December 14, 2025 • 9 mins
The founder of Cromwell-based Electric Cherries plays Santa on The Country.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Our next guest, Mike Casey from Electric Cherries. I said,
what's your favorite Christmas song? And Mike, good afternoon. You
said fairy Tale of New York by the Pogues. But
it's such a good song, I can't play it this
early in the week. Apologies, Good afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Mary, Merry Christmas, Jamie, and yet I can completely understand
the one you're going to save the best slack absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
What are you doing in Wellington? Are you Everett? Shouldn't
you be in Crumwell picking cherries?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, this is the last trip for the year. Just
getting in a couple of more MP's ears about the yeah,
the future of the energy system of New Zealand and
what it means for farmers in particular, and then pretty
much home and off comes the off comes the Wellington
shoes and on goes the boots and we're straight into harvest.
So very very exciting times back in Central Have you got.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
An audience with the Prince of the province as Marto
with Shane Jones? And if you did get one, Mike Casey,
would he take would he listen?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
I've already had against CAPLI yarns to Shane Jones, and
I reckon, we're getting there. You know, there's a lot,
there's a lot to think about when it comes to
energy transformation. But you know, the big thing about Shane
is he's big on the rural New Zealand, big on
the provinces, and there's a win in there.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah. But Mike, he loves his fossil fuels.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I think we are. Yeah, he does, and I think
in all honesty, we've just got to keep in his
ear and you know, hopefully at some point change his
mind or at least make him realize that there's a
big future opportunity, especially when it comes to farmers generating solar,
generating their own electricity and using that on their farm system.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
So people who might not know who you are, although
I'm sure most people do, you're a very well known
New Zealander now and in fact you're a finalist for
the New Zealander of the Year.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Well done, Yeah, thank you. I was pretty flattered by that.
It's a good way to finish the year. And I
don't know if I'll actually make the finals or not,
but if I do it, the awards night lands right
on pretty much bang on my forty second birthday, So
wouldn't that be a nice.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Well, fantastic. You've certainly been a champion for the electrification
of New Zealand farming. It's all very well on a
flat cherry orchard and Cromwell to have all electric vehicles
doesn't work quite so well when you're on the hill
and you need the high Lucks or the John Dare
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
I agree with you like. I think one of the
biggest things around this stuff when it comes to renewable
energy and climate is a lot of time there's been
a lot of virtue signaling going on. The short answer is,
if the technology exists, I'm just encouraging people to do
their numbers and it might be that there's some really
good money to save. And if the technology doesn't exist yet,
well I'm not going to tell you to stop farming.
That's a certain It's all about what is right for
(02:39):
everybody's individual businesses and your farm is not my business.
So yeah, all un there is to show people what
I've done and yeah, hopefully get some movement happening that
way when they realize just the economic opportunity on the table.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And I know you're a big fan of solar panels,
and obviously with the recent storm event that we had
down south and in Canterbury, the power when out for
several days, over a week in some places. Do you
think everyone should consider solar panels.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I think it's the resilience in the future. Our mutual friend, Blocker,
he got his solar and battery system installed on his
farm down south and about ten days before that weather
event hit and he could, yeah, offer his tenants and
his workmates and his colleagues and his neighbor's warm showers,
while everybody else will scambling around for generators. So you know,
no matter what happens with weather or earthquakes or whatever
(03:27):
it might be, the sun comes up the following day.
And I think that's the real answer to resilience, you know,
whereas previously I think we've been talking a lot about survival.
So moving from survival to resilience is the way of
the future. And Ruin his old.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Blocker's got a solar panel on top of his head.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, Darve it's going. The problem is that reflects too
much light. The onea of soul panels. He went to
absorb the life well.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
As I say, for people who are unaware who you are,
and most people do know who you are. That's why
you've been nominated for the New Zealand of the Year.
Just tell us briefly, like in about thirty seconds, your
story and how you came from being a tech entrepreneur
in Sydney to growing organic cherries, electric cheries and Cromwell.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah. So after I sold my tech business in Sydney,
I moved back to New Zealand. Getting into farming was
always something I wanted to do ever since I was
a little boy. I don't know why. I was a
bit days and confused that way, but yeah, I ended
up planting nine thousand and three hundred cherry trees just
north of Cromwell Beere. And because we were starting with
a blank canvas, needed to buy twenty one machines essentially
to run the farm. And I was really into technology
(04:29):
and electrification and renewable energy, and I started to do
the numbers on the lifetime costs of all these machines
as I bought them, and the electric one usually always
worked out conveniently, particularly in flatland horticulture where you know,
the electric technology was available at the time, unlike high
country sheep stations. But yeah, bought twenty one electric machines
saved ridiculous amounts of money, tens of thousands of dollars
(04:50):
a year overall, you know, including the cost of capital
and the cost of you know, financing that. And now
I'm all about sort of sharing that journey and also
you know, some some data with the rest of New
Zealand to see if we can start to electrify more
and more of it. New Zealander has been collectively thirty
five million dollars a day on fossil fuels, and most
of that money evaporates out of your and my wallets.
