Community & News

Source: Waikato Times, 24.04.2009

By CHRIS GARDNER - Waikato Times

Prolife Foods was today celebrating the creation of 20 new jobs in Hamilton with the commissioning of its Mother Earth plant in Maui St.

Andrew Smith, who joined the Crosby family-owned business in February as chief executive after the 25-year-old company acquired the Mother Earth brand from Cadbury, was to cut the ribbon on the new plant this afternoon.

Mr Smith, who joined Prolife from Fonterra Brands New Zealand, where his responsibilities were for innovation, new product development and marketing, said the 20 new staff had been bedding in the plant since it was installed in February.

"Right from day one, we were making products that, when we did our own taste tests, were better than those that were coming out of the Cadbury plant," Mr Smith said.

The multimillion-dollar deal saw Prolife staff taught how to make the products at the Cadbury factory in Dunedin, before 1200 pallets of existing stock and ingredients were freighted to Hamilton for the bedding in. Now that the South Island-produced stock has been sold, the Hamilton company, which already employs 300, is making 12 muesli bar products under the Mother Earth brand from New Zealand-sourced and imported ingredients for the domestic market.

The acquisition also created a dozen Prolife distribution jobs across New Zealand and is expected to help the $70 million company grow its turnover to $100 million next year.

Prolife, Mr Smith said, was weathering the recession well. "It's not had a huge impact," he said.

In a bid to encourage Hamilton shoppers to buy local, Prolife is launching a local Mother Earth marketing campaign, which will feature billboard advertising and a leaflet drop in letterboxes offering discounts.

Mr Smith said there were few Hamilton-made products available in Hamilton supermarkets.

"The Waikato is a food region, but most of it is exported, but Mother Earth is a locally produced product," he said.

Prolife, which supplies dried fruit, nuts and other foodstuffs to supermarkets and corporate customers, also makes products under other brands. Alison Holst's cereal range, Alison's Pantry, is made in Hamilton, as well as BC Snacks and The Value Pack.

Mr Smith, who held positions with Unilever and Procter & Gamble before joining Fonterra, said he was excited to be working for a New Zealand company in his home town.

Prolife founder Bernie Crosby is continuing with the company as a director and board member.