Talley's Group

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Talley's Group Limited | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | logo_padding = | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | trading_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang =  | romanized_name = | former_name = | type = Private company | traded_as = | ISIN = | industry = Fisheries, meatworks | genre =  | fate = | predecessor = Talley's Fisheries Ltd<ref name="Talley's"/> | successor =  | founded = 1936  | founder =Ivan Peter Talijancich<ref name="Talley's"/> | defunct =  | hq_location = | hq_location_city = Motueka | hq_location_country = New Zealand | coordinates = | num_locations = 31<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.talleys.co.nz/about-us/our-locations/ |title=Our Locations " Talleys |publisher=Talleys.co.nz |access-date=14 July 2016}}</ref> | num_locations_year = 2016 | area_served =  | key_people = | products = | brands = | production = | production_year =  | services = | revenue = | revenue_year =  | operating_income = | income_year =  | net_income =  | net_income_year =  | aum =  | assets = | assets_year =  | equity = | equity_year =  | owner =  | members = | members_year =  | num_employees = | num_employees_year =  | parent = | divisions = | subsid = [[AFFCO Holdings]], [[Hall's Group]], [[Open Country Dairy]] | slogan =  | module =  | ratio =  | rating =  | footnotes = | intl =  | website = {{URL|talleys.co.nz|Talley's Website}} }}

'''Talley's Group Limited''' is a privately owned, New Zealand–based [[agribusiness]] company that provides seafood, vegetable and [[dairy product]]s.<ref name="Talley's">{{cite web |url=http://www.talleys.co.nz/about-us/our-heritage/ |title=Our Heritage " Talleys |publisher=Talleys.co.nz |access-date=14 July 2016}}</ref> Talley's was established in 1936 in [[Motueka]] by Ivan Peter Talijancich (later known as Ivan Talley) as a manufacturer of seafood, and has since grown into one of the largest agribusiness companies in New Zealand.<ref name="affco">{{cite web |title=Talleys makes play for Affco – Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News |url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/business/117075/talleys-makes-play-affco |website=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=22 July 2010 |access-date=14 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/5359887/Talley-family-wealth-increased-by-10m |title=Talley family wealth 'increased by $10m' |date=29 July 2011 |publisher=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=14 July 2016}}</ref>

The company's [[Motueka#Economy|Port Motueka]] site incorporates the Group Head Office, the [[fish processing|Seafood Division]] and the [[Ice cream|Dairy Division]]. The [[frozen vegetables|Vegetable Division]] began operations in 1978 at Motueka, but has since been relocated to [[Blenheim, New Zealand|Blenheim]] and [[Ashburton, New Zealand|Ashburton]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://talleys.co.nz/aboutus.htm |title=Our Heritage " Talleys |publisher=Talleys.co.nz |access-date=14 July 2016 |archive-date=2 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602090546/http://www.talleys.co.nz/aboutus.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The meat division, [[AFFCO Holdings]], has been majority-owned by Talley's since the early 2000s.<ref name=affco />

In 2016 Talley's diversified into coal mining in a joint purchase with [[Bathurst Resources]] of former [[Solid Energy]] mines at [[Stockton Mine|Stockton]], [[Rotowaro]] and [[Maramarua]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/85911498/bathurst-resources-and-talleys-buy-three-solid-energy-mines |title=Bathurst Resources and Talley's buy three Solid Energy mines |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=31 October 2016 |language=en |access-date=4 February 2018}}</ref>

==History==

[[File:Janie Seddon 24584719531 03.jpg|thumb|The rusting hull of the ''Janie Seddon'']] The company's first [[fishing vessel]] was the ''Janie Seddon''. Built in the United Kingdom in 1903, the ''Janie Seddon'' was one of two [[submarine minelaying vessel]]s brought out from England to New Zealand that same year. The ''Janie Seddon'' was based in [[Wellington]], with its twin, the ''Lady Roberts'', based in [[Auckland]]. The ''Janie Seddon'' was used in port during [[World War I|World Wars I]] and [[World War II|II]], and was also the [[examination vessel]] during World War II.

