William Menz

Menz Confectionery is a manufacturer of confectionery in Adelaide, South Australia. It has its origins in two companies, W. Menz & Co., a biscuit and confectionery business, and Robern, called Robern Menz from 1992 to January 2022.

History of W. Menz & Co. W. Menz & Company biscuit company, Wakefield Street, Adelaide. William Menz (10 November 1849 – 26 March 1898) was born in Wakefield Street, Adelaide, the son of Johan (16 December 1818 – 10 April 1860) and Magdalena (1 January 1819 – 12 October 1895) Menz, and was educated at the German School conducted by Adolph Heinrich Leschen and Theodor H. Niehuus (also on Wakefield Street), then at W. A. Cawthorne's Victoria Square Academy.

Hermann Victor Menz became managing director in 1922. He was captain of the Adelaide Rowing Club.

The Menz bakery developed the Yo-Yo s, now manufactured by Arnott's, and started producing Crown Mints in 1892.

Timeline 1850: Magdalena Menz's grocery store opened on Wakefield Street November 1878: New premises and dwelling erected at corner of Divett St. and Wakefield Street 1880 or 1884: Menz began making biscuits 1892 began making confectionery July 1895: Fire (directly opposite the Fire Brigade headquarters) 1906: Albany Murray, son of Alex Murray jun., started running the biscuit-making factory. September 1913: New building completed on the original site June 1920: Building extended to Roper Street. 1951: W. Menz & Co. floated as public company December 1953: New biscuit plant opened at Galway Avenue, Richmond 1964: Menz joined with Motteram and Arnott's Biscuits to form Arnott-Motteram-Menz; later simply Arnott's. 1992: US company Campbell Soup Company took over Arnott's Biscuits, with the confectionery part being sold to Robern.

In 1995, Robern Menz moved from the inner-eastern Adelaide suburb of Stepney to take up occupancy of the former Gibb's Pies factory on Glynburn Road, Glynde, where it remains .

In 2019, Robern Menz signed another deal with Nestlé, this time to produce the Polly Waffle, which had been discontinued in 2009. The Polly Waffle is scheduled for production in 2023.

In January 2022, the company was rebranded as Menz Confectionery, adopting a new logo with the slogan "Making life sweet" at the same time. , CEO Phil Sims and his brother Richard are the fourth generation to run the Robern business, which employs around 160 staff.