The smell of freshly baked cookies, the flavour of history and the chance to mingle with people on what is dubbed the most beautiful city street in New Zealand. This could be your reality every day.
The vendors of Mrs Higgins Oven Fresh Cookies in New Regent St, Christchurch, have engaged Ken Odhiambo of Link Business Brokers to market this opportunity.
“No one does it quite like Mrs Higgins Oven Fresh Cookies,” says Odhiambo.
The brand has been a hit since its humble beginnings in 2013. Being in the heart of the Christchurch CBD’s vibrant, pedestrian-only New Regent St is a major bonus.
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“This business is not only in the New Performing Arts Precinct, but it also neighbours a host of hotels, office buildings, the Christchurch Public Library, Margaret Mahy Playground, Isaac Theatre Royal and the newly constructed Christchurch Convention Centre, all of which are a fountain of foot-traffic flow,” says Odhiambo.
This means customers range from tradies and businesspeople working on the street to local families, tourists and passers-by attending an event or shopping at the street’s upmarket retailers.
Mrs Higgins Oven Fresh Cookies' setting radiates character and charm, with a modest size of 56sq m to go with its outside seating. “Locals love that it’s open seven days a week, and they can relax inside or outside,” says the Vendor.
Odhiambo acknowledges that locals helped keep the business profitable during the pandemic. “Now that the city of Christchurch is getting back to business, the number of customers is constantly increasing beyond the loyal lovers and the new owner will get to enjoy the increase in turnover,” he says.
In addition to the border reopening and workers returning to offices, there are growth opportunities still to be realised - partnering with florists and gourmet hamper businesses to include cookies with their gift packages would be a huge hit.
“I have developed a prototype for creating fundraising options for sports teams and schools,” says the vendor.
Continuing to provide great service and the best products has been the vendor’s main focus, but there is opportunity to grow the customer base further. “The new owner is bound to benefit from increasing social media activity beyond my Facebook efforts,” the vendor says.
All marketing is handled by the master franchisee, including establishing a website for the Mrs Higgins system. The cookie dough is made in the Mrs Higgins factory in Auckland and shipped frozen to Christchurch.
The baking time from freezer to oven is a mere 15 minutes, which hands a new owner the luxury of needing to be at the shop only 30 minutes before opening the doors. “Every step of the operation is as simple as could be and is easy to run,” says the vendor.
Anyone with good business sense and the ability to manage and drive sales and staff and build strong relationships with customers and suppliers would do well in this business.
“I am keen for the business to succeed under new ownership and will provide whatever support and training I can to assist with that success.”
Mrs Higgins Oven Fresh Cookies in Christchurch is priced at $100,000 including plant, stock and intangibles.
Contact: Ken Odhiambo, ph 021 554 275, [email protected]
- Article supplied by Link Business Brokers