In 1936 the ''Janie Seddon'' was purchased by Talley's Fisheries, and was their first vessel. Retired in 1955, she is now a rusting hulk on the Motueka foreshore, near the headquarters of Talley's.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://maanz.wellington.net.nz/nzhistoricships/directory/Janie%20Seddon.html |title=Janie Seddon |website=maanz.wellington.net.nz |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014092045/http://maanz.wellington.net.nz/nzhistoricships/directory/Janie%20Seddon.html |archive-date=14 October 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=9 September 2021 |title=The Janie Seddon Motueka Shipwreck |url=https://ilanwittenberg.com/motueka-shipwreck/ |access-date=21 November 2021 |website=Ilan Wittenberg Photographer |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 November 2014 |title=Old wreck's days may be numbered |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/63407740/old-wrecks-days-may-be-numbered |access-date=21 November 2021 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref>

In April 2026, Talley's began consulting staff on the proposed closure of its [[Westport, New Zealand|Westport]] fish processing factory in order to consolidate production at its fish processing facilities in [[Motueka]] and [[Timaru]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Talley's mulls closure of Westport fish processing factory |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/592029/talley-s-mulls-closure-of-westport-fish-processing-factory |access-date=10 April 2026 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=10 April 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260410044948/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/592029/talley-s-mulls-closure-of-westport-fish-processing-factory |archive-date=10 April 2026 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Industrial relations==

Talley's has courted controversy for its approach to industrial relations,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/275984/meatworkers-punished-over-union-material |title=Meatworkers punished over union material |date=11 June 2015 |publisher=[[Radio New Zealand]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11467424 |title=Blaming staff won't end injuries |author=Dita De Boni |date=19 June 2015 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/affco-workers-vote-strike-meat-company-first-apply-under-new-bargaining-laws-b-176613 |title=Affco workers vote to strike as meat company first to apply under new bargaining laws |author=Fiona Rotherham |date=4 August 2015 |publisher=[[National Business Review]] }}</ref><ref>[http://www.neon.org.nz/documents/Talleys%20Judgement.pdf Talleys Fisheries Ltd v Lewis HC Auckland CIV 2005-485-1750 [2007] NZHC 1845; (2007) 8 HRNZ 413; (2007) 4 NZELR 447 (14 June 2007)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150115081808/http://www.neon.org.nz/documents/Talleys%20Judgement.pdf |date=15 January 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/6485210/Talleys-at-centre-of-strike-wave |title=Talley's at centre of strike wave |author=Danya Levy, Shane Cowlishaw and Sophie Speer |work=Nelson Mail |date=27 February 2012}}</ref> and has lobbied for curbs on trade unions and the watering down of occupational safety legislation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-nz/50SCTIR_EVI_00DBHOH_BILL13016_1_A388867/d5a8a06b845a673934d6166c582399b60f01ea31 |title=Submission by Talley's Group Ltd to the Health & Safety Reform Bill |date=2 April 2014 |website=Parliament.nz |access-date=16 July 2016}}</ref>

In 2015 Talley's [[Lockout (industry)|locked out]] union members. The workers were allowed back to work five months later in 2016 when the lock-out was ruled illegal. Talley's was ordered to pay $144,000 to the Meat Workers Union for repeated breaches of union access rights.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meatworker lock-out ends |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |access-date=20 February 2016 |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/beef/76985888/affco-talleys-meatworkers-in-wairoa-to-return-to-work-after-five-months}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Union wins big victory over Talleys |work=[[Newstalk ZB]] |access-date=20 February 2016 |url=http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/union-wins-big-victory-over-talleys/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Talley's ordered to pay $144,000 penalties to Union |access-date=20 February 2016 |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1602/S00639/talleys-ordered-to-pay-144000-penalties-to-union.htm |publisher=Scoop.co.nz}}</ref>

== Health and safety ==

Talley's has been found guilty on many occasions over health and safety breaches, including an incident where a fisherman was decapitated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 June 2016 |title=Talley's pays reparations to decapitated crewman's family after safety failure |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/80905946/talleys-pays-reparations-to-decapitated-crewmans-family-after-safety-failure |access-date=2 July 2021 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=13 June 2015 |title=Meat worker gets over $10k compensation |url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/276177/meat-worker-gets-over-$10k-compensation |publisher=[[Radio New Zealand]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Charles Anderson |date=29 April 2015 |title=Talley's to pay $80,000 for death of crewman |publisher=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/68135403/Talleys-to-pay-80-000-for-death-of-crewman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Tova O'Brien |date=15 June 2015 |title=Talley's pays worker $6000 over unsafe workplace |publisher=3 News |url=http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/talleys-pays-worker-6000-over-unsafe-workplace-2015061517}}</ref> Between 2018 and July 2021, Talley's Group faced formal enforcement actions 43 times from [[WorkSafe New Zealand]], including 22 health and safety improvement notices and a recommendation for prosecution.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |title=Talley's launches independent review in response to allegations in 1 NEWS story |language=en-NZ |work=TVNZ |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/talley-s-launches-independent-review-in-response-allegations-1-news-story |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref> In December 2020, was fined $334,000 when they pleaded guilty over two different breaches where employees injured their hands.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 December 2020 |title=Talley's fined more than $300,000 for worker safety breaches |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/123637986/talleys-fined-more-than-300000-for-worker-safety-breaches |access-date=2 July 2021 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref>

