Gregg's (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
Gregg's is a New Zealand
food and beverage company, best known for their coffee
, dessert
s, and condiment
s. Operating since 1861, it is one of New Zealand's oldest food companies. The company is now run as part of Cerebos Greggs Ltd and was New Zealand's second largest coffee seller in 2007, after Nestlé
.
The company employs over 200 people in its two factories. The Dunedin North
factory has operated on the same site since 1925; the East Tamaki
, Auckland
site was opened in 1972 and now contains the current head office.
to Australia’s Ballarat gold fields
during the 1850s, and from there moved to Dunedin at the time of the Central Otago Gold Rush
. There he established W Gregg & Co, with wide ranging food interests, but most notably a coffee and spice merchants. Gregg's became a limited liability company
the 1920s, and in 1925 all the Gregg's operations were combined in one enterprise in Forth Street, Dunedin North (a site which still houses the company's coffee processing operations).
During the 1930s to 1950s, a range of other products were launched, including salad dressings and instant puddings. Gregg's also launched their first instant coffee in the 1950s, the first such product to be made in New Zealand. In 1991 Gregg’s launched granulated coffee, under the brand name of Red Ribbon Roast. Decaffeinated instant coffee
was launched the following year.
A 1970 advertisement for Gregg's coffee was the first multicultural television advertisement
broadcast in New Zealand.
In 1984, the New Zealand arm of international food company Cerebos
merged with Gregg's to form Cerebos Gregg's Limited. In 1990, the company added the Robert Harris
coffee brand to their company, and in 2005, Atomic Coffee Roasters was also purchased by the company.
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...
food and beverage company, best known for their coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, dessert
Dessert
In cultures around the world, dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet food. The word comes from the French language as dessert and this from Old French desservir, "to clear the table" and "to serve." Common Western desserts include cakes, biscuits,...
s, and condiment
Condiment
A condiment is an edible substance, such as sauce or seasoning, added to food to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor, or in some cultures, to complement the dish. Many condiments are available packaged in single-serving sachets , like mustard or ketchup, particularly when supplied with...
s. Operating since 1861, it is one of New Zealand's oldest food companies. The company is now run as part of Cerebos Greggs Ltd and was New Zealand's second largest coffee seller in 2007, after Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
.
The company employs over 200 people in its two factories. The Dunedin North
Dunedin North
Dunedin North, also known as North Dunedin, is a major inner suburb of the New Zealand city of Dunedin, located to the northeast of the city centre. It contains many of the city's major institutions, including the city's university, polytechnic, main hospital, and largest museum...
factory has operated on the same site since 1925; the East Tamaki
East Tamaki
East Tamaki is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. This is a mixed residential, light industry and retail area which is growing rapidly. Prior to the 1960s this was largely a dairy farming area. A landmark is Smales Mountain which in 2010 has the remains of an old Pa, a stone field garden, an early...
, Auckland
Auckland
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...
site was opened in 1972 and now contains the current head office.
History
Company founder William Gregg emigrated from Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
to Australia’s Ballarat gold fields
Victorian gold rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. In 10 years the Australian population nearly tripled.- Overview :During this era Victoria dominated the world's gold output...
during the 1850s, and from there moved to Dunedin at the time of the Central Otago Gold Rush
Central Otago Gold Rush
The Central Otago Gold Rush was a gold rush that occurred during the 1860s in Central Otago, New Zealand...
. There he established W Gregg & Co, with wide ranging food interests, but most notably a coffee and spice merchants. Gregg's became a limited liability company
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
the 1920s, and in 1925 all the Gregg's operations were combined in one enterprise in Forth Street, Dunedin North (a site which still houses the company's coffee processing operations).
During the 1930s to 1950s, a range of other products were launched, including salad dressings and instant puddings. Gregg's also launched their first instant coffee in the 1950s, the first such product to be made in New Zealand. In 1991 Gregg’s launched granulated coffee, under the brand name of Red Ribbon Roast. Decaffeinated instant coffee
Instant coffee
Instant coffee, also called soluble coffee and coffee powder, is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans. Instant coffee is commercially prepared by either freeze-drying or spray drying, after which it can be rehydrated...
was launched the following year.
A 1970 advertisement for Gregg's coffee was the first multicultural television advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
broadcast in New Zealand.
In 1984, the New Zealand arm of international food company Cerebos
Cerebos
Cerebos is an English brand of salt and, more recently, other flavourings and nutritional supplements. Its promise was "See How It Runs", describing how fine the salt was...
merged with Gregg's to form Cerebos Gregg's Limited. In 1990, the company added the Robert Harris
Robert Harris
Robert Harris or Rob Harris may refer to:* Robert Harris , MP for Steyning* Robert Harris , English Puritan* Robert Harris , governor of Anguilla...
coffee brand to their company, and in 2005, Atomic Coffee Roasters was also purchased by the company.