Continental has said that it is planning to invest between $4.5 million to $5 million for building a new office and warehouse centre for tis business.

The company, which has a humble beginning as a small bakery and catering firm, will move to the nearby Southbrook business park after building a 10,000 square metre facility that would include a destination café. The company will retain its Percival St, Rangiora, bakery and also rebuild its management contracts located around Canterbury.

Joan Ward, who has been with the company for about five decades, has been leading the company to its growth from a small catering firm to a major player that served US President Bill Clinton and other such clients. Joan Ward is a major shareholder along with her husband David Ward, their son Greg and his wife Sharon.

The funds for the expansion will be through bank debt as well as from the four major shareholders in the business. The Rangiora-based family firm was affected by 2011 earthquakes as about $1.5 million of revenue was lost due to events that failed to materialise. The business had annual revenues of nearly $10 million and 75 fulltime staff members as well as casual staff. However, following the earthquakes, the annual revenues fell to $7million and more than 50 staff due to impact on tourism and business conferences in the country.