Hansells' complex up, running and ready to turn on the oven

New Hansells building at Penrose in Auckland. Photo / Supplied

Manufacturer Hansells Food Group opens its new office, warehouse, innovation centre and bakery factory in Penrose on Friday.

The $18 million building at 17 Botha Rd has 4000sq m of warehousing and a blast freezer, a 5000sq m food processing factory, a 1000sq m office and an innovation centre where the company develops and tries out new food products.

Chief executive John McKay said Hansells had an annual turnover of $160 million and more than 600 product lines from baking ingredients through to spreads and drinks.

It makes one of Britain's top steamed puddings, Aunt Betty's, and has one of the world's top-selling rice bran oils, Alfa One.

Product brands include Hansells and Vitafresh.

Hansells also has premises on Rockfield Rd which back on to the Botha Rd property.

At Rockfield Rd, Hansells makes steamed puddings and its oil-based spread.

McKay said office staff moved from Rockfield Rd and elsewhere into the new building a year ago.

"It's been a gradual progression into the site. It's only now that we have the new bakery up and running so we've now completed this part of our expansion plan.

"We have over 380 employees and there's been 30 jobs created with the opening of the new factory because new baking lines have been built which enables expansion into further brands," McKay said.

"This enables a whole lot more innovation so with the new ovens we're putting in, it allows us to enhance products. Cakes, loaves and tarts will be first new products."

About 60 per cent of Hansells' products from the Auckland sites are now exported.

Hansells is a privately owned company, started 77 years ago, with the majority of shares in New Zealand hands.