Bay of Plenty's Maketu Pies trading as going concern after receivers' appointment

Tuesday, 1 October 2019

Te Puke's Maketu Pies has gone into receivership after 37 years in business.

Rodewald Consulting receiver Tom Rodewald and BDO Tauranga receiver Kenneth Brown were appointed by directors Robert and Karen Wilson on Friday, the Companies Office shows.

Rodewald said the company would continue to operate as a going concern. He said it already had 'lots of interest' from potential buyers.

On its website the family-owned company said it had been making 'honest to goodness' pies since 1982.

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Maketu has 40 full-time and part-time staff.

Rodewald said it was too early to tell how much the company owed its bank and creditors.

The Wilsons along with JK Hamilton Trust own the company.

On its Facebook page, one concerned customer asked 'Are you really closing down?'

A spokeswoman for Maketu Pies had no comment to make on the receivership, and referred Stuff to the receiver.

Its website said the famed pie shop made its pies in Maketu, by hand, in the original way 'just as nana would have', baked in a pie shop not a factory.

'It's a real family business and many of our skilled team of pie-makers are now entering their third generation. Mum tests out all of our recipes in the same old country kitchen. She gets them just right before allowing our latest flavours out into the world.'

Maketu Pies were sold in Countdown, New World and Pak 'n Save supermarkets and were served on Qantas flights, the site said.