Case Studies

What's dark, delicious, wickedly indulgent and has been a feature of New Zealand's confectionary landscape since 1896? JH Whittaker & Sons, of course. Or, as it's better known to generations of Kiwis, the makers of such iconic delights as Peanut Slabs and Sante bars.

The Whittaker's story begins in 1890 when James Henry Whittaker arrived in Christchurch from Macclesfield, England, where he first got a taste for the sweet stuff while working in a confectionary factory. Believing that he could cater to the Kiwi palate, he started making chocolate and selling it directly to customers from his horse and cart.

Fast forward a few years and James Henry not only moved the nerve-centre for his operation to Wellington, he also started a partnership with his sons, Ronald and James, and so was born the legendary New Zealand company, JH Whittaker & Sons Ltd.

These days, Whittakers still helm the company – in the form of James Henry's grandsons, Andrew and Brian. But it's a very different proposition from the one that was started amidst such humble beginnings all those years ago.

For starters, the product range has expanded significantly and from their custom-built factory in Porirua, north of the Capital, a significant volume of dark, milk and white chocolate is churned out every year. These delicious morsels find their way to Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and keep about 50 local people in employment.

Now the number two brand in New Zealand's chocolateblock market, Whittaker's is the only domestic chocolate manufacturer to control the entire production process, or what they call from the bean to the bar. This means selecting the finest cocoa beans from Ghana, roasting the beans and refining them to produce the distinctive Whittaker's flavour beloved by chocolate aficionados the world over.

According to Anna Head, Grow Wellington Food and Beverage Sector Manager, Whittaker's is precisely the kind of high-quality, export-oriented business that we aspire to support. “Whittaker's is a staunchly Wellington business with proud links to the Porirua region who are generous contributors to the development of the Wellington food story,” she says.