Wattie's has been hit with supply issues in Hawke's Bay, but that hasn't stopped them from giving back to the community. Photo / Paul Taylor
Wattie's has been hit with supply issues in Hawke's Bay, but that hasn't stopped them from giving back to the community. Photo / Paul Taylor
Despite its operations being affected by Cyclone Gabrielle, one of Hawke’s Bay’s most recognisable brands is providing local families with some days of family fun.
Wattie’s NZ announced that its Hawke’s Bay operations had been significantly affected by the February storm, and that it was working hard to get things back to normal.
“Due to the devastating impact of the cyclone, a number of products and other brands supplied by us have been delayed, and you might notice some gaps on supermarket shelves,” a Facebook post said.
“Our operations are proudly based in the Hawke’s Bay, and we’re working hard to return supply continuity as soon as possible.”
Brands such as Heinz, Raro, Robert Harris Coffee and Hellaby are affected.
Wattie’s managing director Neil Heffer said the full impact of the issue is not yet known because of the ongoing harvest.
”It won’t be until it’s all in from the fields that we know the full impact,” he said.
“We are doing everything we can to get things back on [shelves] quickly, so we ask you to be patient if your favourite product is not available. Hopefully it will be back soon.”
The company employs more 800 people locally, and Heffer said many had been aiding recovery efforts.
He said none of these staff were facing layoffs as a result of the cyclone, and that the company has continued to assist affected staff.
“Our first priority was locating our employees to make sure they were safe. Once we understood individual circumstances we provided care packages - food and essential items - to those in need.
“We organised for on-site counselling for our teams, wage support and increased communication to ensure our employees knew what was happening.”
The Wattie's Hawke's Bay Family Day will provide families with some welcome relief.
The idea for family fun days came from a discussion among the ground team in Hawke’s Bay.
“We saw the devastation the cyclone brought, but also the tremendous effort the community has gone to help with the recovery,” Heffer said.
“The Family Day was a chance to bring people together, to relax, let kids be kids for a moment and say thanks for all the fantastic work that has been done so far.”
The events will offer a chance ”for all to grab a bite to eat and hopefully raise spirits”.
They will include food and refreshments, bouncy castles, musical entertainment, face painting, lawn games and spot prizes, all free.
The first event will take place this Sunday, March 12 at Flaxmere Park in Hastings between 1 and 4pm, with further locations to be announced.
