FAQs

Hellers Supports good practice Pig Farming

An estimated 95% of all New Zealand pork used to produce bacon and ham by Hellers is from sows not permanently housed in dry-sow-stalls.

Hellers is New Zealand owned and operated and has plants in Kaiapoi, north of Christchurch and Auckland.

Hellers has one of the highest percentages of NZ pork in its bacon and ham products. Overall the company has 50% New Zealand sourced product and 50% imported product.

“We source our New Zealand pork product from farms in the South Island. We believe we are double the industry average for use of New Zealand pork in the manufacture of bacon and ham products,” says Managing Director Nick Harris.

Nick Harris says the company is also realistic that it needs to import some pork products to meet demand and remain competitive.

“As part of our move towards dry-sow-stall-free, we are also investigating the supply chain of imported pork product.”

“We’ve been in this business for 20 years and have just made a significant investment in expanding our Kaiapoi plant and so it is in our interests to make sure that demand for pork products continues to grow.”

Free Farmed
“Hellers Sensational Middle and Middle Eye Bacon is sourced from South Island suppliers who do not use stalls nor farrowing crates.  Piglets are born outside and live with the sow until weaned. The piglets then go to live in an ‘eco barn’ where they are free to roam inside and outside as nature intended.”

Free range means that the pigs live outside and are free to roam everywhere.
Free farmed is the term that covers the pigs that also live in eco barns which provides shelter from weather conditions. These are big barns where pigs can roam around and have open doors to allow them to walk outside as well.

We also use beef, lamb and venison in our sensational fresh sausages which is sourced from NZ. These animals are traditionally farmed outside.

Hellers Meat Sources