Late 1800's to early 1900's
This period was punctuated by new roller machinery installations, enabling 1000 ton per annum processing capability, although two plant fires required rebuilding during this period as well.
Enter the Hudsons
1944 - Charles Hudson (son of Richard) buys Harraway and Sons Ltd
1955 – Harraways buys the Wilkie Mill at Mosgiel - flour mill
1958 – Harraways buys Cadbury Fry Hudsons Planet Flour Mills and transfers production to Green Island. Sales of 10,000 tons annually & now the largest flour mill in Otago Southland
1960 – Charles Hudson’s son Frank, develops the first grain drying service to wheat growers in Otago
Progress within the 21st Century
By 2004 the original office and flour mill building had been demolished, and an additional production area, including staff facilities, was constructed. In 2005 a strategic decision was made to exit flour and stock feed. Now the prime focus for the business is on oat cereals, and flaked grains. Further plant investments were made to support this strategy (e.g. construction of undercover loading bay, additional storage and installing additional boilers, and more recently a full second processing line). In 2016 further land adjacent to the current mill site was purchased, to facilitate further mill & warehouse expansion and enable planned business growth.
Sustainability Aspiration
OUR FOCUS - PAST, PRESENT AND THE FUTURE!
In addition to leading the domestic traditional bagged rolled oats market, Harraway & Sons Limited (Harraways) conducts business according to the principle of corporate responsibility, that is it assumes responsibility towards its customers, business partners, employees, the community, and the environment.
Truly ‘walking the talk’ in this regard, below are examples of corporate responsible business action taken:
1. Packaging Focus. Over 50% of “Harraways” branded product range is currently packaged in kerbside recyclable film. The company is also actively and continuously working with its packaging partners on projects aimed at (ideally) further improving its ‘sustainably credentialled’ packaging legacy over time. As an example - in 2019 - the company introduced a NZ oat market first with home compostable sachets launched within its’ convenience range. The cardboard boxes also launched at that time, exhibited a ‘better for the planet’ angle. Using 20% less cardboard than other brands, the company provided users with more efficient pantry storage. These packaging/consumer usage moves did assist Harraways with a ‘new news’ relaunch for its sachets range. Since then (& amongst other USPs in the sachet range like bigger serve sizes), the ‘planet responsible’ packaging differentiation has helped to entice new custom into Harraway’s brand with meaningful market share gained on sachets, since 2019.
2. Utilising sustainable fuel sources and reducing waste as part of operations. The company aspires to fully utilise its grain by-product in both fuelling aspects of its factory process, alongside introducing consumer concepts that are derived from factory created grain by-product. The company, for example, uses up some grain by-products in fuelling its factory furnace each day. The company’s aspiration is to send less and less waste to landfill overtime.
3. Supporting local communities, trade customers and consumers. Since 1867, Harraway & Sons Limited has traded with local farmers, employed locals at its’ mill, supported a significant number of worthwhile community projects and it has helped to fuel many consumers’ lives with its high quality, nutritious oats, cereals and flaked grains. This has been achieved via an extensive network of valued trade customers and business partners – both located locally and internationally
All this demonstrates that Harraways is totally committed to a local, sustainable and mutually respectful business approach - past, present and future.