Haigh's Chocolates facts for kids
 |
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Headquarters | , |
|
Number of locations
|
22 |
|
Area served
|
Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, online (Australia) |
| Products | Chocolates |
|
Number of employees
|
800+ |
| Parent | AE Haigh Pty Ltd |
Haigh's Chocolates is a famous Australian company that makes delicious chocolates. It's a family business that started way back in 1915! They are known for making chocolate from "bean-to-bar," which means they control the whole process, from getting the cocoa beans to making the final chocolate bar. You can find their shops in cities like Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra, and you can even buy their chocolates online.
Contents
A Sweet Beginning: Haigh's History
Alfred E. Haigh started his chocolate journey in 1915 in Adelaide, South Australia. His very first shop opened on May 1st, 1915. A few years later, in 1922, the shop moved to a famous spot called Beehive Corner, which is still there today! The inside of this shop still looks much like it did when it first opened.
Later, Alfred's grandson, John Haigh, wanted to make the chocolate-making part of the business even better. He traveled all the way to Switzerland to learn new techniques from a famous chocolate company called Lindt & Sprüngli. He brought these new ideas back to Australia to make Haigh's chocolates even more special.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Haigh's chocolates were sold right inside movie theaters by people called "Tray Girls" and "Tray Boys." When fewer people went to the movies, Haigh's decided to open more shops. They expanded to Melbourne to share their popular chocolates with even more people.
Where to Find Haigh's Chocolates
Haigh's Chocolates has many stores across Australia where you can buy their tasty treats.
In South Australia, there are seven stores. Three of these are in the heart of Adelaide, including the historic Beehive Corner store and one at the Adelaide Central Market. You can also visit their Visitor Centre store, which is next to their factory in Parkside. At this location, you can even take a tour to see how the chocolates are made!
Melbourne has seven Haigh's stores. Five of them are in the city center, including a special flagship store in the beautiful Block Arcade. There are also stores in the suburbs like Hawthorn, Ringwood, and Toorak.
In Sydney, you can find six Haigh's stores in popular places like the Queen Victoria Building and The Strand Arcade. There are also stores in shopping centers like Chatswood Chase, Westfield Bondi Junction, Westfield Miranda, and Castle Towers. You can also find a Haigh's store in the Canberra Centre in Canberra.
If you can't get to a store, don't worry! Since 2014, Haigh's has also sold its chocolates online, so you can order them from anywhere in Australia.
Delicious Chocolates They Make
Haigh's makes many different kinds of chocolate treats. They produce regular chocolate bars and blocks, as well as loose chocolates that you can pick and mix. They also create special chocolates for holidays and gifts, like their famous Easter Bilbies.
Sweet Success and Awards
Haigh's Chocolates is known for its quality. In 2022, the company received a special award from consumers at the South Australian Premier’s Food and Beverage Industry Awards. This shows how much people love their chocolates!
Good Deeds and Clever Ideas
Haigh's Chocolates cares about where their cocoa beans come from. They support a group called Alternative Communities Trade in Vanuatu (ACTIV). This group helps local chocolate-making companies like Aelan and cocoa bean farmers in the region. Haigh's has even made a special chocolate bar using only cocoa beans from Vanuatu, showing their support for these communities.
You might know that rabbits were brought to Australia a long time ago and have become a big problem for the environment. Because of this, Haigh's came up with a clever idea for Easter. Since 1993, instead of just selling chocolate bunnies, they also sell chocolate bilbies. A bilby is a native Australian animal, and by selling chocolate bilbies, Haigh's helps raise awareness and support for this unique animal.
See also
- List of South Australian manufacturing businesses
- South Australian food and drink
