History

Julius Romison, a Jewish immigrant, began manufacturing confectionery in Dunedin about 1884. It is said that his first confectionery making in Dunedin was done at home in the wash-house/kitchen, where there was a boiler and equipment to shape and wrap sweets.

In about 1888 Julius Romison built a two-storied factory in Great King Street (now the premises of the University Bookshop). His business grew to include the operation of three retail shops in Dunedin - two in Princess Street and one the High Street.

Romison's products included starch moulded confectionery, boiled sweets and chocolate tablets. His products were highly regarded throughout the country, and at the 1890 Dunedin Exhibition he achieved the highest award for fancy confectionery. Julius Romison died in 1935 and the business, J Romison and Company, was put up for tender.

In 1937 Jack McNamara, backed by a group of Dunedin investors, acquired the plant and recipes, and that year established Romison's Confectionery Limited. In 1946, the business became known as Regina Confections Limited. The name was derived from the "Regina" brand that was being used by the company to describe various products, including soft eating caramels and chocolate fruits.

Jack McNamara moved the business to the current Oamaru site in 1949. In 1954 a joint venture was set up between Regina and Scanlen's Goblin Sweets Pty Ltd of Australia to produce chewing gum. In 1970 a separate factory for chewing gum production was completed on the Regina site. In 1972 the Scanlen's share of the chewing gum business was taken over by A.W. Allen of Melbourne.

Many products were manufactured at the Oamaru factory over the years, including gums, jellies, toffees, high boiled sweets, compressed tablets, chocolate, muesli bars, bubble gum and chewing gum. Some renowned products include Pineapple Chunks, marshmallows, Cinnamon Bars, and the bubble gum collectors cards, manufactured under licence.

In 1989 the Oamaru Licensing Trust withdrew, and by 1994 Amuri Corporation were the sole owners. In 1995 Regina was sold to Nestle NZ Ltd. Nestle closed the factory in 2001, and moved production to Australia.

Innovex Holdings purchased the buildings from Nestle, and in June 2001, established Rainbow Confectionery Ltd. That month, the new company, along with some of the original staff, started production. The factory is currently producing marshmallows, gums, fondants and chocolate-enrobed products, with many other products planned.

The above is primarily from text supplied by the North Otago Museum.
Photos of Julius Romison, and business, are courtesy of Julius Romison's grand-daughter, Rita Adler, Auckland.