By Tamara Pia Agavi
One of the oldest food manufacturing companies in Papua New Guinea, Paradise Foods Limited yesterday celebrated a whopping 90 years of operation.
The story behind this remarkable journey of merging two different businesses to form one parent company that we now come to know and trust. It began in the 1930’s when two men, combined their bakeries to form the Morobe Bakery Pty Limited giving rise to the household name Morobeen brand.
Eighteen years later in 1948, in the idyllic volcanic town of Rabaul, the Wong family established and operated mainly in Rabaul before moving into Port Moresby in 1962 followed by another in Lae in 1982. A decade later in 1992, both the Morobe Bakery Ltd and the Paradise Bakery was purchased by Arnott’s Australia, merging the two local companies, retaining 80% ownership.
The company becomes locally owned eventually in July 2007 when Nambawan Super was the major shareholder with 80% and Comrade Trustee Services with the remaining 20% shares, the shareholdings becomes 100% locally owned. The name also changed to Paradise Foods Limited. The manufacturing side of the business is still at the two Historic sites in both Port Moresby and Lae respectively.
The famous Gala Gala Yum brand of ice cream has become synonymous with the company when the parent company purchased off Laga Industries from the Steamships trading company limited. Laga Industries was fully brought into the Paradise Foods family in the 1st of January 2023.
Standing on their vision and values of being the largest and most profitable food manufacturer in the South Pacific and also being transparent, confident and bold as a locally owned company. Today, Paradise Foods is a household name in Papua New Guinea and is one of the most philanthropic companies who also give a lot back to the country and its employees.
The company will be celebrating its 90th anniversary tonight, 11th of October 2023 at the Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby.
