Haigh’s Chocolates opens new $120 million factory 

Haigh’s Chocolates, the 110-year-old, family-owned maker of premium chocolate products, has officially opened its new $120 million, 18,000 square metre facility at Adelaide’s Salisbury South.

Construction of the new production, warehouse and online fulfillment facility was announced in late-2023. The now-opened site represents the company’s biggest-ever single investment, is currently producing 1,100 tonnes of chocolate annually, and has capacity for 2,000 tonnes.  

“The Salisbury South Complex is a significant physical manifestation of a company-wide investment in people, systems and capabilities over the last four years,” said Peter Millard, who replaced Alister Haigh as CEO in August. 

“Today’s opening recognises the completion of our chocolate capacity building phase, the continuing growth of our retail network in the eastern states and the meeting of increasing demand of our chocolate.”

Investments at the new site include $30 million worth of “advanced equipment… [including] specialised panning, enrobing and moulding lines as well as kitchen and packing equipment”, a collection of 1,180 solar panels, 1.7 kilometres of chocolate delivery pipes, and more than 5 kilometres of linear storage space.

Haigh’s said it anticipates taking on another 100 workers in production, warehousing and fulfilment roles over the next five years, with headcount onsite reaching 400.

The chocolate business currently operates 22 stores across Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, with the newest at Sydney’s Broadway officially opening in Sydney opening earlier this month. It employs over 900.

On May 1, the family-owned company marked 110 years since its founding in Adelaide by Alfred E Haigh. Millard is the first CEO from outside of the family in the business’s history.

Pictures: supplied

Further reading

Haigh’s CEO steps down after 30 years

Haigh’s to build sweet $130m new factory