In July 2021, Talley's threatened an injunction to prevent [[1News|One News]] running a story on leaked photos showing potential health and safety breaches.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=Exclusive: Whistleblower shares images of filthy conditions at Talley's factory |language=en-NZ |work=TVNZ |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/exclusive-whistleblower-shares-images-filthy-conditions-talleys-factory |access-date=2 July 2021}}</ref> Talley's denied these claims, saying the photos were taken out of context.<ref name=":0" /> Following further allegations, Talley's initiated an independent review of their health and safety policies and WorkSafe New Zealand announced they were taking a closer look at their operations.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |title=Exclusive: Former Talley's employee feared he would die on the job |language=en-NZ |work=TVNZ |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/exclusive-former-talleys-employee-feared-he-would-die-job |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref>

In October 2021, it was revealed that a female [[Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand)|Ministry of Primary Industries]] (MPI) fisheries observer was repeatedly sexually harassed during a ten-week fishing trip.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mead |first=Thomas |title=Female fishing observer 'repeatedly sexually harassed' in nightmare Talley's voyage |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2021/10/24/female-fishing-observer-repeatedly-sexually-harassed-in-nightmare-talleys-voyage/ |date=24 October 2021 |access-date=13 September 2024 |website=1 News}}</ref> This led to an industry-wide review of health and safety of the inspectors by MPI, and another private review undertaken by Talley's themselves.

In December 2021, Talley's Group filed a defamation suit against [[TVNZ]] for their reporting of the above health and safety issues, saying that TVNZ had made a "series of false and defamatory broadcasts."<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 December 2021 |title=Talley's Group sues TVNZ |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/127247867/talleys-group-sues-tvnz |access-date=11 December 2021 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 December 2021 |title=Talley's sues TVNZ over health and safety breach allegations |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/457654/talley-s-sues-tvnz-over-health-and-safety-breach-allegations |access-date=11 December 2021 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref> The case also implicated reporter Thomas Mead.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nippert |first=Matt |date=21 October 2025 |title=Talley’s defamation trial: The injured workers not heard in court |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/talleys-defamation-trial-the-injured-workers-not-heard-in-court/ZINR4QHTNRFJFD6N6SBTPKKU2I/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251021213835/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/talleys-defamation-trial-the-injured-workers-not-heard-in-court/ZINR4QHTNRFJFD6N6SBTPKKU2I/ |archive-date=21 October 2025|access-date=17 December 2025 |website=[[NZ Herald]]}}</ref> On 17 December 2025, the case against TVNZ and Mead was dismissed by the [[High Court of New Zealand|High Court]]; a decision by Justice Pheroze Jagose found that a single broadcast in 2021 "incorrectly referred to insufficient emergency stop buttons" but that Talley's could not prove it had suffered any financial loss, as required by law.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 December 2025 |title='Vindication': Talley's defamation case against TVNZ dismissed |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/12/17/judge-dismisses-talleys-defamation-case-against-tvnz/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251217021243/https://www.1news.co.nz/2025/12/17/judge-dismisses-talleys-defamation-case-against-tvnz/ |archive-date=17 December 2025|access-date=17 December 2025 |website=[[1News]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 December 2025 |title=Food processor Talley’s loses defamation claim against TVNZ |url=https://lawnews.nz/premium/food-processor-talleys-loses-defamation-claim-against-tvnz/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251219054858/https://lawnews.nz/premium/food-processor-talleys-loses-defamation-claim-against-tvnz/ |archive-date=19 December 2025|access-date=17 December 2025 |website=Law News |publisher=[[Law Association of New Zealand]]}}</ref> On 13 February 2026, Talley's appealed the High Court's decision dismissing their defamation case against TVNZ at the [[Court of Appeal of New Zealand|Court of Appeal]]. TVNZ has defended their coverage of Talley's workplace practices.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Sam |title=Talley’s appeals decision in defamation case with TVNZ, parties to return to court |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360937866/talleys-appeals-decision-defamation-case-tvnz-parties-return-court |access-date=18 February 2026 |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=13 February 2026}}</ref>

In June 2023, Talley's was fined $502,500 for the death of a worker in Affco's freezing works that was described by the presiding judge as a 'wholly avoidable event'.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-23 |title=Affco fined $500,000 over worker's 'wholly avoidable' death in freezer |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/492508/affco-fined-500-000-over-worker-s-wholly-avoidable-death-in-freezer |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref>

