The Chelsea Bay Visitor and Food Education Centre will be unveiled today, located in Birkenhead on Auckland's North Shore. Photo / Supplied
The Chelsea Bay Visitor and Food Education Centre will be unveiled today, located in Birkenhead on Auckland's North Shore. Photo / Supplied
Two iconic Kiwi brands are bringing a sweet treat to Auckland's North Shore as a plan 10 years in the making comes to life.
The Chelsea Bay Visitor and Food Education Centre will be unveiled today and from tomorrow will offer tours of the Chelsea Sugar factory, featuring a new eatery and bakery and an expanded baking school among other things.
Chelsea Sugar and Edmonds joined forces with the purpose of encouraging New Zealanders and visitors to learn about where food comes from, trace the 134-year history of Chelsea Sugar and rediscover the joy of baking.
The centre is on the harbourside site of the iconic Chelsea Sugar factory in Birkenhead.
Tomorrow the centre will officially open and the grounds would be available for the public to use seven days a week.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff will officially open the Visitor Centre this afternoon.
During the tours by train, visitors would see how raw sugar makes its way from being offloaded from the ships berthed at the deep-water port, through the factory to finished products.
Around 60,000 people were expected to pass through the centre over the next 12 months, NZ Sugar general manager Bernard Duignan said.
Opening Chelsea Bay was the culmination of "more than 10 years of planning and development", he said.
The centre will offer tours by train of the Chelsea Sugar factory in Birkenhead which has stood since the 19th century. Photo Supplied
"We recognise that as the only sugar manufacturer in New Zealand, we are in a unique position to be able to show people what's involved in the production of our ingredients, and also celebrate the tradition of baking that has helped define us as New Zealanders."
The Chelsea Sugar factory stands on its original site in Birkenhead, a site it has occupied since the company was established in 1882.
The site was chosen due to its proximity to the Waitematā Harbour, and deep-water port, where ships still unload raw sugar from every six weeks.
The factory is made from one million hand-made bricks and the original workers' cottages, which are now heritage homes, remain dotted along the scenic drive down Colonial Road.
In 2008, Chelsea sold the Chelsea Estate Heritage to Auckland Council for a nominal amount, opening-up the land for the public to enjoy.
The Chelsea Bay Visitors Centre is located on 100 Colonial Road.
