 | |
| Industry | Food processing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Anthony and Gillian Barker |
| Headquarters | , New Zealand |
| Products | preserved foods |
Number of employees | 300 (2024) |
| Parent | Andros |
| Website | https://barkers.co.nz |
Barker's of Geraldine is a food processing company based in Geraldine, New Zealand. The business primarily produces fruit preserves, fruit syrups, and relishes.
William Edward Barker (1858–1935), one of the sons of the Christchurch doctor and photographer Alfred Barker, was a pioneer in orcharding in South Canterbury. He established an orchard at Peel Forest. Barker Sr. owned land at Ohapi near Geraldine. [1]
Barker's of Geraldine was founded in 1969 by Anthony Barker and his wife Gillian. [2] [3] Anthony Barker is the great-nephew of William Edward Barker, and the orchard is the farm started by Alfred Barker. [1] The business began producing elderflower wine in a converted shed on their farm in Pleasant Valley, but soon shifted to producing fruit preserves. [2] By 2009, the business had grown to purchase around 1,000 tonnes (980 long tons; 1,100 short tons) of New Zealand fruit annually. [4] In 2007, they acquired rival relish manufacturer Anathoth Farm. [5] The business remained family-owned until 2016, when a majority stake was sold to French food company Andros. [2] [6]
Barker's has won several industry awards. In 2009, the company was named the "supreme business" by the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce in their Business Excellence Awards. [4] In 2015, Barker's was named "South Canterbury's best business". [7] In August 2024, they were again named supreme winners by the Chamber of Commerce. [8]
In 2019, Barker's opened a store and café complex in Geraldine. [9] As of 2024 [update] , Barker's employs 300 people, making it the largest employer in Geraldine, a small town with a population of around 3000. [2] [10] In April 2024, the company announced a major expansion of their factory facility in the town that will increase the floorspace from 3,300 m2 (36,000 sq ft) to 9,200 m2 (99,000 sq ft). [11]
In 2017 and 2018 Barker's was determined to be non-compliant with their wastewater resource consent, as they were discharging more than the permitted daily limit of 200 cubic metres (7,100 cu ft) of water to the storage pond by their factory. They applied to Environment Canterbury for a waiver and consent variation, which was granted in 2019. [12] Barker's utilises a 12,000 cubic metres (420,000 cu ft) wastewater storage pond, with the stored water then discharged across a patch of terraced land above the Hae Hae Te Moana River near their factory. [12] According to their consent, the wastewater contains "fruit and vegetable pulp, juice spillage, and wash-down water from cleaning." [12]
In July 2025 it was revealed that Barker's was again under investigation by Environment Canterbury for improperly discharging wastewater after a complaint was made by a local resident. [12]