Kohu Rd Ice Cream Licks The Sweet Taste Of Success

Kohu Rd Ice Cream Licks The Sweet Taste Of Success

Greg Hall and the Kohu Road Ice Cream company have got the luxury ice cream market licked, despite the recession. And all of the company’s employees are enjoying the sweet taste of success.

After just two years in business and small beginnings in Greg’s basement in Kohu Rd, Titirangi, the company’s annual turnover is now more than a million dollars. Today it officially opened a new, bigger creamery in New Lynn, complete with 10 full time employees who are shareholders.

“One of the foundations of Kohu Road is that we all work together and I don’t mean the old cliché of teamwork,” says Greg. “I mean we are colleagues on the same level and no one is more important than anyone else. I am not the boss and we each take leadership when needed. It’s all about trusting each other. So a natural extension of that structure is that everyone is an actual owner by way of shares. This cements the idea that it’s about our company and not ‘Greg’s company’.”

It’s like the difference between renting a house and owning your own home, Greg adds. “You’re always going to look after your home and do a bit extra if it’s yours rather than someone else’s.”

The factory is in the Portage Rd Business Park, the old Astley Tannery, and its 660 square metres means much more room than Greg’s basement or the company’s last location, a commercial kitchen in Newton – including room for expansion.

“When we ran out of room we were really keen to come back west. Waitakere City Council understands manufacturing and New Lynn is a great location with excellent road connections,” says Greg.

“On top of that the redevelopment plans for the town centre are really exciting. It’s certainly an area on the up and up and we are very enthusiastic about our new base and our future.”

Waitakere City Council is one of several partners in the multi million dollar redevelopment of New Lynn which involves huge improvements to rail infrastructure, roading and footpaths and a revitalised town centre.

“When we began planning the rebirth of New Lynn many years ago attracting businesses like Kohu Rd was top of mind,” says Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey who officially opened the new creamery. “Greg and his team are a true business success story and it’s significant the opening is just before the first train goes into the underground trench in New Lynn because now is the start of a very bright future.”

The creamy and rich Kohu Road ice cream has taken the luxury ice cream market by storm. It’s won several awards, supplies 200 stores here and in Australia. The ice cream is made by hand using only the freshest, highest quality ingredients and has no artificial colours or flavours. The new premises have an open plan office area, a glassed-in production area, numerous freezers and a sales and tasting room which is open to the public.

“We’ve got the best of both worlds really,” said Mr Hall. “The nice newness of the space while still retaining the old building’s character.”

The official opening of the new factory was held in conjunction with a Waitakere Enterprise Business After 5 gathering, held on the last Friday of each month at different business venues across the city as a networking opportunity.

ENDS

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