Griffin's Foods
Encyclopedia
Griffin's Foods Limited is an Australasia
n owned biscuit, snack food and confectionery manufacturer operating in New Zealand
. The company has sales of approximately $NZ300 million. Earnings are not disclosed as the company is privately owned by Pacific Equity Partners
, an Australasian private equity fund
.
in 1864 as a flour
and cocoa miller. In 1890 he expanded to incorporate using the flour and cocoa to produce biscuits and sweets. Note this is incorrect. Newspaper records show biscuits were in production by the 1880s and the confectionery arm of the business launched in 1886. By the 1890s Griffins were producing a range of candied peels and by the late 1900s drinking cocoa.
The company went public (as Griffin & Sons) to fund expansion and the replacement of a factory destroyed by fire. It expanded, making army ration biscuits during World War II
until in 1962 it was purchased by Nabisco
. In 1989 Griffin's acquired biscuit company Hudsons, taking on the copyright for the famous Hudson's icon Cookie Bear
. When Nabisco was effectively broken up, Griffin's was acquired by Danone in 1990. In 2006 Danone divested Griffin's to Pacific Equity Partners.
. A Lower Hutt plant closed in 2008 with the loss of 200 jobs with all production transferred to the Auckland sites. The company currently employs approximately 800 people.
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
n owned biscuit, snack food and confectionery manufacturer operating in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The company has sales of approximately $NZ300 million. Earnings are not disclosed as the company is privately owned by Pacific Equity Partners
Pacific Equity Partners
Pacific Equity Partners is a private equity investment firm focusing on leveraged buyout and growth capital transactions primarily in Australia and New Zealand...
, an Australasian private equity fund
Private equity fund
A private equity fund is a collective investment scheme used for making investments in various equity securities according to one of the investment strategies associated with private equity....
.
History
The company was founded by John Griffin in Nelson, New ZealandNelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
in 1864 as a flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
and cocoa miller. In 1890 he expanded to incorporate using the flour and cocoa to produce biscuits and sweets. Note this is incorrect. Newspaper records show biscuits were in production by the 1880s and the confectionery arm of the business launched in 1886. By the 1890s Griffins were producing a range of candied peels and by the late 1900s drinking cocoa.
The company went public (as Griffin & Sons) to fund expansion and the replacement of a factory destroyed by fire. It expanded, making army ration biscuits during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
until in 1962 it was purchased by Nabisco
Nabisco
Nabisco is an American brand of cookies and snacks. Headquartered in East Hanover, New Jersey, the company is a subsidiary of Illinois-based Kraft Foods. Nabisco's plant in Chicago, a production facility at 7300 S...
. In 1989 Griffin's acquired biscuit company Hudsons, taking on the copyright for the famous Hudson's icon Cookie Bear
Cookie Bear (New Zealand)
Cookie Bear, otherwise known as CB, is a familiar character in New Zealand originally associated with Hudsons and now Griffins biscuits. Cookie Bear's popularity grew with New Zealand children through the Cookie Bear Club, their shared love of Chocolate Chippies and his famous catchphrase...
. When Nabisco was effectively broken up, Griffin's was acquired by Danone in 1990. In 2006 Danone divested Griffin's to Pacific Equity Partners.
The Company today
Griffin's has two factories in AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. A Lower Hutt plant closed in 2008 with the loss of 200 jobs with all production transferred to the Auckland sites. The company currently employs approximately 800 people.
Products
The company's food range comprises:- Biscuits mainly under the "Griffin's" brand
- Salty snacks (mainly potato chips and peanuts) under the Eta brand
- Wrapped snacks under the Nice & Natural brand.