If you grew up in Christchurch in the ‘90s, chances are you’ve tasted a delicious donut baked by Original Foods Baking Co.

From supplying donuts to the majority of the city’s fish and chip shops, to exporting brownies, slices and muffins through Lyttelton Port, success has been sweet for this New Zealand family-owned business.

Original Foods Baking Co. National Sales Manager Will Jones says since 1991, the business has steadily expanded from its initial small operation to the multi-million-dollar success story it is today. The company’s range now includes over 90 delicious baked goods including cakes, donuts, muffins, brownies, slices and bites sold under the Original Foods Baking Co™, Goofy™, Bite Me™ and supermarket brands.

“In 2016, we marked our 25th year in business and decided to do a major brand refresh to better reflect our company’s personality and commitment to quality, freshly baked goods and moved into our $10m purpose-built factory at Wigram, said Will.

“Our new Original Foods Baking Co brand was born, complete with our cheeky, smiling monkey logo. Our brand defines the culture of our company being a fun, open and inclusive workplace based on mutual respect and shared vision.”

Today, Original Foods Baking Co’s treats are big business in New Zealand and abroad, with the company’s products found in leading supermarkets, cafes, catering companies, airlines, restaurants and tourism businesses.

“We pride ourselves on the real, home-baked taste of our products, said Will.

“The not-so-secret-secret to their taste is that they are made from real recipes, with real NZ fresh ingredients wherever possible and minimal preservatives and additives.

“When it comes to our export products, they are baked fresh, then frozen and loaded straight into refrigerated containers for delivery to Lyttelton Port.

“In order for our products to maintain their freshness and deliciousness it’s critical that they get from A to B quickly and Lyttelton Port plays a major role in that process.”

Asked what makes their approach to baking so successful, Will says it is simple.

“Our home-baked taste. The long list of awards our goods have received proves that our products are light years away from the mass-produced, preservative-laden, cardboard-tasting goods that can be found elsewhere.

“We are also conscious of being as sustainable as possible and giving back to our community. Our Wigram production facility is an exemplar of energy and resource efficiency. We have a sophisticated recycling process, we are an associate member of RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), we provide support to various charity organisations and value our staff as part of our Original Foods Baking Co family.

“This all combines to be the recipe of our success,” said Will.

As for the future of their baking? It’s looking pretty sweet, with a firm focus on continuing to create indulgent, quality treats.