The Yarrows Story
From humble beginnings to international success, the Yarrows story is an inspirational tale that began over eight decades ago in the small sleepy South Taranaki township of Manaia.
Noel & Don, with over 100 years of baking experience.
Way back in 1923, husband and wife Alfred and Grace Yarrow decided to take a chance on life, leaving the family bakery they had established in Turakina, to set up shop in the slighter larger, albeit small South Taranaki township of Manaia.
Upon their arrival, Alfred (or Alf as he was affectionately known) and Grace brought a modest bakery from a Mr Farmer. They renamed the bakery “A.H. Yarrows”.
However (and rather ironically), it wasn’t there the couple first baked their delicious goods – the bakehouse at the rear of the building was so small they baked their breads and cakes down the street, bringing them back to the shop by horse and cart.
The Yarrow’s family life revolved around the bakery – in fact the couple and their three children lived in the quarters out the back of the building, which also contained a retail area and a teashop. Life was good, and a year after setting up shop, the couple gave birth to their fourth child, Noel, who was to spend his entire working life at the helm of the family bakery business, until his death, at 83, in April 2008.
Eighty five years have now passed since Yarrows first opened their doors, and while the factory has undergone some major changes and extensions and has been brought up to the minute with the latest technologies and production equipment, one thing that remains the same is the Yarrow family's passion and commitment to creating innovative, delicious and nutritious breads and bakery products to be enjoyed by people around the world.
Today Noel’s son (Alf’s grandson) Paul Yarrow is carrying on the family’s proud baking tradition and is in charge of running the business, ensuring that Yarrows continues to be on the rise.
