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Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Makin' bacon: Next generation of Hastings Holly Bacon just the cure

By Maddisyn Jeffares
Hastings Leader·
24 Aug, 2022 01:26 AM4 mins to read

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Claire Vogtherr, left, and Ellie Vogtherr-Pulford are excited for Holly Bacon to celebrate 108 years in business. Photo / Warren Buckland

Claire Vogtherr, left, and Ellie Vogtherr-Pulford are excited for Holly Bacon to celebrate 108 years in business. Photo / Warren Buckland

The fifth generation of Holly Bacon is poised for a meaty milestone and some exciting chop and change.

As the crew prepares for its 108th birthday, a new generation is preparing to take over the multiple-generation family firm.

As the business ownership spans many generations, so too do multiple generations of families shop at the enduring pork butchery.

Staffer Ellie Vogtherr-Pulford credits some of Holly Bacon's 108-year reign to the close relationship the business has with its customers.

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"Many customers are known by name and shop with us every week. This also helps build relationships with people that last a lifetime and contribute to our success," she said.

As it gets ready to turn 108, Ellie and her sister Lydia Thompson are getting ready to take over the family business.

Ellie and Lydia will be taking over the reins from their mum Claire Vogtherr who has been managing the family business since about 1987.

Claire is the great-granddaughter of Carl Vogtherr, who began the Holly Bacon Company in 1914.

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"Managing a long-standing family business has its responsibilities but also gives us huge pride in a business that has survived for well over 100 years, and family who are committed to its ongoing success and unwavering dedication to quality and service," Claire said.

The family-owned and operated business has stuck to a consistent core value system using 100 per cent New Zealand product and using the longer, slower method of curing bacon instead of rushing the process.

This produces the crispy, full-flavoured dry cured bacon that butchery is known for.

  Claire Vogtherr, left,  and Ellie Vogtherr-Pulford. As Holly Bacon reaches 108, the next generation is getting ready to take over. Photo / Warren Buckland
Claire Vogtherr, left, and Ellie Vogtherr-Pulford. As Holly Bacon reaches 108, the next generation is getting ready to take over. Photo / Warren Buckland

In her 30 years at the company, Claire's seen some changes.

The company started pre-packing bacon to supply supermarkets, the requirement for strict food safety plans was brought in, online sales became possible and social media marketing took off.

"I certainly could not have brought Holly through to this time without the constant support I have from my partner Neil," she said.

Neil fills the roles of plant engineer, serviceman for breakdowns, refrigeration engineer, and project manager.

He's a trusty springboard for ideas and support for the days when it gets tough, Claire says.

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Claire is proud her daughters want to be part of the family business.

"They understand hard work and commitment and we feel very blessed to be able to have our grandchildren growing up around the business, just as their mothers did.

"Personally, I will always be available to pick up whatever needs to be done at Holly," she said. "I'm too young to want to retire completely."

However, Claire has an extensive list of things she has wanted to do for a long time.

Some of those include learning te reo, going to the gym more, spending more time travelling with Neil, polishing her French and German, learning how to play the guitar properly, and much more.

Ellie and Lydia say their mum never pressured them into the bacon business.

Ellie said, "If you had asked me if I would be making bacon for a living 15 years ago, I would have said no way."

However, as she got older, Ellie realised how incredible it was to have a business in the same family for more than 100 years and began to take more of an interest in it.

"Seeing mum so passionate about the business also helped me to want to move into the family business.

"I take a lot of inspiration from how mum has run this business successfully and hope one day to do as well as she has," Ellie said.

Claire has left big shoes to fill, but Ellie believes she and her sister are up to the challenge, as both girls have grown up around the family business and enjoy working alongside each other. It's something special that they hope to share with their families.

"We both have young families and are working hard to ensure the business is still here for them if they wish to move into the sixth generation of the business," Ellie said.

When asked if any big plans were coming up for Holly Bacon, Ellie reckons a "nationwide takeover".

The sisters would like to see their products in every Foodstuffs supermarket nationwide and for Holly Bacon to become a national household name.

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