Ziwi, the country’s largest petfood producer, has reduced production at its Napier “super kitchen” following a global decline in demand. The company confirmed that it has “opted for production slowdowns,” though no staff have been laid off as of now.
The slowdown comes amid broader challenges in the global petfood market. Ziwi, which exports to international markets, has not detailed how long the reduced output will continue or whether further changes to operations are expected.
Nearly 170 employees work at the facility, which opened in 2022 and cost around NZ$100 million to build. While jobs remain secure, Ziwi stated that employee hours have been affected by the production cuts.
The Napier facility remains a major part of Ziwi’s production network, and the company has not announced any closures.
