Haigh's Chocolates opens new SA facility

Australian chocolate maker Haigh’s Chocolates has officially opened its new $120 million production, warehouse and online fulfilment facility in South Australia as it prepares to increase chocolate production.

The 18,000 m², state-of-the-art facility located in Salisbury South has been built to support the business’s ongoing expansion and plans for wider distribution.

While Haigh’s currently produces 1100 tonnes of chocolate per year to fulfil the needs of its 22 retail and online stores, the new facility will allow for future growth including increasing production to 2000 tonnes per year.

“The Salisbury South complex is a significant physical manifestation of a company-wide investment in people, systems and capabilities over the last four years. Today’s opening recognises the completion of our chocolate capacity building phase, the continuing growth of our retail network in the eastern states and the meeting of increasing demand of our chocolate,” said CEO Peter Millard.

With its Broadway store officially opening in Sydney recently, the South Australian-owned and -operated business remains steadfast in its commitment and ambitions to delight chocolate lovers across the country.

“In the last five months alone, we celebrated our 110-year anniversary, opened our seventh store in Sydney and appointed a new CEO. It’s been an exciting time for the business and I am so proud to see the love for our chocolates continue to span all generations,” said owner and Brand Ambassador Alister Haigh.

Powered by 1180 solar panels featuring 1.7 km of chocolate delivery pipes and over 5 km of linear storage space, the new facility will accommodate up to 400 employees, including the creation of approximately 100 new jobs across production, warehousing and fulfilment in the next five years.

As part of the development, Haigh’s invested $30 million in the installation of advanced equipment which includes the introduction of specialised panning, enrobing and moulding lines as well as kitchen and packing equipment that complements its artisan chocolate-making capabilities.

Haigh’s has grown substantially over its 110-year history, now employing more than 900 people with 22 stores across Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and online.

Originally published here.