Mrs Higgins goes to China
Auckland-based cookie franchise finds success after opening three stores in Shanghai.
Auckland-based cookie franchise Mrs Higgins is finding success in China after opening three stores in Shanghai.
Mrs Higgins director Wendy Brackenridge says the potential for her products in China is “massive” and the company is planning on more stores there soon.
“As the emerging middle class continues to grow, so too does the potential for the freshly baked cookie concept,” she says, adding that the stores are proving a success with both expat and Chinese customers.
“Shanghai is just the beginning. Mrs Higgins potentially will be baking daily and spreading the aroma in many more Chinese cities.”
The first three stores are operated under licence by expat Kiwi Greg Harvey and his business partner Jenny Zheng. Mr Harvey spent four years in China as flight service manager for Air New Zealand, while Ms Zheng is a former business development manager for US tech company Telegent.
Raw materials, including the cookie dough, are still prepared at the Auckland factory and shipped over in container loads for in-store baking.
The end product is then retailed, marketed and wholesaled in China as Kiwi Cookies to better promote the New Zealand connection, given the country’s reputation for food quality and safety.
Mr Harvey says he always thought the cookie concept had potential in China.
“While there are plenty of donut shops in Shanghai there were no gourmet cookie stores. What was being served tended to be small, hard biscuits, so we both saw a great opportunity to introduce larger sized, freshly baked, soft-centred gourmet cookies.
“As we were introducing a new product to the Chinese consumer, we chose a high expat location to help support the initial pilot store. However, we were delighted to find that 60% to 70% of our customers were Chinese right off the bat.”
Ms Brackenridge says she also offers shelf-space to other New Zealand food companies wanting to test-market their products in Shanghai. These include honey and Whittaker’s chocolate.
Duncan Bridgeman
Tue, 16 Apr 2013
Tue, 16 Apr 2013
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Mrs Higgins goes to China
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