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Gingernut biscuits - Source: www.griffins.co.nz -
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Yet another iconic Kiwi company is threatening to leave New Zealand.
Griffins, the maker of gingernut and cameo creme biscuits, is already shedding staff and has warned it may close its last two factories.
The company has been making biscuits in New Zealand since 1860 but could be relocating its Papakura factory to China.
ONE News has obtained documents that show Griffin's parent company, Pacific Equity Partners, has researched a possible move - even picking a site in China as part of a restructuring plan dubbed "project dragon".
It warned that although the plan had been shelved, gingernuts, cameo cremes and toffee pops could still be made off-shore unless workers accept more flexible working hours.
The Service Workers Union says the company is already cutting 107 on-call staff.
Spokeswoman Jill Ovens says the company was planning not to give workers any redundancy compensation.
"In our view these are now permanent workers...we're off to mediation on Friday to try and sort that issue out," says Ovens.
Pacific Equity Partners bought Griffins just over three years ago and the company says it has invested more than $130 million locally, but it says changes need to be made for it to stay competitive.
Last year it closed its Wellington factory and many of those workers are still looking for a job. Freda Soe was one of the workers affected and while she has found other work, her colleagues are still struggling.
"Most of the people are still finding jobs...they still can't find a job anywhere," says Soe.
Nearly 230 staff lost their jobs when the Lower Hutt factory closed in October last year but at the time Griffins said that it was committed to keeping the rest of its production in New Zealand.
Griffins says it is still negotiating with the union and its documents say while it is committed to New Zealand that can change.
Would you still buy iconic Kiwi cookies if they were produced in China? Let us know on our messageboard below:
Add a Comment:
Post new commentKnocker Dean said on 2009-12-17 @ 14:01 NZDT: Report abusive post
IF GRIFFINS MOVE FROM NZ TO CHINA I WILL COMPLETELY BOYCOT ALL OF THEIR PRODUCTS. Amazing isn't it ? The most persistant violator of Human Rights. The worst plunderer of endangered fish species, and the worst polluter causing Global warming to a huge degree , all without any conscience at all ! and here is one of our iconic companies from clean green old NZ going to produce products in this environment ! Shame on you Griffins for even considering it !! I just hope that none of your future customers buying your product from China , becomes sick or even dies because of incompetence or corruption as was the case recently with baby products. China is not a safe country to be associated with , particularly food products.
adeej said on 2009-12-17 @ 11:59 NZDT: Report abusive post
I may well. Unless people are fastidious with checking country of origin, they are probably eating more made in China than they think. I've tried other gingernuts (eg. Budget & Home Brand), and they both put sugar on top which is just wrong for a gingernut. So if the recipe stays the same, then I would probably keep buying them.
dan1991 said on 2009-12-16 @ 23:03 NZDT: Report abusive post
Well well well guess what as soon as they do this the supermarket shelves will always look fill because no one will buy them looks like im buying Arnotts or Ernst Adams
puha said on 2009-12-16 @ 22:05 NZDT: Report abusive post
no more biscuits for me then.....
jeremyhobbs21@hotmail.com said on 2009-12-16 @ 21:44 NZDT: Report abusive post
Overseas products are fine. Even stuff from China. You people need to realise you have been eating chinese products for years. Nothing's wrong with ya, stop being so damn PC. end-of-rant.