While Cantabrian Michael Mayell was in the United States of America promoting New Zealand’s ski fields, he fell in love with the American cookie shops over there. Hunting down the classic housewife’s cookie recipe and saving up all his earnings, he returned to Christchurch with a sugar sweet dream. The year was 1983.
In his one bedroom flat, Michael began to bake New Zealand’s first giant cookie. With his mum beside him, they began to sell their produce to the neighbourhood dairies. The cookies were an instant hit and soon Michael was renting a bakery that he could use at night.
Little brother Guy helped out during his breaks from varsity and the partnership worked so well, the brothers are still in business together today.
Between 1996 and 2008, Cookie Time held the record for the world’s biggest cookie in the Guinness Books of Records. The company’s ‘meal bar’ was also a world first!
*Image courtesy of Idealog – http://www.idealog.co.nz/*