The Arnott’s Group is celebrating 160 years of its iconic biscuit brand in 2025, hosting the New South Wales Premier, Minister for Domestic Manufacturing, Minister for Industry and Trade, and Member for Prospect at its Huntingwood bakery in Western Sydney last week.
The Arnott’s story began in 1865, when Scottish immigrant and baker William Arnott opened a small bakery on Hunter Street in Newcastle. By 1894, operations had expanded to Sydney. Today, the company is one of Australia’s largest food manufacturers, with five manufacturing sites across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria.
Arnott’s Group CEO, George Zoghbi, said the company was proud to be one of the few Australian food companies to have stood the test of time.
“For 160 years, Arnott’s has been making delicious biscuits that have become household staples across generations. This success is underpinned by our employees, our suppliers, and our unwavering commitment to quality and continued investment in Australian manufacturing,” said Zoghbi.
“It was great to celebrate this milestone, together with representatives from the New South Wales government who similarly recognise that as we grow, so too does our support for local suppliers, including wheat growers in the Riverina and across New South Wales, canola farmers in northern New South Wales and sugar growers in the Northern Rivers Region, amongst others.”
Over the past five years The Arnott’s Group has invested more than $250 million across its network, including over $50 million into its Huntingwood bakery to enhance capability and support export growth.
New South Wales Minister for Industry and Trade, Anoulack Chanthivong, said: “Not only is Arnott’s a powerhouse of local manufacturing, they are also setting their sights on the international market, with a significant portion of what’s produced being exported across the globe – which is a great example of NSW’s increasingly diversified export economy.”
The Huntingwood bakery opened in 1997 and is a major employer in Western Sydney with more than 400 staff. The 15.9-hectare site operates five production lines and produces over 50 per cent of Arnott’s total biscuit output, including 14 of the top 20 Arnott’s products.
The New South Wales Premier, Chris Minns, said Arnott's is a great Australian brand, founded and still based in NSW.
“It was great meeting the Arnott's workers last week – good Aussie manufacturing jobs in Western Sydney,” said Minns.
“I've eaten my share of Chicken Shapes and Tim Tams over the years, so it was great to say thanks to the workers who make them.”
