Austchilli expansion blasts off

The heat is on in Bundaberg with a $3.9 million expansion at Austchilli up and running.

Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt visited the family-owned business at Alloway today to see the new value-adding facility.

“Austchilli is the largest chilli company in Australia and their produce is found in supermarkets and produce businesses around the country and the world.

“This expansion, which Austchilli received $1.5 million from the Wide Bay-Burnett Regional Jobs and Investment Package, has increased the company’s output by 20 percent,” Mr Pitt said.

“Not only does this mean more local jobs, it provides producers in the region the ability to expand their businesses.

“Its projects like these that help drive down the unemployment rate, which we’ve seen a reduction to 7.6 percent in March, and there is more to come,” Mr Pitt said.

Austchilli spokesperson Ian Gaffel said the expansion had created an additional 34 jobs for locals.

“I’m excited as a local to have this additional infrastructure, built by local contractors expanding our capabilities to produce high value functional foods for Australia and the world.

“We already produce a number of value-added products and this expansion means we can boost this side of the business further, creating jobs both here and with our grower networks throughout Queensland.

“We are excited to be bucking the trend, boosting manufacturing jobs and value adding local produce for the world market.”

The Wide Bay-Burnett Regional Jobs Investment Package funded five projects in Hinkler worth $30.8 million, resulting in 99 construction jobs and 333 ongoing positions.

The $220 million Regional Jobs and Investment Package is a pilot program – rolled out in 10 regional locations across the nation – designed to diversify regional economies, particularly those that have undergone large structural changes, to help drive economic growth and job creation in these communities.