That evaporates out of our communities. And most importantly, and
(05:13):
I think something that you know, even seeing all your
previous guests would be excited about, is you know, that
evaporates out of our countries. So keeping that money in
New Zealand by running machines on New Zealand electrons rather
than Saudi Arabian molecules is pretty much what I'm all about.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Now, go, well, good on you. You're a marketing wiz,
you're and you're an entrepreneur, there's no doubt about that.
Do you get a meaningful premium for your organic electric cherries?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, we're really really starting to like a lot of
New Zealanders are buying my cherries. I guess what we
would get is export gate returns. And what makes the
premium really essentially is that I don't have to ship
these cherries that have bought in New Zealand over to
Taiwan or Shanghai or Beijing. You know the problem with
farming is you have to play freight to get all
your know, all your product to market over there. And
(05:58):
so being able to sell to New Zealanders. Some of
the things that we're doing around New Zeands is and
their families are adopting cherry trees now, so they get
the fruit from their trees every year. It's just a
different way of thinking about these things, and I'm really
excited to see where we can grow. I've got nine
and three hundred cherry trees. I think just about four
hundred of them now have been adopted by households around
New Zealand, so they get their cherries from their tree
(06:19):
every year. And that actually, you know, makes my business
more secure and more profitable.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
See, well, I might adopt them. I might adopt one
of those because I love Central Otago cherries. I don't
let Blizzard hear of that. And blend them. But there's
something magic about Central Otago stone fruit. How much is
the box? We've got two boxes of cherries to give
away from Electric Cherries. How much are they worth? If
I went along and drove past your roadside stall or
whatever and bought one, what would it cost me?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So that two kilo boxes eighty eight bucks a box
is what it works out to be, but that includes shipping.
So yeah, yeah, it's they're getting up there these days,
but that's, you know, largely because cherries still have to
be hand picked. There's a huge labor costs associated with harvest,
and yes they end up being pretty pricey, but also
the perfect tree for pretty much news.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah you find really well, good on you. I might
see what I can do about swapping some makaisa for
some cherries off here. Always up for a dodgy deal.
But for two of our listeners out there, Mike Casey,
all they need to do is text us. And this
is going to ruin my text line for any other feedback,
because they'll go nuts on this text On our text
(07:25):
sign five double nine, write electric cherries and your name
and your career address, and Michelle and I will pick
out a couple of winners and we'll let you know
who won them tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So Mike, yea even better Jamie. I reckon they should
say where is their favorite place in Central Otago to visit?
And you can be the judge of that, because I will,
of course say Cromwell. But yeah, where is the best
place in Central Otago to visit over summer? And if
Jamie agrees with you, that's just having your way.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Well, no, you know what I'd say. I'd say the
Roxburgh golf Course. It's my favorite golf course.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Well, now you've given away the answer, so you're going
to take your second favorite spot now?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Yeah, we'll keep it simple, silly, let's just start all stupid,
not on your case. That's a Bill Clinton comment, I
think So anyhow, elect they're coming in thick and fast
electric chaeries. We better not change the rule. Your name
and your career address will announce the winners tomorrow. Mike Casey,
you're a great blog. Keep up the good work chewing
ears in Wellington.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
And I've got one final thing, Jamie, which is my
finalist for ural news.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
O ye ye, how remiss of me? Who are they?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Well, you're going to go past way in lang Fein.
I think that guys are actually legend and the stuff
that he's doing for farming in New Zealand is amazing.
Tarny Hooton, who's the CEO of Farmlands, what she's done
this year in terms of rolling out solar products for farmers,
I think is really awesome. And then Aiden Gen from
ASB who man, he's just done so well with those
zero percent loans for farmers. I think they're absolutely leading
(08:54):
their way when it comes to solar adoption through finance
on farms. So those have been my three packs and
you can pick one of them.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Well, no, you've got to pick one. I think Tarania
Horton's done a really I think Farmlands has had a
really good turnaround. Aidan if he's listening, he could lower
the interest rates for some of the loans that I
that I owe. But anyhow, and who was the other
one or Wayne Langtha.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Lane Lenggthory If you can't go past them, can you? No?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
No, he's probably a permanent nominee. Okay, so those are
your nominees. You've got to pick one where you go?
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh, if I had absolutely shows I reckon Tanya. I
think she's doing absolutely amazing things in the space at
the Malan and looking forward to seeing farmlands be really
successful with this SOL roll out next year.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah, Okay, they've had a good year. I'll give them that, Okay.
Thank you very much, Mike Casey, thank you for your time.
