Mondelēz International has announced that despite an exhaustive search and extensive work with a potential supplier, no local manufacturer has been found that can take on production of its iconic Kiwi confectionery products.
Production will now shift to Mondelēz sites in Australia, where these products will continue to be made to the same taste and quality standards Kiwis enjoy today.
Mondelēz New Zealand Country Head, James Kane, said the company had invested significant effort and resources over the last six months in trying to find a potential local manufacturing partner.
“Unfortunately, we only received one formal response to the RFP documents from a local supplier that was interested in manufacturing the full portfolio of Kiwi products in New Zealand,” says Kane. “We’ve worked very closely with that supplier over the last six months to try and find a way for them to take on the work, however the unique requirements of these products – particularly the marshmallow based products – meant it simply wasn’t possible.
“We looked at a range of potential solutions, from partnering to make the full portfolio, through to offering individual products to potential suppliers,” he says.
Kane expressed the team had invested hundreds of hours trying to find a workable solution for a potential local manufacturer. This included a number of site assessments by technical experts.
“We were absolutely hoping we could make a local solution work for the entire portfolio which included multiple visits by members of our Dunedin, ANZ and regional teams to the site to assess their existing technologies and work processes.
“The iconic Kiwi products require particular technologies, production processes and skills, and very few manufacturers anywhere in the world could take on this work while continuing to match our product requirements,” he says.
Mondelēz International will now focus on shifting production early next year to ensure it will continue to deliver high-quality and much-loved Kiwi confectionery favourites.
“Our Dunedin team is playing a central role in this transition to ensure their wealth of knowledge continues to shape the quality of the products we bring to New Zealanders,” says Kane.
