According to media reports, McCain Foods has announced it will close its Hastings vegetable processing plant by January 2027.
In a letter to growers, McCain said it reviewed operations at the site but was unable to find a sustainable pathway under the current model. It will transition to sourcing vegetable products through trusted supply partners within the broader network.
Production at Hastings will continue through the remainder of the processing and packing season as planned. The company's agriculture team will be in contact with growers to ensure they have clarity and support as they move through this transition.
Labour jobs and income spokesperson Ginny Andersen said the Government has added another massive failure to its record. The closure will hit workers, their families, and the Hawke’s Bay community hard.
“Sadly, this is not a one-off event at one company; this is part of a broader pattern of closures affecting thousands of jobs across the manufacturing sector under Christopher Luxon’s watch,” she said.
“We’ve now seen major closures at Wattie’s, Kinleith Mill, Winstone Pulp, Sealord, and many other companies reducing their workforces.”
Andersen added that unemployment has soared and that there are 32,000 fewer jobs since the National took office. Business liquidations are at a 15-year high.
“Each one of those jobs lost is a family struggling to pay the bills or a loved one moving to Australia.”
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