FROM ORCHARD TO OIL
At the edge of the Kaipara Harbour in Tapora, rows of avocado trees stretch across rich, sandy black soil, producing the fruit that inspired The Avo Keeper, a single-estate cold-pressed virgin avocado oil.
Photo Laura Tait Puhoi Farm House
“Heels to gumboots and back again” has defined the rhythm of Anna’s life over the past seven years. With her partner Garry, she regularly drives north, turning at Wellsford and continuing past Port Albert to their avocado orchard in Tapora. The area is rich in Māori history and shaped by sand dunes, mangrove flats, and fertile soils. When they first took over the property, there were around 500 mature avocado trees, but this has since grown to more than 3,000.
Along the way, Anna has picked up a range of unexpected skills, from driving tractors to using a chainsaw, while also managing the ongoing challenges of weeds and changing weather. After a career in marketing, working on the orchard has offered a completely different kind of learning experience, one grounded in understanding the land and its natural cycles. Today, soil health, biodiversity, and nurturing the orchard ecosystem are central to their approach.
One particular challenge became clear during harvest: many avocados failed to meet the cosmetic standards required for the fresh market, despite being perfectly good inside. As someone who loves food and dislikes waste, Anna saw this as a problem worth solving.
The solution became The Avo Keeper, a cold-pressed virgin avocado oil made from fruit grown on their Tapora orchard. This single-estate oil reflects a close connection between the land and the kitchen, capturing the nutrient-rich qualities of the fruit. Designed to sit on the kitchen bench in what Anna calls a “Keepsake bottle,” it can be refilled using a one-litre pouch, reflecting her belief in using good ingredients thoughtfully and sustainably.
Working with the oil has also deepened Anna’s appreciation of its qualities. She highlights its natural creaminess, its ability to emulsify easily with ingredients like acid and Dijon mustard to create dressings, and its performance at high cooking temperatures. She believes good fats are fundamental to many successful dishes, acting as both a base and a carrier of flavour.
Collaboration has become an important part of the journey as well. Photographer Laura Tait of Puhoi Farm House created a Dutch Master-inspired image celebrating the oil, while Matakana Smoke House and Solana Rituals developed a crudo recipe to showcase its versatility.
Today, The Avo Keeper is stocked in a number of local stores, including Omaha Superette, Matakana Four Square, Matakana Smokehouse, Port Albert Store, Northern Waters, New World Warkworth, Mangawhai New World, and Kaiwaka Cheese Shop. Through it, Anna and Garry are sharing a small piece of Tapora with kitchens across the region and beyond.