Family-run business Ocean Pure began canning albacore tuna and pet food at its factory in the Cloudy Bay Business Park in 2003, but its plant is to be auctioned off today at 10.30am at the factory.
Bay of Plenty-based auctioneer Alastair Beer of Alastair Beer Auctions said although it was unfortunate that the cannery had to close, the auction had garnered strong international interest.
He expected the cannery would be sold in the auction.
The last tuna cans came off Ocean Pure’s production line last May and the last pet food in January after several factors, including the strong
Ocean Pure spokesman Russell O’Flaherty said the high dollar made production of canned tuna too expensive. In August the business decided to drop the tuna canning altogether. Mr. O’Flaherty said their future plans were uncertain.
â€It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how we are feeling about all this. It’s putting strain on everyone but we still believe that we can have a positive outcome,†he said.
The company was still keen to market products it had developed which had not made it onto store shelves, such as canned greenshell mussels and canned boneless salmon, Mr. O’Flaherty said.
Ocean Pure, owned by Allan and Lenore Gard, was the only cannery in Australisia to be considered dolphin-safe by US-based environmental organization