to assist them with underlying challenges they might face - ranging from sampling inconsistencies to compliance bottlenecks. These insights have allowed us to offer targeted support, from technical guidance to refining analytical approaches, making our role not just that of a testing lab, but a genuine partner in quality assurance and market readiness.
Beyond lab testing, our work with industry stakeholders has also enabled us to assist with broader issues impacting both the New Zealand domestic market and key overseas markets. From understanding specific export requirements to addressing quality assurance concerns across supply chains, we’re proud to play a proactive role in helping the industry meet evolving global standards.
The team at NZ Avocado had this to say about our ongoing relationship:
The New Zealand avocado industry body (NZ Avocado) partners with Hill Labs to undertake crucial residue testing for its stakeholders. Hill Labs' timely provision of these services enables our stakeholders to meet export market Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) requirements, provide food safety assurance, and maintain access to key international markets.
Additionally, NZ Avocado is working with Hill Labs on a system interoperability project to improve data access and efficiency in residue testing data analysis. This collaboration will help data analysis processes and support ongoing assessment of compliance with market requirements.
We look forward to continuing our valued partnership with Hill Labs and delivering added value to the wider New Zealand avocado industry and its stakeholders across the range of services it provides.
