Iconic Local Company celebrated in documentary
Harraways is an iconic New Zealand company, which after 150 years are still privately owned and operating from the original site in Green Island, Dunedin.
The documentary looks back at the foundations of the oat industry in NZ and tells a brief history of how Harraways originated from the only remaining commercial oat and grain mill in Dunedin that is actually only 29 years younger than Dunedin itself.
The rolling hills of Southland and Otago have made an ideal environment for growing oats since the late 1800's. Dedicated to quality and foundations of good oat products, the growers have a long history of serving New Zealand's oat industry. For farmers like the Garyne family, who have been growing for generations, it's been a long-term approach. This portion of the documentary gets to know these growers and takes a look at some of the processes and machinery used at a grass root level.
Once harvested the oats make their way to the Harraways Plant in Green Island and the quality control continues from the moment they arrive. After several times around the plant to be cleaned and processed by a vast array of equipment the oats are then packaged up into what we see and love in the varied retail outlets. The documentary gives viewers a look inside the plant and a peek at the production line.