== Environmental impact ==

In 2016, Talley's invested in a 35% share of Wellington-based Bathurst Resources' Stockton mine on the West Coast, as well as the Rotowaro and Maramarua mines in the Waikato. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Bathurst Resources and Talley's buy three Solid Energy mines |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/85911498/bathurst-resources-and-talleys-buys-three-solid-energy-mines |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}}</ref> Talley’s is now the largest New Zealand investor in coal mining.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-21 |title=A Wicked Problem {{!}} Forest and Bird |url=https://www.forestandbird.org.nz/resources/wicked-problem |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=www.forestandbird.org.nz |language=en}}</ref>

A subsidiary of Talley's, Amaltal Fishing Co., was convicted and fined for trawling in [[Hikurangi Marine Reserve]] in March 2019.<ref name="fishfine">{{cite news |title=Fishing company fined $27,600 for fishing in a protected marine reserve |url=https://www.mpi.govt.nz/news/media-releases/fishing-company-fined-27600-for-fishing-in-a-protected-marine-reserve/ |work=[[Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand)|Ministry for Primary Industries]] |date=9 March 2021}}</ref> Amaltal Fishing Co. denied the charge, and Talley's denied responsibility.<ref name="amaltaldenies">{{cite news |date=8 March 2020 |title=Amaltal denies fishing in Hikurangi Marine Reserve |publisher=[[Radio New Zealand]] |agency=[[RNZ News]] |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/411223/amaltal-denies-fishing-in-hikurangi-marine-reserve}}</ref><ref name="tneal">{{cite news |last1=Neal |first1=Tracey |title=Talley's skipper fined for marine reserve fishing, company denies responsibility |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/423199/talley-s-skipper-fined-for-marine-reserve-fishing-company-denies-responsibility |agency=[[RNZ News]] |publisher=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=10 August 2020}}</ref>

In January 2021, [[Radio New Zealand|RNZ]] reported that Talley's was one of company's in New Zealand that regularly breached their [[Industrial waste|trade waste]] consents.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 January 2021 |title=Revealed: The companies dumping contaminants down the drain |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/435111/revealed-the-companies-dumping-contaminants-down-the-drain |access-date=2 July 2021 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Companies dumping contaminants down the drain: Talleys, Ernest Adams and Yoplait identified |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/companies-dumping-contaminants-down-the-drain-talleys-ernest-adams-and-yoplait-identified/UCFD7V2SYVSCNCOPOTTUQQWYOM/ |access-date=2 July 2021 |website=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=25 January 2021 |language=en-NZ}}</ref> In response, Talley's said that they were making substantial improvements towards "full compliance, all of the time" at their [[Motueka]] plant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 January 2021 |title=The companies who breached their trade waste consents respond |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/435110/the-companies-who-breached-their-trade-waste-consents-respond |access-date=2 July 2021 |website=[[RNZ]] |language=en-nz}}</ref>

In June 2021, Talley's replaced their polystyrene packaging with cardboard packaging, saving an estimated 180,000 polystyrene containers from landfill each year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 June 2021 |title=Talley's switches from {{sic |nolink=y |reason=error in source|polysterene}} to cardboard for fish transport |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/innovation/125582558/talleys-switches-from-polysterene-to-cardboard-for-fish-transport |access-date=2 July 2021 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref>

Also in June 2021 Talley's was criticised by [[Greenpeace Australia Pacific|Greenpeace]] and the [[Australian Marine Conservation Society]] for their use of [[Bottom trawling|bottom trawlers]] in their fishing business, citing the negative environmental impact.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=30 June 2021 |title='We're the bad guys': Conservationists want NZ deep sea trawlers gone from Australia |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/125608823/were-the-bad-guys-conservationists-want-nz-deep-sea-trawlers-gone-from-australia |access-date=2 July 2021 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref> Talley's said that they were responsive to these concerns, and worked with government bodies to only trawl areas with healthy fishy stocks.<ref name=":1" />

Another case found Amaltal breached the conditions of its fishing permit in 2018, when Amaltal Apollo bottom-trawled on [[Lord Howe Island Marine Park|Lord Howe Rise]], an area protected by the [[South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bohny |first=Skara |date=10 March 2022 |title=Talley's subsidiary found guilty of bottom trawling in conservation area |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/300536576/talleys-subsidiary-found-guilty-of-bottom-trawling-in-conservation-area |access-date=25 March 2022 |website=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://talleys.co.nz/index.htm Official Talley's Group Homepage]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Talley's Group}} [[Category:Nelson, New Zealand]] [[Category:South Island]] [[Category:Motueka]] [[Category:Tasman District]] [[Category:History of the Tasman District]] [[Category:New Zealand companies established in 1936]] [[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1936]] [[Category:Food and drink companies of New Zealand]]