Heinz Wattie’s canning factories, SKUs, 350 jobs

12th March 2026 By Bridget O'Connell | bridget@propertyticker.co.nz | @propertyticker

Loss-making manufacturer Heinz Wattie’s has announced a wide-ranging operational restructure cutting product lines, factory footprint, and people as part a long-term strategy focus.

The firm, which is subsidiary of The Kraft Heinz Company, announced it is looking to end the production and sale of Wattie’s frozen vegetables, Gregg’s coffee, and dips sold primarily under Mediterranean, Just Hummus and Good Taste Company or La Bonne Cuisine brands.

The proposal would see the products phased out over the course of the year.

The changes would mean the phased closure of three manufacturing facilities located in Auckland, where La Bonne Cuisine is produced; Christchurch which turns out Wattie’s frozen vegetables; and Dunedin’s Gregg’s and Cerebos coffee factory.

Packing would also cease at the associated frozen lines in King Street, Hastings, although manufacturing would continue in the Hawke’s Bay – which would be its sole factory location going forward.

The company said approximately 350 roles would potentially be impacted across the sites and businesses, most of which are full-time positions. In terms of producers, approximately 220 pea and other vegetable growers in the Canterbury region and surrounding areas servicing the Christchurch site would be affected.

Heinz Wattie’s said over recent years, the manufacturing environment in New Zealand had become increasingly difficult. It said globally high inflation and various industry challenges had all placed ongoing pressure on the commercial performance of the business.

This has been reflected in its results, with the New Zealand accounts for HJ Heinz NZ showing the company has been in the red three years running, most recently diving to a $218.5m pre-tax loss in 2024 after taking a $210m write-down.

“The H.J. Heinz Company (New Zealand) CGU experienced a significant decline in sales volume and budgeted gross margins resulting from shift in consumer sentiments from premium brands to other brands,” it said in the accounts filed at NZ Companies Office for the year to December 2024.

“These are mainly driven from the increasing costs of living pressures and challenging operational conditions.”

In announcing the restructure this week, Heinz Wattie’s said the changes would enable the business to remain sustainable in a challenging environment.

It added they would help manage the impact of global inflation and industry challenges such as high input and logistics costs, imported products and the cost-of-living crisis which have placed ongoing pressure on the commercial performance of the business and the above manufacturing sites.

“The decision to start this process was not taken lightly,” Heinz Wattie’s managing director, Andrew Donegan, said. 

“Numerous alternatives and options were explored before reaching this phase. It is a necessary step to position our company for the future.” 

He added that the company was deeply aware of the impact this would have on our people, their families, our growers and suppliers, and the communities the company had been part of for many years.

“These are people who have helped build this business over decades, and our priority now is supporting them,” Donegan added.

Heinz Wattie’s portfolio spans 11 categories across the country, across a portfolio of more than 800 SKUs manufactured in New Zealand. It also exports to multiple markets including Australia, Japan and the Pacific Islands.

Partnerships would continue with growers for crops such as tomatoes, peaches, corn and beetroot, adn the company said it would continue to invest in operations, marketing and research and development, to strengthen its resilience and secure long-term growth.