Focus | Bluebird Foods
Bluebird celebrates 60 years It’s safe to say that Kiwis can’t get enough of New Zealand’s favourite snack food - Bluebird. The iconic brand celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, keeping us in supply of tasty treats, especially chippies, for as long as Kiwis can remember. Bluebird opened its doors in 1953, just a few years after young entrepreneur Les Saussey started selling popcorn and then potato chips at the Western Springs Speedway in Auckland. Saussey started out small, but the popularity of his Bluebird chips quickly flourished and an expansion in flavours such as ready salted, salt and vinegar, and chicken became too much of a temptation, selling at just nine pence a packet. Today Bluebird is one of New Zealand’s largest snack food manufacturers with Kiwi favourites including Bluebird Potato Chips, Doritos Corn Chips, Grain Waves, Twisties, Rashuns, Burger Rings and Cheezels. To celebrate its 60th anniversary, group brand manager, Jodene Nigro says Bluebird is rolling out a range of activities. “An exciting consumer promotion that we are running will give families a chance to win a great Kiwi escape to go and see a beautiful chip of New Zealand. A range of specially marked Bluebird packs will carry the promotion throughout our anniversary over June and July in stores across New Zealand.” Bluebird is also giving consumers the opportunity to relive 60 years of Kiwi history via a ‘Favourite Kiwi Moments’ celebration, running for 60 days and hosted on the new Bluebird Facebook page. “This is a great opportunity for families to share their favourite memories and win lots of prizes. Over the years, beside
outstanding quality and great tasting snacks, Bluebird and its penguins have won the heart of Kiwi families; it is a truly iconic Kiwi brand,” Nigro says. Nigro further explains that the brand has become a slice of Kiwi life. “We all share memories of family and friends, summer BBQs on the beach sharing Bluebird chips or playing with Cheezels rings on top of our fingers. “Bluebird feels privileged that 60 years on it continues to be one of New Zealand’s favourite snack brands. “Our great taste comes first from our commitment to great quality ingredients such as potatoes and corn that is 100 percent New Zealand grown, and are then turned into a delicious range of snacks, manufactured right here at our plant in Auckland,” he says. In 2010, Bluebird won the sought after Westpac Manukau Business Excellence ‘Business of the Year Supreme Award’, along with the Brookfield Lawyers Employer of Choice Award and the EMA Excellence in Manufacturing Award. The business supports building stronger links between employees, charities and the community with its Helping Hands Program. This includes an ongoing commitment to the Salvation Army through product donations, internal fundraising events and employee volunteering time to support Salvation Army initiatives. All funds raised by Bluebird employees are matched dollar for dollar by the PepsiCo foundation.
54 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz
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We all share memories of family and friends, summer BBQs on the beach sharing Bluebird chips or playing with Cheezels rings on top of our fingers. - GROUP BRAND MANAGER, JODENE NIGRO
After celebrating Bluebird’s anniversary Nigro explains that the business will continue to create new products and flavours. “Making the best tasting chips remains at the heart of everything Bluebird does - we will continue making great tasting chips well into the future.”
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