COVER STORY WHEN MOTHER NATURE CALLS On February 22, 2011, at 12.51pm, Canterbury came to a standstill. A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook the already-damaged region, killing 185 people and injuring scores more. NZ FoodTechnology asked Original Foods Baking Co and Harrington’s Brewery – both now based in Wigram - how that split-second has changed their companies and what has been learned in the six years since. One of the many things that iconic sweet treats company Original Foods witnessed in the horrific days following the lethal 2011 Canterbury earthquake was a surprising one. Demand for its products increased slightly, and the company believes people found some comfort in the simple act of sharing a cake or slice over a cup of tea with friends and family during a terrible time. It’s what spurred the 25-year-old company to give something back. Owners Jane Mayell and Mike Sproule got to work and made a special red velvet cake known as ‘A Cake for Canterbury’, with funds from each cake sold donated to enhance the parks and recreation areas of Christchurch. Today, the company’s ‘cake with a conscience’ is a red velvet Celebration Cake, with proceeds directed to the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal. It’s a simple reminder of a tragic event that taught everyone involved so much about themselves, their staff, their businesses and those living around them. “We learned how resilient our Christchurch community is, as well as the value of having a strong company culture,” Mayell says now. “Our staff were incredible during and after the earthquakes, and we were so grateful for their support and professionalism.” Original Foods was fortunate that its factory was spared absolute devastation, as it was located in a less impacted area. Having said that, the company lost production for a few days, stock needed to be thrown out due to power outages, and some buildings and machinery were damaged. All that was pushed back in priority, as the company’s top concern was the safety of staff and their families, with everything else replaceable, Mayell says. “As a family-owned and operated business, our staff form part of our OFBC family,” she says now. “Fortunately, no one was injured at work because of the earthquakes. Some staff had homes that were in the ‘red zone’ and sadly, they experienced loss of their homes and personal property. We gave our staff paid time they needed to help deal with the aftermath of the devastating event.” While some staff were affected property wise, no one was directly touched by casualties around Christchurch. Staff were given time to sort themselves out as needed in the following days, and the company engaged the support of a human resource specialist, who was available to staff in a supportive role to assist with any emotional stress during this time. The company followed its established safety procedures, which included shutting down the production line to run safety and hygiene checks, and then recommenced production as soon as possible. “Our staff also provided a great deal of
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