Wattie’s Has Gone Against The Trend: Message To PM

Media statement July 17, 2009

Wattie’s Has Gone Against The Trend: Message To PM

Prime Minister John Key was warmly welcomed on to New Zealand’s largest grocery food site by Managing Director Nigel Comer and several of the senior Heinz Wattie’s staff this afternoon.

Nigel Comer told the Prime Minister that counter to the national trend Heinz Wattie’s had been increasing its production annually in New Zealand during the past 10 years. Today Wattie’s is the largest food brand in New Zealand supermarkets and still loved by Kiwis everywhere.

“Heinz Wattie’s has grown its production volume, with now 55% of production being exported, against a trend of the growth in imported products that compete with Heinz Wattie’s. Approximately 75% of the products Wattie’s competes with are imported.

Each year Heinz Wattie’s spends, in New Zealand, approximately NZ$500 million in wages, salaries, crops, raw materials, packaging and freight and processes 130,000 tonnes of 20 different fruit and vegetable crops.

“In the past year alone the company has invested $15 million in expanding its Hastings condiments processing capacity and doubled the capacity of its frozen meal facilities.

“A key to our success has been the quality of product we offer, both domestically and internationally, our product innovation and our market leading brands.

“We believe that good times and bad times come and go and that ‘good people’ are always good people and will make the best of the times regardless.”

Mr Comer told the Prime Minister that the company was not immune from challenge, with the recession hurting volumes and requiring greater flexibility among the workforce to accommodate peaks and troughs across different product production areas in order to avoid downsizing.

He said that Heinz Wattie’s wish list included a stable New Zealand dollar and the removal of tariffs in its overseas markets to help drive export growth.

“Heinz Wattie’s is a real success story which is great for employees, suppliers and New Zealand in general, and we are delighted that the Prime Minister visited the “home” of Wattie’s in our 75th anniversary year.”

Facts about Heinz Wattie’s in Hastings

• Employ 765 permanent staff in Hastings (1480 nationally)
Between 300 and 500 seasonal/casual staff in Hastings
$65million into the Hawke’s Bay region in salaries and wages ($100 million nationally)

Many local support-businesses…for example

• Impress employ 100 staff
• Translink 12,500 tonnes transported to local markets by road and rail each month
• Local Contractors – spend approximately $700K per month
100 containers per week through the Port of Napier

130 local growers supply 50,000 tonnes of Fruit and Vegetables each year

ENDS

© Scoop Media