Cookie Time Limited Named Best Kiwi Owned Company

Cookie Time Limited Named Best Kiwi Owned Company

Cookie Time Limited (CTL) has been voted best New Zealand owned business at the prestigious Grocery Retailers' Association national supplier awards, also taking out gold for best small business for the fourth year running.

Off the back of a challenging year with earthquakes affecting production and distribution, the Christchurch based company’s entrepreneurial fighting spirit and ambitious growth plans stood it in good stead for the awards which recognise outstanding efforts and best business practices.

The annual Grocery Retailers' Association (NARGON) awards are designed to recognise suppliers who provide quality service and products to the grocery industry. NARGON has more than 500 retail members, all of whom are owner-operators of New Zealand grocery stores, from the largest supermarkets to the smallest dairies. As well as the two golds, CTL also won a silver medal for most efficient distribution.

Lincoln Booth, CTL general manager, says being voted New Zealand’s best owned business is a huge honour.

“Cookie Time Limited is a privately owned company with highly motivated owners backing us on a significant growth path both domestically and through international licensing. These latest awards are further recognition that we have the fundamentals right as we activate the local and global opportunities afforded by robust intellectual property and licensable brands,” he says.

“Like all Canterbury based businesses, we have faced some challenging times in the wake of the earthquakes and ongoing recessionary pressures. But we have chosen to look for opportunities and are investing heavily across our Cookie Time, Bumper Bar and One Square Meal brands in line with this.”

In January, CTL launched One Square Meal -– a world first meal bar that delivers one third of daily nutritional requirements – into Australian supermarkets Woolworths and Coles through a licensing deal with Sanitarium. In China, it is taking a hard line in court action against a Chinese company’s attempts to register its Cookie Time logo. It has been advised it may take up to two years for the case to be heard. Elsewhere, it has a number of additional trademark and patent applications in train.

ENDS

NARGON AWARDS 2012 – COOKIE TIME LIMITED
Gold: Best New Zealand owned business
Gold: Best small supplier (fourth year running)
Silver: Most efficient distribution

ABOUT COOKIE TIME LIMITED
Founded in 1983, Cookie Time Limited is an entrepreneurial, innovation-led food company. Its business includes franchised distribution and retail, licensing and manufacturing operations. Headquartered in New Zealand, the company is actively focused on international licensing opportunities.

mounded in February 1983 by 21-year old Christchurch businessman Michael Mayell, CTL is a privately held company Younger brother Guy joined the business later in 1983 and it remains in equal partnership today. Its inaugural product, the Chocolate Chunk Cookie, was the first cookie designed and marketed for individual sale in the New Zealand market.

Committed to quality, operational excellence and ongoing growth, this successful iconic company has a substantial portfolio which includes some of New Zealand’s most loved food brands, and innovations such as gluten-free cookies, and Smart Cookies with the National Heart Foundation tick. It also makes Bumper Bars and the world-first meal bar One Square Meal – a breakthrough bar that delivers one third of daily nutritional requirements.

In 2010, CTL opened its first full-scale retail space, the Cookie Time Cookie Bar in Queenstown. The company employs more than 80 full time staff at its Christchurch head office, factory and food science laboratory. In addition, more than 40 independent franchisees distribute CTL products throughout New Zealand.

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