SA Chapter HALL OF FAME

Web: www.haighschocolates.com

Alfred Ernest Haigh was born in Adelaide in 1877. He went to school as a teenager in Jamestown in South Australia. In 1915, he founded Haigh’s Chocolates. The first Haigh’s shop was a part of the building, not in Haigh’s present position facing Rundle Mall, but around the corner at 34 King William Street

Alf Haigh quickly began adding his own particular flavour to the industry and in 1917 started producing the chocolate-covered fruit centres from locally grown produce.

Alf’s son, Claude, took over as Managing Director in 1933 when Alf died suddenly. Claude had a son, John Douglas Haigh, who was four years old when Claude took over the company.

In 1949, Claude had a heart problem and felt that John, then twenty years old, should join him in the business at the end of the year rather than go to university. John became Managing Director in 1959 when his father became immersed in his thoroughbred breeding enterprise.

In 2002, John Haigh was Chairman of the Board, and his sons Alister and Simon ran the company, carrying it successfully into the 4th generation.

Haigh’s Chocolates is Australia’s oldest family-owned chocolate manufacturer.

Haigh's Chocolates were inducted into the FBA(SA) Hall of Fame in 2002.