Hawke’s Bay’s Te Mata Mushrooms has announced it is suspending production after 55 years. It claims the plant is no longer fit for purpose and there are ‘pressures caused by urban encroachment’. Staff numbers will reduce from 110 to a skeleton staff of 10-15 over the next 4-6 weeks.
Company chairman John Seton said staff were notified on Wednesday of the facility’s shut-down and ‘have been offered wrap-around support by the board and senior management alongside Ministry of Social Development: “It’s very disappointing that we need to close the facility. Despite our best efforts to resolve issues with a very outdated facility that puts our staff as well as ongoing revenue at risk, the best decision is to suspend production.”
Source: stuff.co.nz