Productivity starts in the Smoko Room.

Pic credits the success of his peanut butter company to what he learned in his time at Parnell Workshops, a collective of small manufacturers who shared their skills, equipment, smokos and Friday night drinks together, at a run-down warehouse in the 1980’s.

His own difficulties in finding food safe premises in which to develop his peanut butter convinced him of the need for a food innovation centre and with the support of the Provincial Growth Fund and the Nelson business community, The Food Factory opened when lock-down ended in 2020.

The Food Factory is a Not For Profit, offering an affordable food-grade workspace and collaborative environment in which to develop food products and processing methods. In return for sharing your skills and ideas with other users of the facility, the management will put you in touch with their own networks of entrepreneurs, coaches and funding resources to ensure you are able to make the most of your time with us.

We believe businesses work better, collaboratively.

Your new place.

Configurable.

Our 40 sqm spaces are built with manufacturing in mind. Food safe, washable and most importantly- productive.
Just wheel in what you need of our benches, cookers, mixers etc-
and get to work

Presentable.

For when you want to show-off a little.

A custom 30 pax presentation kitchen perfect for videos, classes, enticing those potential investors or favorably- cooking up a storm for your new coworkers.

Sociable.

This is probably where you’ll find Pic-
The Smoko Room.
Have your coffee, chat with your neighbors and share your achievements.

Just please, no smoking.