Mad Campers collaboration supports seasonal workforce

Mad Campers has teamed up with Central Otago cherry growers to help provide a seasonal workforce while borders are closed. 

The company is providing a fleet of self-contained Mad Campers campervans at great prices so people can enjoy the ultimate working holiday at 45 South Cherries. 

Cherry pickers can park up in a self-contained camper in the cherry orchard and get full use of cooking, shower and toilet facilities on-site. Pickers are finished at 3pm each day, allowing them to use their campers to sightsee during their time off. 

The pickers who pick the highest number of cherry buckets during the harvest will also get their Mad Camper rental free for the eight-week rental period during harvest.

45 South cherry growers usually employ as many New Zealanders as possible but also rely heavily on visiting backpackers and regional seasonal workers, who won't be coming this year due to the border closure. 

Chief Executive Tim Jones hopes the offer of summer jobs, a campervan to live in, and special deals for local attractions will help attract the 400 to 500 workers needed to harvest what is looking like a bumper crop. He also hopes to create a backpacker experience some young people might have missed out on going overseas.

Mad Campers Managing Director Andy Haslett said they were looking for ways replace the overseas visitors who made up the majority of their customers pre-COVID-19. Using the campers to support seasonal recruitment also means jobs were saved at the company. 

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