WATTIE’S
Founded in 1934 by Sir James Wattie, the company operated in New Zealand under the name of J. Wattie Canneries Limited (later J Wattie Foods Limited and its related companies). In 1980, Wattie Industries and Goodman Fielder purchased shares in each other’s companies that led to a merger in 1987 to create Goodman Fielder Wattie Ltd. In 1992 the Wattie’s group was bought from Goodman Fielder by American-based H. J. Heinz Company for $565 million.
The company employs around 1,900 people, of which approximately 350 are temporary or casual. The company produces its own Wattie's products, some international brands of H. J. Heinz Company, as well as local products under brands like Craig's, Farex, Eta, Oak, Good Taste Company, Greenseas, Earth's Best, Complan, Chef and Champ.
The company has three production centres in New Zealand. Two are located in Hastings, New Zealand, where the company was founded, and over 1,200 product lines are produced there.
In Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island, the company has its third production plant which focuses on producing frozen and dry vegetables, there is an actual cache outside this production plant and I love the cache type
On a lighter note, a few years ago I won a prize from Watties, and it was the best thing I ever won, A box full of different types of soup, just in time for winter and trust me I love my soup.