1882
When New Zealand was first being settled, the government offered money to set up the country’s first sugar factory. Before this, NZ had been importing sugar from Australia.
The Colonial Sugar Refining Company of Australia took up the challenge, and partnered with the Victorian Sugar Company to form the New Zealand Sugar Company. A number of New Zealand businessmen were involved too, including Horton, L D Nathan, W S Wilson and Sir Frederick Whitaker. The partnership lasted until the 1888 depression, when it was absorbed by the Colonial Refining Company.
The factory still stands on its original site in Birkenhead, on the North Shore of Auckland City. Ideally situated, the site was over 82 hectares of flat land, used fresh water from Duck Creek and had deep water in the Waitemata Harbour which enabled boats right to the factory door. Building materials, like timber from the trees and clay to make bricks, were also available on site, all within 9 kilometres of Auckland city. It was the perfect spot for a sugar factory.