Our next guest, Mike Casey from Electric Cherries. I said,
what's your favorite Christmas song? And Mike, good afternoon. You
said fairy Tale of New York by the Pogues. But
it's such a good song, I can't play it this
early in the week. Apologies, Good afternoon.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Mary, Merry Christmas, Jamie, and yet I can completely understand
the one you're going to save the best slack absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
What are you doing in Wellington? Are you Everett? Shouldn't
you be in Crumwell picking cherries?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, this is the last trip for the year. Just
getting in a couple of more MP's ears about the yeah,
the future of the energy system of New Zealand and
what it means for farmers in particular, and then pretty
much home and off comes the off comes the Wellington
shoes and on goes the boots and we're straight into harvest.
So very very exciting times back in Central Have you got.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
An audience with the Prince of the province as Marto
with Shane Jones? And if you did get one, Mike Casey,
would he take would he listen?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
I've already had against CAPLI yarns to Shane Jones, and
I reckon, we're getting there. You know, there's a lot,
there's a lot to think about when it comes to
energy transformation. But you know, the big thing about Shane
is he's big on the rural New Zealand, big on
the provinces, and there's a win in there.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah. But Mike, he loves his fossil fuels.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I think we are. Yeah, he does, and I think
in all honesty, we've just got to keep in his
ear and you know, hopefully at some point change his
mind or at least make him realize that there's a
big future opportunity, especially when it comes to farmers generating solar,
generating their own electricity and using that on their farm system.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
So people who might not know who you are, although
I'm sure most people do, you're a very well known
New Zealander now and in fact you're a finalist for
the New Zealander of the Year.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Well done, Yeah, thank you. I was pretty flattered by that.
It's a good way to finish the year. And I
don't know if I'll actually make the finals or not,
but if I do it, the awards night lands right
on pretty much bang on my forty second birthday, So
wouldn't that be a nice.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Well, fantastic. You've certainly been a champion for the electrification
of New Zealand farming. It's all very well on a
flat cherry orchard and Cromwell to have all electric vehicles
doesn't work quite so well when you're on the hill
and you need the high Lucks or the John Dare
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
I agree with you like. I think one of the
biggest things around this stuff when it comes to renewable
energy and climate is a lot of time there's been
a lot of virtue signaling going on. The short answer is,
if the technology exists, I'm just encouraging people to do
their numbers and it might be that there's some really
good money to save. And if the technology doesn't exist yet,
well I'm not going to tell you to stop farming.
That's a certain It's all about what is right for
(02:39):
everybody's individual businesses and your farm is not my business.
So yeah, all un there is to show people what
I've done and yeah, hopefully get some movement happening that
way when they realize just the economic opportunity on the table.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
And I know you're a big fan of solar panels,
and obviously with the recent storm event that we had
down south and in Canterbury, the power when out for
several days, over a week in some places. Do you
think everyone should consider solar panels.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I think it's the resilience in the future. Our mutual friend, Blocker,
he got his solar and battery system installed on his
farm down south and about ten days before that weather
event hit and he could, yeah, offer his tenants and
his workmates and his colleagues and his neighbor's warm showers,
while everybody else will scambling around for generators. So you know,
no matter what happens with weather or earthquakes or whatever
(03:27):
it might be, the sun comes up the following day.
And I think that's the real answer to resilience, you know,
whereas previously I think we've been talking a lot about survival.
So moving from survival to resilience is the way of
the future. And Ruin his old.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Blocker's got a solar panel on top of his head.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Yeah, Darve it's going. The problem is that reflects too
much light. The onea of soul panels. He went to
absorb the life well.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
As I say, for people who are unaware who you are,
and most people do know who you are. That's why
you've been nominated for the New Zealand of the Year.
Just tell us briefly, like in about thirty seconds, your
story and how you came from being a tech entrepreneur
in Sydney to growing organic cherries, electric cheries and Cromwell.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah. So after I sold my tech business in Sydney,
I moved back to New Zealand. Getting into farming was
always something I wanted to do ever since I was
a little boy. I don't know why. I was a
bit days and confused that way, but yeah, I ended
up planting nine thousand and three hundred cherry trees just
north of Cromwell Beere. And because we were starting with
a blank canvas, needed to buy twenty one machines essentially
to run the farm. And I was really into technology
(04:29):
and electrification and renewable energy, and I started to do
the numbers on the lifetime costs of all these machines
as I bought them, and the electric one usually always
worked out conveniently, particularly in flatland horticulture where you know,
the electric technology was available at the time, unlike high
country sheep stations. But yeah, bought twenty one electric machines
saved ridiculous amounts of money, tens of thousands of dollars
(04:50):
a year overall, you know, including the cost of capital
and the cost of you know, financing that. And now
I'm all about sort of sharing that journey and also
you know, some some data with the rest of New
Zealand to see if we can start to electrify more
and more of it. New Zealander has been collectively thirty
five million dollars a day on fossil fuels, and most
of that money evaporates out of your and my wallets.
