Honey Processing Specialist

Honey Processing Specialist – Filtration & Quality

1839 Limited   |   Tauriko, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty   |   Full time, 42 hours per week

Please note: we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must already hold the legal right to work in New Zealand (NZ citizen, resident, or a valid visa that permits full-time work without restriction).

Join the 1839 Honey Team

1839 Limited is a Tauriko based Manuka honey business exporting premium New Zealand honey around the world. We are a small, close-knit team with a genuine passion for quality — and we are looking for someone who shares it.

This isn't just a warehouse or process-operator role. We're looking for someone who wants to build real expertise in honey — understanding how it behaves, how it responds to heat and filtration, and how to bring it to the perfect, consistent finish. Over time, the right person can become a genuine authority on our product — what some in the industry call a "honey meister."

About the role

Reporting to the Production Manager and forming part of the Production team, you'll take ownership of the day-to-day honey processing and warehouse requirements for the business, while supporting the honey packing line. You'll work hands-on with filtration machinery, manage the warming and creaming process to achieve a consistent, high-quality texture batch after batch, and take an active role in planning and sequencing the day's work. We want a thinker, not just a doer. Someone who looks ahead, plans their scheduling and workflow to make the best use of the day, and actively problem-solves through the filtration and processing stages — rather than simply working through a pack sheet.

Key responsibilities

• Manage honey processing, including filtration, temperature control and creaming to a consistent standard
• Plan and sequence daily processing and warehouse tasks to maximise efficiency across the operating system and machinery
• Warming room and drum preparation, and sampling of honey stocks
• Inwards and outwards goods, including forklift activities across the site
• Loading and unloading of trucks; pallet wrapping and dispatch for local and export orders
• Warehouse management — locating honey drums, pails and packaging
• Accurate, tidy documentation and record-keeping
• Cleaning, maintenance and upkeep of a safe, well-organised work environment

What We're Looking For

Above all, we're looking for passion over just "doing a job." Someone genuinely curious about honey, keen to learn the craft in depth, and motivated to grow into a real product expert within the business.

About you

• A genuine interest in learning about honey and its processing
• Able to think ahead and plan, rather than simply follow instructions
• Strong practical, hands-on skills
• Experience in a processing or warehouse environment
• Comfortable working autonomously as well as within a close-knit team
• Ability to lift up to 30kg
• Strong attention to detail and excellent communication skills
• Forklift experience and a current licence
• Reliable and committed — consistently on time, every day, with genuine drive to get the job done well

Above all, we value character and loyalty as much as skill: someone who turns up, puts in the effort, and takes pride in the outcome.

Employer Questions

• This role does not offer visa sponsorship. Do you currently hold NZ citizenship, residency, or a valid visa that already permits you to work in NZ full-time without restriction?

• Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in New Zealand?

• I agree to undergo a Criminal Record Check as part of the employment process.