It's the end of an era today, as confectionary rolls off the production line at Cadbury's Dunedin factory for the last time.

Photo: Cadbury / Pascall

The plant has been a big employer in Dunedin for more than 150 years.

Cadbury's history at the site dates back 80 years when the confectionary company partnered with the local manufacturer, Richard Hudson.

The final manufacturing shift at the factory starts this afternoon and the final products - Pineapple Lumps - are expected to roll off the line about 8.30pm tonight.

The factory used to be staffed by 350 workers.

The site manager, Judith Mair, said the final week of manufacturing had been a reflective one.

"We've spoken a lot about the 150 years of industry on site, the Cadbury story and what it's meant to work here, you know a lot of reflection right now."

Ms Mair said there was a feeling of sadness among the workers as they prepared to close this chapter on their lives.

Some engineers and contractors will remain on site until September when the plant is expected to be fully decommissioned.

A co-ordinator from the E tū union, Phil Knight, said the factory now had a ghostly feel with only 30 people remaining for the final production shift.

"It was an interesting thing to walk through there yesterday, to go through the various levels of the factory where there used to be just a hive of activity, it's just cleared from one end to the other, it's all very clean, but it's just ghostly, it's eerie."

The company that owns Dunedin's Cadbury factory, Mondelez International, announced in February last year that it planned to end manufacturing operations in the city and move production to existing Australian sites.

A last ditch bid was launched to keep the manufacture of Pineapple Lumps in New Zealand, but Cadbury confirmed in October last year that its iconic Kiwi confectionary products, such as Pineapple Lumps, Jaffas, the Buzz Bar, Pinky Bar and chocolate fish, would be made in Australia.