Paeroa
is home to therapeutic spring water discovered in the 19th
century. This water, mixed with lemon is known as New
Zealand’s very first own natural soft drink, “Lemon and
Paeroa”. This soft drink has made Paeroa “World
Famous in New Zealand” and overseas.
When
the Innes Scheppes factory closed on 31 July 1980, a page in
Paeroa’s history was turned.
However, the name of the popular soft drink, “Lemon
and Paeroa”, was already known throughout New Zealand and
beyond.
Prior
to the turn of the century, the Paeroa Natural Mineral Water
Company first bottled and sold the waters of the Paeroa Spring
to the people of the district.
In 1904 the first official analysis was made of the
waters and in 1907 Menzies and Company acquired the springs
property and took over the bottling of the Paeroa spring
water. First,
just the mineral water was bottled as before, and then came
the addition of lemon essence, which gave it its’ remarkable
refreshing flavour.
After
Menzies and Co become Grey & Menzies Limited around 1909,
a local carrier, Mr Jack Gordon, carted filled wooden casks
from the spring to the wharf, which were then shipped to an
Auckland factory on the ship SS Taniwha.
Grey
and Menzies later merged with CL Innes and Company in 1963,
forming Innes Tartan Limited.
Between these two companies there was a total of 196
years of history in the soft drink industry in NZ.
Following this merger, and extensive marketing program
was introduced, resulting in a rapid increase in sales
throughout NZ and the Pacific Area.
What started as a modest local soft drink has now
reached international status, in 1969 receiving a diploma in
excellence from the British Bottlers Institute.
“Lemon and Paeroa” was the only entry outside the
British Isles to win such an award.
In
1970 a new factory was opened replacing the old factory was
opened replacing the old factory built over 50 years earlier.
The decision to close the factory was not easy for the
Company because of its special importance as the home of
“Lemon and Paeroa”, but was necessary in view of existing
market conditions.
