Long rows of rosemary bushes and lush bay trees are the first fresh flavours to welcome your senses at Superb Herb.
Situated in Parakai, North West of Auckland lie rows upon rows of greenhouses, counting eight in total. Each unique greenhouse harbours its own climate to host the 25 different varieties of fresh herbs Superb Herb is now offering in their range.
From a hot and humid environment where the makrut and curry trees are thriving to a much cooler and ventilated greenhouse for those herbs that prefer to chill, such as dill and fennel, the growing conditions created are something else.
The goal for the passionate Superb Herb team is clear: to grow top quality fresh herbs sustainably and all year-round, which is no small feat even with the ability to control their environment. So, Superb Herb relies on a couple of friends to help them achieve their goals – nature and technology.
Beneficial insects are introduced regularly, who work their magic alongside the help of humans to combat the tiny pests that love to attack the range of herbs. This means that no hard chemicals or chlorine wash are ever used. It’s truly ready-to-eat!
An astounding company with a strong sustainability story, Superb Herb is completely self-sufficient in water. They’ve embraced a process that involves recuperating rainwater into large ponds on-site, pumping only what’s required to water each pot. They then recirculate the same water after being filtered by the latest UV technology. Another proud moment in their sustainability journey was the launch of their 100% PET1 punnet, which is one of the few types of plastic that’s able to be sourced and recycled in New Zealand.
And this is where technology starts – Superb Herb’s new glasshouse, commissioned at the end of 2019, has catapulted the business into the modern age, full of neat automation which makes the day-to-day work of the staff much lighter while making sure each plant gets the right amount of light. Two robots are working non-stop to space thousands of pots every day, a job that in the past would’ve taken days to complete and a lot of effort.
Last year, Superb Herb proudly opened their online store, making all of their 25 varieties available to everyone, whatever their location in New Zealand. A sigh of relief!
One of their main goals in 2021 is to finish automating the harvesting areas of the business and to build a brand new pack room and dispatch area. This will be another huge milestone for this 100% Kiwi business that continues to grow from the ground up.
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