Breadcraft opens $2m bakery in export bid

Breadcraft yesterday opened a $2 million-plus specialist Masterton bakery in an export bid ultimately expected to create 40 new jobs while recalling old-world breadmaking.
Breadcraft board chairman Bob Cockburn attended the plant opening ceremony the decorative scoring of sourdough loaves - along with the artisan bakery production and management team, Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell, Breadcraft owners and directors Peter Rewi and John Cockburn, and executive management representatives from Baking Goodman Fielder Australasia and New Zealand.
Mr Cockburn said the process of creating a genuine "hearth"-baked Breadcraft loaf, which features in the main only flour, water and salt with oil, garlic and cheese at times also added, harks back 100 years to breadmaking without yeast.
He said he first started in a bakery near the Regent Theatre in Masterton 55 years ago when he was 10 and the process in the new plant predates even his early start in the industry.
The new bakery, bordered on one side by manuka honey producers and on the other by an olive oil press and plant, now employs about 15 people and brings staff numbers at Breadcraft to about 100, owner Peter Rewi said.
He said another 15 to 20 fulltime positions would be created in the new plant through the "rapid" development of the national and Australian markets in partnership with the Baking Goodman Fielder companies.
He said Australian market penetration and expansion of the artisan bakery will be complete before the end of the year with the new plant expected to swell Breadcraft production by at least 30 per cent, although other plants in the existing business are experiencing solid growth as well.
The artisan loaves will be distributed locally and nationally for retail and food service markets throughout New Zealand under the Cottage Lane and Freya's brands. The development of Australian and international markets will exploit the potential for "par-baked" breads that the consumer is able to finish baking at their leisure, he said.
Production by that stage will be significant, he said, with the new plant built with expansion in mind and ovens already running that are capable of turning out 1400 loaves an hour.
Gordon Hardie, Baking Goodman Fielder managing director Australasia, said the expansion of the Breadcraft bakery and range speaks of business and industry confidence during a time of market caution and cutbacks.
"In these turbulent times, it is a signal of belief in the business and the craft of breadmaking and what can be done to make things better for their community and we look forward to building export opportunities for the plant in the coming years."
Breadcraft now produces and distributes an extensive range of breads, buns and baked goods for the Wairarapa market, including many of the best-known brands in New Zealand including Nature's Fresh, Molenberg, Sunny Crust, Freya's, Vogels and MacKenzies as well as a large range of specialty breads that are distributed daily throughout the country under the World Oven brand.
The bakery has been an important part of the region "for many years" and was founded by Bob's father, Harold Cockburn, in 1942. Mr Rewi said plans for the new baking plant were first conceived in 2004 and involved an investment that was "well in excess of $2m".
A traditional stone deck oven, which took two months to install, and the extremely long proof and resting times needed to give the bread "an authentic artisan flavour, texture and crusty appearance" makes the plant unique in New Zealand, he said.
John Cockburn said the five-year drive to open the new plant had relied heavily on a small but dedicated Breadcraft team and yielded a versatile and expandable bakery tuned to produce a quality product despite the project at first seeming "big & scary big".
"Hopefully we can now help return bread and butter plates to the table, like there used to be, back where they belong."
Mr Daniell welcomed the expanded operation and said it is gratifying and surprising to "see what has been achieved" during a time of recession.