Cookie Time was today named the inaugural winner of the NZ’s Most Trusted Cookies category in the Reader’s Digest Most Trusted Brands Awards.
In celebration, Cookie Time head office and bakery has been transformed into a vibrant drive-through experience, with 10,000 free Original™ Chocolate Chunk Cookies to give away.
On the first day of business, 7 February 1983, some 70 jars of Original Chocolate Chunk Cookie were delivered to 70 Christchurch dairies. More than 38 years later, Cookie Time has finally gained official Trusted Brands recognition as a cookies’ maker.
“Cookie Time is proud to be the inaugural winner of the Trusted Brands Cookies Category,” says Managing Director Guy Pope-Mayell.
“Up to now we’ve been misjudged a biscuit and been highly commended in the biscuits category. We have been loudly protesting for years that cookies and biscuits have very distinct differences – judging cookies in the biscuits category is like judging wine in the beer category.
“For 38 years we’ve been making NZ’s favourite cookies, and we’re delighted to officially now be NZ’s most trusted cookies. I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve been erroneously called a biscuit company; it’s great for the business to finally be recognised as a cookie company,” he says.
So, what is the difference between cookies and biscuits?
“Cookies generally have a softer texture, more depth and look homemade. The treat element comes from inclusions, like generous chocolate chunks, and they are comforting to take time out and eat, evoking childhood memories,” says Pope-Mayell.
“Biscuits in contrast are generally thin, hard and crunchy and each one looks pretty much identical. The treat element comes from enrobing (enclosing in chocolate) or having a filling sandwiched between two biscuits. They’re more of a quick eat and one is not usually enough.”
The Cookie Time drive through on Main South Road in Templeton, Christchurch is open from 10am – 4pm today. Baking started at 7am, with the 10,000 cookies prepared in batches and baked in traditional rack ovens like all Cookie Time cookies.
“The drive-through is a fantastic way for us to mark this accolade and give back to the local community,” Pope-Mayell says.
The Original Chocolate Chunk Cookie was the first cookie designed and marketed for individual sale in NZ, a category Cookie Time still leads today. In 1983, Cookie Time’s first year of production, 500,000 of the large size Original Chocolate Chunk Cookies were baked. Now it bakes around 30 million large cookies a year.
About Cookie Time
Cookie Time Limited is an iconic, family owned business, founded in Christchurch in 1983. It has a proud New Zealand-made heritage and is passionate about making great tasting quality products with real ingredients. Entrepreneurial and innovation-led, the company has an enviable portfolio of New Zealand’s favourite treat, snack and functional foods. These include Cookie Time cookies, Christmas Cookies, Bumper and the patented OSM brand.
Smart entrepreneurship, innovation and ingenuity are driving forces, delivering on the Group’s vision – a taste for every occasion, a smile on every face. The business includes both domestic and international operations, including Cookie Time Cookie Bars in Queenstown and Japan, as well as online store munchtime.co.nz. It also runs the Cookie Time Charitable Trust, founded in 2003 to help New Zealand children discover their gifts.