That evaporates out of our communities. And most importantly, and
(05:13):
I think something that you know, even seeing all your
previous guests would be excited about, is you know, that
evaporates out of our countries. So keeping that money in
New Zealand by running machines on New Zealand electrons rather
than Saudi Arabian molecules is pretty much what I'm all about.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Now, go, well, good on you. You're a marketing wiz,
you're and you're an entrepreneur, there's no doubt about that.
Do you get a meaningful premium for your organic electric cherries?
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, we're really really starting to like a lot of
New Zealanders are buying my cherries. I guess what we
would get is export gate returns. And what makes the
premium really essentially is that I don't have to ship
these cherries that have bought in New Zealand over to
Taiwan or Shanghai or Beijing. You know the problem with
farming is you have to play freight to get all
your know, all your product to market over there. And
(05:58):
so being able to sell to New Zealanders. Some of
the things that we're doing around New Zeands is and
their families are adopting cherry trees now, so they get
the fruit from their trees every year. It's just a
different way of thinking about these things, and I'm really
excited to see where we can grow. I've got nine
and three hundred cherry trees. I think just about four
hundred of them now have been adopted by households around
New Zealand, so they get their cherries from their tree
(06:19):
every year. And that actually, you know, makes my business
more secure and more profitable.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
See, well, I might adopt them. I might adopt one
of those because I love Central Otago cherries. I don't
let Blizzard hear of that. And blend them. But there's
something magic about Central Otago stone fruit. How much is
the box? We've got two boxes of cherries to give
away from Electric Cherries. How much are they worth? If
I went along and drove past your roadside stall or
whatever and bought one, what would it cost me?
Speaker 2 (06:44):
So that two kilo boxes eighty eight bucks a box
is what it works out to be, but that includes shipping.
So yeah, yeah, it's they're getting up there these days,
but that's, you know, largely because cherries still have to
be hand picked. There's a huge labor costs associated with harvest,
and yes they end up being pretty pricey, but also
the perfect tree for pretty much news.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah you find really well, good on you. I might
see what I can do about swapping some makaisa for
some cherries off here. Always up for a dodgy deal.
But for two of our listeners out there, Mike Casey,
all they need to do is text us. And this
is going to ruin my text line for any other feedback,
because they'll go nuts on this text On our text
(07:25):
sign five double nine, write electric cherries and your name
and your career address, and Michelle and I will pick
out a couple of winners and we'll let you know
who won them tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So Mike, yea even better Jamie. I reckon they should
say where is their favorite place in Central Otago to visit?
And you can be the judge of that, because I will,
of course say Cromwell. But yeah, where is the best
place in Central Otago to visit over summer? And if
Jamie agrees with you, that's just having your way.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Well, no, you know what I'd say. I'd say the
Roxburgh golf Course. It's my favorite golf course.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Well, now you've given away the answer, so you're going
to take your second favorite spot now?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Yeah, we'll keep it simple, silly, let's just start all stupid,
not on your case. That's a Bill Clinton comment, I
think So anyhow, elect they're coming in thick and fast
electric chaeries. We better not change the rule. Your name
and your career address will announce the winners tomorrow. Mike Casey,
you're a great blog. Keep up the good work chewing
ears in Wellington.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
And I've got one final thing, Jamie, which is my
finalist for ural news.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
O ye ye, how remiss of me? Who are they?
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Well, you're going to go past way in lang Fein.
I think that guys are actually legend and the stuff
that he's doing for farming in New Zealand is amazing.
Tarny Hooton, who's the CEO of Farmlands, what she's done
this year in terms of rolling out solar products for farmers,
I think is really awesome. And then Aiden Gen from
ASB who man, he's just done so well with those
zero percent loans for farmers. I think they're absolutely leading
(08:54):
their way when it comes to solar adoption through finance
on farms. So those have been my three packs and
you can pick one of them.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
Well, no, you've got to pick one. I think Tarania
Horton's done a really I think Farmlands has had a
really good turnaround. Aidan if he's listening, he could lower
the interest rates for some of the loans that I
that I owe. But anyhow, and who was the other
one or Wayne Langtha.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Lane Lenggthory If you can't go past them, can you? No?
Speaker 1 (09:17):
No, he's probably a permanent nominee. Okay, so those are
your nominees. You've got to pick one where you go?
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh, if I had absolutely shows I reckon Tanya. I
think she's doing absolutely amazing things in the space at
the Malan and looking forward to seeing farmlands be really
successful with this SOL roll out next year.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Yeah, Okay, they've had a good year. I'll give them that, Okay.
Thank you very much, Mike Casey, thank you for your time.
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