an a century on, it remains proudly independent and family-run. For CEO Alister Haigh, who leads the business alongside his brother Simon, the company’s longevity is deeply personal. “I am proud to be a part of Haigh’s story. Alongside my brother Simon, we remain committed to continuing our family’s legacy as one of the largest bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturing-retailers in Australia,” Alister Haigh said in a statement.  That commitment is being crystallised in a $120 million investment in a new manufacturing and warehouse facility in Salisbury, north of Adelaide.  “The company’s never made a bigger decision,” Alister said of the development.  “Initially, it’s within Australia. As far as capital cities go, we’re not in Brisbane yet, or Perth or Hobart, so there’s a lot of upside there,” he added. The new facility boasts state-of-the-art machinery sourced from Europe and holds capacity to double production, allowing Haigh’s to shift from a reactive to a proactive stance in both its online and corporate sales strategies. It also lays the groundwork for future export, although bureaucracy remains a hurdle. “We’ll possibly be able to get export accreditation. Then we’ll be able to ship those products directly to [international] customers,” Alister said.  “We know our customers post and ship our chocolates around the world. Individually, you can send our chocolates anywhere, but the company can’t [yet],” he added.  A bricks-and-mortar cornerstone For the time being, Haigh’s is focused on growth within Australia, particularly in cities where it has yet to open stores. The digital store also remains a cornerstone of its direct-to-consumer strategy. “The way for us to reach our customers around Australia was to be online. And we were fortunate –we had done that, and it was working pretty well before Covid-19 hit,” Alister explained. “Fifteen of our 21 stores closed with lockdowns. Online boomed and helped save us,” he reinforced. Despite digital evolution, Haigh’s remains firmly committed to the physical retail experience. That experiential aspect that blends service and craftsmanship, and nostalgic charm – integral to its DNA. “We’re not just bean-to-bar. We’re bean-to-consumer. That’s what makes us stand out. We’re the biggest user of cocoa beans in Australia and we go right through to the retail customers,” Alister said.  “Our feedback is that everyone that comes into our stores enjoys it—enjoys the experience as well as the product,” he added.  The 110 year milestone The company has marked its 110th year with an Anniversary Edition Chocolate Box, featuring 72 hand-crafted chocolates in a bespoke design inspired by the Beehive Corner facade. Among the flavours are returning icons like Dark Almond Vanilla Cream and Alfred Haigh’s Dark Apricot, including new entries such as the Banoffee Pie Truffle. But behind the sweet celebration, its philosophy remains integral: quality over quantity and service over scale. “Each generation’s probably improved the quality of the product,” Alister reflected.  “Chocolate was pretty basic and we had no air conditioning, so it might have had the flavour, but not the quality. So each generation upgraded the machineries and upgraded the formulas and the quality of raw materials,” he said. This forward-thinking tradition complements Haigh’s expansion, with milestones including its entry into Melbourne six decades ago and Sydney 20 years ago.  Now, with more than 900 employees and a future-focused infrastructure play, the fifth generation of Haigh’s is laying the foundation for a new chapter. “We were building a new site out at Salisbury, north of Adelaide, and had an open day,” Alister said.  “We had our team and their family out there to have a look through it. We had about 700 there. That was probably, if you like, the de facto celebration of the birthday,” he added. The official site opening is expected in September, with full commissioning of machinery to follow. Until then, Haigh’s remains anchored in its mission to delight customers with premium chocolate, made with purpose and a nostalgic touch. “That’s what sets us apart –being able to give that level of customer service to everyone and make sure our team is very knowledgeable in products,” Alister concluded. In a retail landscape where heritage brands can often lose sight of their roots, Haigh’s chocolates continue to prove that tradition and innovation aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, when well-tempered, they can be the perfect blend.