Production is set to grind to a halt at a landmark Dunedin business this weekend in what the mayor says is a sad milestone for the city. The Gregg’s coffee factory is expected to cease production on Saturday night or early Sunday, after being part of the city’s manufacturing scene for about 165 years. Owner Heinz Wattie’s confirmed in March the closure of the Forth St factory as part of the company scaling back its national operations. Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker said many generations of students in the area had woken to the aroma of roasting coffee. “First and foremost, I feel for the staff at Gregg’s and everyone else affected by the end of production at the plant,” she said. “This is a really sad milestone for Dunedin. “The end of production is not only a blow for the workers affected, but also for our city’s economy — meaning job losses, less work for the businesses supplying Gregg’s locally, and less money being spent in our stores — so it’s a really disappointing outcome all round.” A worker said about 11 staff remained at the factory this week making instant coffee and most would finish up in the coming days. It was expected a few office staff would stay a bit longer. Heinz Wattie’s said it was supporting employees, such as by offering guidance about careers, finances and retirement. The company estimated Gregg’s coffee would be available to consumers through to the end of the year. “The conclusion of manufacturing marks the end of an important chapter for the Dunedin site and team,” Wattie’s managing director Andrew Donegan said. “We are grateful for the dedication of our Dunedin team and their invaluable contribution.” No decisions had been made about the future of the Dunedin site. E tū director Finn O’Dwyer-Cunliffe said the union was working hard to ensure its members’ entitlements were respected and that appropriate final payments would be made in the coming weeks. It was a difficult time for workers, he said. “Many have put their hearts and souls into working at Gregg’s over a number of years,” Mr O’Dwyer-Cunliffe said. “More should have been done by the company and the government to keep Gregg’s and other Heinz Wattie’s production facilities across the country in business.” In March, the company said the manufacturing environment in New Zealand had become increasingly difficult. It decided to close manufacturing sites in Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland, as well as frozen packing lines in Hastings, resulting in about 300 jobs being lost. The firm would continue to employ more than 1200 people in New Zealand and carry on lines such as canned fruits and vegetables and frozen meals.
