TIP Top Bakeries will redevelop the former Kellogg’s factory at Charmhaven into a bakery and distribution centre in a move that is expected to generate 100 new jobs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Tip Top today announced it had bought the vacant 25,000-square-metre site on the Pacific Highway.
The plant will shortly undergo a multi-million dollar refurbishment, Tip Top Bakeries managing director, Andrew Cummings, said.
“At a time when so many food companies are consolidating and closing sites, we are delighted to be adding to our bakery network and working to fulfill our ambition to become the leading bakery company in Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Cummings said.
“Tip Top is already a key employer in NSW and a strong contributor to its economy - we take great pride in this. The Charmhaven site will be a complementary addition to our existing network and this exciting multi-million dollar investment will ensure we continue to produce and deliver the highest quality product, daily across Australia.”
Wyong mayor Doug Eaton said Tip Top’s investment was great news for the shire.
“Having a well-known company like Tip Top make the business decision to invest millions of dollars on establishing a new facility here is a big tick of approval for the shire,” he said.
“It follows the recent set-up in the shire of other multi-million dollar facilities by Cordina Chickens and Life Health Foods, and adds to our existing food manufacturing cluster, including major household names like Sanitarium and Mars Foods.”
He said Wyong Shire was bucking the national trend in attracting jobs growth in the food production industry.
Overall jobs growth for the shire was at 2.6 per cent - much higher than the national jobs growth rate, he said.
“It shows again that Wyong Shire and the Central Coast are in a strategically perfect position for companies to produce and distribute products nationally, and take advantage of export markets where there are now more opportunities, thanks to new free trade agreements.
“Wyong Shire is on key transport corridors, close to major ports, equi-distant to Melbourne and Brisbane and still has very affordable sites compared to Sydney.”
Mr Cummings said Wyong Shire was a good fit for his company.
“We investigated a number of sites in different locations and Wyong Shire came up on top with the best business case for our needs,” he said.
Tip Top Bakeries currently has three NSW-based bakery and distribution operations at Newcastle, Chullora and Ermington, and 11 manufacturing plants across Australia.
