Robern Menz has kick-started local production of Violet Crumble
PRODUCTION of Aussie favourite Violet Crumble has returned to South Australia after more than 30 years, with local confectioner Robern Menz marking its maiden production run today.
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PRODUCTION of Aussie favourite Violet Crumble has returned to South Australia after more than 30 years, with local confectioner Robern Menz marking its maiden production run today.
It follows a $4 million upgrade of the company’s Glynde factory, including the installation of equipment previously operated by Nestlé at its plant in Campbellfield near Melbourne.
Robern Menz acquired the Violet Crumble brand from the Swiss food giant in January, adding to its other well known products including Crown Mints, Choc Honeycomb and the National Trust Heritage listed FruChocs.
The company secured $750,000 from the former State Government’s Future Jobs Fund as part of the deal, as well as a $900,000 loan from the Investment Attraction Agency.
Robern Menz chief executive Phil Sims said the company planned to breathe new life into the Violet Crumble brand, but without changing its century-old recipe and distinctive purple and gold branding.
“Violet Crumble will, under our ownership, be a priority brand and will attract significant future investment whilst under our control,” he said.
“It was a priority brand back in the 80s and 90s - it hasn’t been in the past decade or so but for us it will be.”
“Part of the market penetration will be looking at further export markets. Already a fair bit goes to the United States and to some Asian countries and we’re looking to expand on that.
“We’ve seen some other great Australian brands go by the wayside so it’s great with Violet Crumble that it didn’t go the same way. It now has a chance to be rejuvenated - energy and investment being put back into one of the great brands that Australians have grown and loved.”
The start of production at Glynde follows a three-month shut-down and rebuild of Robern Menz’s honeycomb plant and the arrival of nine B-double semi trailer loads of equipment from Nestlé’s factory near Melbourne.
While acknowledging there had been some early “teething issues”, Mr Sims said the upgraded factory would produce six million Violet Crumble bars each year - a 37 per cent increase in the facility’s output.
Half of the 30 additional production, technical, marketing, sales, finance and other jobs previously committed to have been filled, with the rest to be added this financial year.
During a tour of the Robern Menz’s factory, Trade Minister David Ridgway said the State Government would work with the company to reach new and expanding export markets.
“There’s a range of projects that come across a change of government - some good some bad - this one is an opportunity to export to the world so its fabulous,” he said.
“I know that the US is an important market for them. We’ll be opening a trade office in the US in the next couple of years so I can’t wait to see Violet Crumbles in that trade office, and ultimately see maybe Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman eating a Violet Crumble in the US.”
UK migrant Abel Hoadley is credited with inventing Violet Crumble in 1913, with the purple and gold packaging said to be a tribute to his wife’s favourite flower and colour.
Violet Crumble bars have been made in Australia ever since, however production in Adelaide ended in 1985, when previous owner Rowntree Company closed its South Australian plant.
Nestlé acquired Rowntree Hoadley in 1989, manufacturing Violet Crumble at its Melbourne facility until the Robern Menz acquisition.