For the seventh consecutive year, Whittaker’s has been voted New Zealand’s most trusted brand in the annual Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands survey.
Chief Sales Officer Matt Whittaker says: “We think it is a combination of our 122-year history, reliability for quality, and our innovation in creating tempting new products over recent years – sometimes in collaboration with other iconic kiwi brands, or in support of important causes. All this has helped us maintain that trusted status.”
He believes the company maintains quality product as it makes all its chocolate from one factory in Porirua and controls the entire manufacturing process, from roasting the cocoa beans to wrapping the finished product.
“In that context, this award is a fantastic acknowledgement of all of our wonderful staff, who live our company values every day. We are also fortunate to have on our doorstep quality suppliers of ingredients we use to make our chocolate, which also enables us to tell a richer New Zealand story about the products we export,” he says.
The family business was also voted winner of the New Zealand Iconic Brands category and took out the top confectionery accolade too. These same results were achieved by Whittaker’s last year. Air New Zealand and Tip Top were highly commended in the New Zealand Iconic Brands category.
Comments from those surveyed included praise for Whittaker’s quality ingredients, business integrity, local manufacturing, prices, advertising, and care for the environment.
Brands joining Whittaker’s in finishing in the top 10 this year are:
THE TOP 10 – ACROSS ALL TRUSTED BRANDS CATEGORIES
- Whittaker’s (Confectionery)
- Whittakers (New Zealand iconic brand)
- Air New Zealand
- Canon
- Toyota
- Nikon
- Resene
- Tip Top (Ice Cream)
- Sleepyhead
- Dilmah