{"id":2591,"date":"2022-10-26T11:11:38","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T23:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kiwibusinessheroes.co.nz\/awards\/?page_id=2591"},"modified":"2024-09-17T21:53:02","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T09:53:02","slug":"who-ate-all-the-pies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kiwibusinessheroes.co.nz\/awards\/who-ate-all-the-pies\/","title":{"rendered":"Who ate all the Pies?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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14 years\u00a0in business<\/b><\/p>\n

Location<\/b>: Dunedin<\/span><\/p>\n

Contact Name:\u00a0<\/strong>Steven Turner<\/p>\n

Website:\u00a0www.whoateallthepies.co.nz<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Business mission and vision<\/b>:<\/div>\n
To make the finest “Commercial” Pies in NZ using a traditional method not used in commercial bakeries these days.<\/div>\n<\/div>
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Vote<\/span><\/a><\/div>
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\u201cWe Make, Bake & Distribute all over NZ, Artisan Family, Single and Specialist Pies\u201d
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<\/i><\/i><\/span>What sets you apart from your competitors?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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Our old Fashioned method, from pastry production, our overnight slow cooking stews process and unique thickening method, ensures our pies will offer a taste experience you just can’t get anywhere else in todays pie market.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Please provide details of any business awards you have won.<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
Deloitte Fast 50 Fastest Growing Manufacturer Otago & Southland 2015 , Deloitte Fast 50 47th fastest growing company NZ 2015<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Please describe why you decided to go into business for yourself.<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
When I emigrated to NZ in 2008 with my Kiwi wife, I couldn’t find a job in my chosen area (Data storage management.) Whilst wandering around the local Dunedin farmers market I’d encountered one of the specialist pies from “Who ate all the Pies?” original owners….. and again two days later (they were that good!) from their local bakery. I don’t wish to sound like a razor blade advert but That week I saw the business for sale on line and liked the product that much I bought the business! The rest is a roller coaster ride no clairvoyant could have ever predicted!<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Please describe some of the challenges you needed to overcome to get your business off the ground.<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
Firstly I had to learn how to bake and make pies, I’m a psychologist by trade not a Baker! Secondly and perhaps even harder, I had to persuade my wife to allow me to use our mortgage down payment to buy the business instead of a family home!<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Please tell us about an example where you managed to overcome a significant challenge that stood in the way of your business success.<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
Honestly, You really Don’t want to know ! Until 2014 my business could do no wrong, big business loans, security not required, award winning accolades and offers of major new contracts with big NZ players, strong interest from Oz etc etc. – Then my wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. As I found out you can’t be a primary care giver, a single parent, your own psychologist and a successful business owner all in the same day, I actually don’t see my Business as a significant challenge, its what I’ve chosen to do come what may!<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Please explain how perseverance or overcoming adversity has been necessary for you to make a success of your business.<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
See last answer! Add in me suffering three heart attacks between 2016 – 2022 and suffering, whilst grieving, the significance of supplier malfeasance that can now in retrospect be seen in my accounts showing a loss of $750k in hard won sales across two accounting years, then I’m pretty sure I’ve somehow managed to overcome adversity ! We’ve kept going and are now comfortably surpassing sales from our Hey day 6-7 years ago. – You couldn’t make it up!<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What business success have you achieved to date? <\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
My greatest achievement by a country mile is that somehow, this business is still operational. You’ve got no idea how we ducked and dived to pay people, pay wages, maintained sales, developed the business etc I think its fair to say ( but I can’t afford the Neilson data to prove it!) that we are currently the largest supplier of Family Pies throughout NZ, We also have the capacity that I invested in in 2015-16 that’s yet to be used, to develop and innovate the pie industry further over the next few years. ( I’m working on it!) – trust me there’s nothing “Simple Simon!” about pies!<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What are you most proud of in relation to your business?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
I’m 99.9% sure that we are one of the last manufacturers of pies globally, that make pies like your Grandma would have. there’s no question what we do and how we do it is a dying art. We make pie flavours and styles that are almost extinct in the Southern Hemisphere. I’m really proud of that. Then there’s the acclaim ; Two Nights ago I got an email via my Webpage from a customer in Auckland Who’d bought a Family English Beef & Black beer Pie in Greenlane Countdown in Auckland – She said “By Far the best Pie I’ve had for years – Someone has remembered how to make pies! Isn’t that cool ? My company and my team continues to generate responses like that from normal everyday people! I’m proud of that! The fact is The Quality of what my team does and continues to do in the food sector despite inflation, continued productivity requirements and refusing the option of ‘cutting corners’ to save costs etc. Is Humbling. I’m so proud that whilst we can’t please everyone 100% of the time…. my company is managing it still 99.9% of the time !<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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<\/i><\/i><\/span>How many people does your business employ?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
15<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What contractors do you regularly use in your business?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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We only use outside contractors for repairs and maintenance, everything we do is made in house from scratch by us!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What training opportunities have you provided to the people you employ?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
The above circumstances mean I’ve had to “Let it Go” and let my people develop and change anything and everything to keep the business going across my family loss, my absence through grieving and of course the heart attacks. I guess That’s more on the job development’ and necessity creating their own solutions to my work. I’d call it allowing people to develop and fulfill their roles as they see fit – a pure exercise in trust Or in my production managers words I don’t really see it as a job, just helping a mate out…. Which ever it is I know they turn up religiously every morning at 6am !<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What positive reviews and testimonials do you have from happy customers?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
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We get so many positives from our customers, from “Best Pies ever” to suggestions, to can you put your pies in certain supermarket locations etc. If required Ill happily dig out a bakers Dozen for you! What intrigues me is often when someone complains they start out by saying we “loved” your pastry “BUT ” or The flavour was fantastic “BUT” there wasn’t enough cheese or not enough meat – but usually they’d still eaten it ! All that said, I think the sheer regular purchasing of our products over the years from out loyal patronage from all over the country , has undoubtedly kept us alive over the last 6 years and is the greatest testimony to what we do!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Apart from the potential financial benefits, what other benefits do you get from being a business owner?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
Running my business has allowed me to hide on bad days, It allows me to do the school run, It allows me to set my hours and mostly, I’m never late even if I decide to take my dog for a longer walk than normal!<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Please describe any community involvement or sponsorship your business is involved with.<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
Through our marketing with Web Genius, we’ve become involved in many “fund Raisers in and around Dunedin.’ We donate many Family Pie Raffle prizes to local causes but mostly, our broken 2nd pies and over runs are constantly being given to the Night Shelters, Presbyterian support & other organizations including local drop in centers for those that need some quiet time ( and a pie!)<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>What other ways do you - as a business - give back to the community?<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
We heavily discount pies to two local Football clubs in Dunedin for their club rooms and have helped to build sales and develop a club focused culture, that improves revenues in the not for profit establishments. Secondly, once again after years away, I now host my company and gain great insights into my company at our local farmers market n Saturdays and our sales have rocketed by 40+% Our ‘Family 2nd’s’ development at the farmers market now has a major following and has allowed us to provide extra Value to those that wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford to buy our products. I think that’s great for everybody \ud83d\ude42 and we’ve always got a queue!<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/i><\/i><\/span>Please outline any other information you think is relevant to this entry.<\/span><\/a><\/h4><\/div>
After a number of torturous events, mis-starts and mushy brained mistakes, finally I’m getting my life back in order and that of Who ate all the Pies? Our sales revenue in the half year to date is greater than the full years sales of 2017-18 – It looks like going back to basics is proving its worth!<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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