ABC Software Limited

18/05/2026

This week’s post sees us on the ground in New Zealand, where some of our team took part in the Hawke's Bay Marathon over the weekend, from walking 10km to running 21km personal bests.
Anyone who’s done a marathon knows the event itself is only a small part of it. The real work happens beforehand; the steady training, turning up consistently, and doing the work long before race day.

We see something similar in horticulture. Often, we’ll stay in touch with a grower or packer for a year or two before they decide to bring in a new system. Not because they’re unsure, but because timing matters. Harvest comes first. Operations are busy, and any change needs to work with the way the business already runs.
Over time, conversations build context. We learn how people work, where the pressure points are, and what needs to happen for something to genuinely work on site.

Good relationships in this industry are built steadily, not quickly.

11/05/2026

The 600km drive eastwards from Gillainey Orchards and Packing in Paringa, South Australia to Pacific Fresh in Leeton, NSW gave Sharon some time to reflect on the realities of a complete system rollout.
The challenge isn’t the software itself, it’s everything around it; changing routines, learning new steps, and helping different roles adjust while fruit still moves through the shed every day.
Something that has come up more than once is that trying to switch on everything at once can make an already busy season harder than it needs to be. Instead, the best outcome is when the team is focused on getting the core operation running well first. Learning the system. Embedding it into daily packhouse processes. Making it part of how the team works before adding more.
Additional modules and features like packaging and display monitors absolutely add value, but often the better result comes from staging those changes over a couple of seasons rather than going “big bang” from day one.
These are the moments you don’t see unless you’re there.

21/04/2026

One thing we see time and time again is packhouses still running on manual systems; clipboards in the shed, spreadsheets in the office, and post-it notes everywhere.

This week Sharon and Barry followed the Murray River to South Australia, crossing the 99-year-old wooden Paringa Bridge to get to Gillainey Orchards and Packing.

Gillainey’s is a family-run business growing and packing their own fruit for domestic and export markets. They grow 500ha, and after grading there can be up to 1,500 presize bins on the floor ready to be packed.

It’s no surprise the team are excited about getting started with ABCpacker after running those volumes through a fast-moving shed on pen and paper. Implementation has been happening behind the scenes, and Sharon is on the ground getting the team trained up with a tight turnaround for this season.

It’s a tight-knit team at Gillainey’s, where everyone has each other’s back, but that’s not to say there aren’t some nerves with a change like this. That’s why Sharon’s there on the ground, teaching as it happens and if there are any wrinkles, she can iron them out on the spot.

See you next time from wherever the work takes us.

12/04/2026

The first fruit of the season is coming into Mildura Fruit Company as I type. Last week, in the lead-up, teams were getting ready, bins organised, lines prepped, and systems checked before things ramp up. Once harvest starts, everything moves quickly. Fruit comes in, gets packed, and needs to be accounted for as it goes.

Our founder and CEO Sharon Chapman called in last week to check on preparations as MFC embark on their second season with ABCpacker. It’s the work of our software to keep track of what’s moving, where it’s come from, and where it’s going, without slowing anything down.

Horticulture happens on the ground, not behind a desk. That’s what’s taken Sharon and her partner Barry on the road across Australia, living out of a caravan, working alongside growers and packers and seeing it as it happens.

28/08/2025

Our community is stronger when we look after our kids and families. Over the past year we’ve supported several local charities that do just that. One close to our hearts is the Hawke’s Bay Special Children’s Event, part of the Special Children’s Christmas Parties, which gives local children a magical day to remember.

We’re so grateful for the passion and care these groups bring, and feel lucky to be part of their journey making a difference right here at home.

Hawkes Bay's special children's Christmas parties. Contact us about our sponsoring Hawkes Bay event.

03/08/2025

🧠 The ABC Software Limited team had a great time at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawkes Bay Quiz Night on Friday (turns out we’re a pretty competitive bunch!?!).

💖 Giving back to the community is part of who we are, and we're pleased to sponsor the Big Brothers Big Sisters programme. There's absolutely no doubt that creating opportunities for a better future for our young people benefits everyone.

🔎 We encourage you to check out what they do here:

Discover the power of youth mentoring & inspiring stories. Learn more! New Zealand.

19/05/2025

On Saturday our team laced up their trainers for the Hawke’s Bay Marathon. While most of us walked 10kms a shout out to Nicola Thompson who ran the entire way and Cory Evans and Aidan Smith who literally went the extra mile – running the half marathon! Whether striding or strolling, it was about supporting each other and celebrating our team spirit.

Here’s to staying active, connected, and stronger together.

30/01/2025

I’m a huge advocate of ABC Software Limited's products, but don’t just take my word for it. We’ve been out talking to our clients about what they love. Hear how ABCgrower helps Kyle and his team collect and use data at Boynaup Fresh Blueberries in WA . They’re also ABCspray users, and love it for its paperless record-keeping capabilities.

https://youtu.be/_4Yh_bVpTAA
Watch time 2:59

Boyanup Fresh Blueberries use ABCGrower and ABCSpray on their blueberry farm in Western Australia. Farm manager, Kyle Tosana speaks about his positive experi...

11/12/2024

We're hiring! If you or anyone you know is looking for a position that involves selling great product, based in the sunny Hawke's Bay with travel in Australasia, aaaaaand working with the great bunch seen here enjoying some off-site team building at Church Road Winery, check out this link:

https://www.seek.co.nz/job/80730792?ref=search-standalone&type=standout&origin=showNewTab =7dd8db70797a656be1c8af03863bd2a35a50eed7

01/12/2024

Check out the latest news from ABC Software.
https://www.abcsoftware.com/resources/growit-december-2024-the-latest-news-from-abc-software/