Family-owned Haigh's in big expansion to South Australian chocolate production at Salisbury South plant/warehouse

The concept for the Haigh's chocolate factory and warehouse at Salisbury South, north of Adelaide, enabling the South Australian family company to double its production from 1000 tonnes to 2000 tonnes,
Images courtesy Haigh's Chocolates.

The South Australian family-owned Haigh’s Chocolates’ announced a $130 million investment – the biggest in its history from 1915 – in 2023, to double its production capacity.

The chocalatier will build a factory of 9,000 square metres and warehousing of 6,000 square metres at Salisbury South, north of Adelaide. The $130 million investment will include $36 million to be spent on European-made equipment including specialised panning, enrobing and moulding lines as well as kitchen and packing equipment to complement the brand’s artisan capabilities.

Enabling Haigh’s to double its production from 1000 tonnes to 2000 tonnes, this expansion met growing demand for its products and exploring new markets and interstate growth. More than 150 new jobs would be created at the chocolate factory, expected to be operating the second half of 2025. CIP Constructions was appointed to oversee the building of the Salisbury South development, designed by BELL Architects, and expected to become one of Adelaide’s premium industrial plants.

Salisbury South was the second big expansion by Haigh’s Chocolates in five years. In 2018, it opened a $15 million factory, at the inner west Adelaide suburb of Mile End, as the largest, most modern, cocoa bean processer in Australia, also increasing production. Swiss company Buhler, a global market leader in flour production plants, pasta and chocolate production lines, supplied much of the specialised equipment.

The Haigh family also used Swiss chocolate expertise in the 1950s when third-generation managing director John Haigh spent six months working for Lindt in Switzerland to refine his skills as a chocolatier.

At the opening of the Haigh’s Mile End factory, four-generation chief executive Alister Haigh said it was one of the most advanced factories of its kind in the southern hemisphere. “All the big manufacturers bring in semi-processed cocoa beans whereas we import all the cocoa beans. We’re told by Buhler it’s probably one of the most complex chocolate lines ever produced because we wanted the ability to put six different types of bean into the one batch and they weren’t aware of any other company in the world that wanted to do that.”

The Mile End factory allowed Haigh’s to control the process from start to finish – from raw cocoa bean to a finished product ready to be sent out from its distribution centre across the road. Cocoa beans were cleaned, roasted, shelled, ground and heated into liquid before being blended with milk and sugar. The factory could produce up to eight different types of chocolate at the same time.

Haigh’s Chocolates in 2023 was employing more than 800 people and producing 1000 tonnes of chocolate annually across two e manufacturing sites in Mile End and Parkside. These sites would continue to house its head office, artisan chocolate production, and visitor centre. The brand has 21 Haigh’s stores across Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra and a robust online platform.