Initiatives | Tip Top
celebrates 75 years Aucklander Paul Driessen, the foreman on the Tip Top factory floor when the first Jelly Tip left the production line, also turned 75 this year. He wished the company nothing but the best for its three-quarter century milestone. “We’re the best vintage, Tip Top and I. Happy birthday Tip Top and I hope New Zealanders enjoyed their free Jelly Tip that first came off the line 60 years ago,” he said.
Background of the brand Tip Top is New Zealand’s leading ice cream company and a market leader in all categories. Among its portfolio of brands are Kiwi icons such as Trumpet, Fruju, Jelly Tip, Popsicle and Memphis Meltdown.
Established in Wellington in 1936, Tip Top has been part of Fonterra since the farmer-owned co-operative was formed in 2001. Drawing on generations of expertise, Tip Top invests significantly in research and development, enabling the company to provide new and exciting products for New Zealanders. Tip Top 113 Carbine Road Mt Wellington Auckland T 0800 838 181 www.tiptop.co.nz
— Advertising Feature
did you know… ● As part of the celebrations Tip Top brought the classics back. A consumer facebook campaign begging for the return of the grapefruit and lemon Fruju was successful, with it returning for sale. The company also launched a limited edition Mint Trumpet last summer, manufacturing one for every New Zealander ● Supermodel Rachel Hunter was 15 when she appeared for the first time on television in an advertisement for Tiptop Trumpet in the mid 1980s ● Tip Top produces around 35 million litres of ice cream a year ● Tip Top has a long-standing commitment to using home-grown ingredients like fresh cream and fruit. For example, products like boysenberry ripple, NZ’s third favourite flavour, are sourced from grower Barry Wratten’s Lower Moutere orchard in Nelson ● New Zealanders consume around four million Jelly Tips annually
a brief history… In 1936 Albert Hayman and Len Malaghan opened their first ice cream parlour in Manners Street, Wellington In 1936 a second milk bar opened in Wellington, and another in Dunedin. The same year, Tip Top Ice Cream Company was registered as a manufacturing company. By 1938 Tip Top was manufacturing its own ice cream and successfully operating stores in the lower half of the North Island, as well as Nelson and Blenheim In May 1938 Tip Top Ice Cream Company Auckland Limited was incorporated into the growing ice cream business. Due to distribution difficulties and World War II, it operated as a separate company to Wellington Tip Top In November 1962 Hayman and Malaghan opened the biggest and most technically advanced ice cream factory in the southern hemisphere, at Mt Wellington, Auckland. The factory included staff houses and 20 acres of farm land overlooking the southern motorway and cost NZ$700,000 to build
In 1964 a parent company was formed, General Foods Corporation (NZ) Limited, which rated as one of the soundest investments on the stock exchange The Auckland Tip Top factory was originally a seasonal summer enterprise. The success of brands like Topsy, Jelly Tip and FruJu helped transform the Mt Wellington site into a 24-hour year-round operation As demand grew, two further plants were opened in Christchurch and Perth. Although specially designed to meet stringent Japanese export requirements, the Christchurch factory closed in 2007 and production moved to Auckland
● Tip Top Ice Cream is exported to Singapore, Malaysia, Tahiti, Fiji, the Caribbean, Mauritus, Western Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Norfolk Island ● The three most popular Tip Top flavours are vanilla, cookies and cream, and boysenberry ● The oldest novelty ice cream still in production is the Eskimo Pie
Launched in the 1950s, the Jelly Tip is one of NZ’s most popular ice creams…
In April 1997 Tip Top was purchased by a West Australian food processor, Peters & Browne’s Foods from Heinz Watties. The merger of Peters & Browne’s and Tip Top created the largest independent ice cream business in the southern hemisphere with combined sales of $550 million In June 2001, Tip Top Ice Cream became part of the Fonterra Co-operative Group
Amcor is a global leader in responsible global packaging solutions supplying a broad range of carton board, plastic (rigid & flexible), fibre, metal and glass packaging products to enhance the products consumers use in everyday life.
Amcor Cartons are proud to produce packaging for Tip Top. Halls is proud to be a National Refrigerated Transport provider to
We congratulate Tip Top on their
75th Anniversary
at temperature, on time, any weight, anywhere...
Contact : Brian McKechnie General Manager Business Development p. 03 343 5750 f. 03 348 5743 e. brian@halls.co.nz w. www.halls.co.nz
www.amcor.com
Celebrating Tip Top’s 75th Birthday! www.canterburytoday.co.nz October/November 2011 | 39