Chia Sisters
Thirty-two solar panels help run a Nelson-based juice factory.
Harnessing the power of the sun pays off
Chia Sisters make health drinks and breakfasts using high-nutrition fruits and seeds. You could say there’s a bit of sun in everything they make.
The business is based in Nelson, New Zealand’s sunniest spot. It makes good sense to maximise on all that solar power. So Chia Sisters installed 32 solar panels on their factory rooftop, becoming New Zealand’s first solar-powered juicery.
When the sky is clear, the solar system powers the whole juicery. It also runs the attached offices and even exports surplus power to the national grid. At night, and on bad-weather days, the factory uses grid power. This is supplied by Meridian, a renewable energy generator.
To celebrate their shift to solar, Chia Sisters launched Bottled by the Sun. This fresh-pressed juice later won best drink in New Zealand at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards.
Florence Van Dyke, Co-founder
“We’re generating clean energy for a positive impact on the environment,” says Florence Van Dyke Co-founder of Chia Sisters. “We’re also proud to be encouraging other businesses to join our journey. The biggest impact we can have is working together.”