· By Simone Clark
The truth behind why we closed our doors in 2022
Hi Folks,
Today, I want to share something personal with you, the story behind Butterbing's unexpected closure last year.
Looking back to when I started this journey in my 20s, I see a young entrepreneur driven by energy, passion, and a dream of delivering delightful treats. And for a decade, Butterbing grew into a brand loved by countless Australians.
But as our beloved Butterbing cookies brought joy to so many of you, behind the scenes, we struggled. Our dedication to delivering top-quality cookies led us to stringent quality controls. Unfortunately, too many cookies didn't pass the cut, resulting in a significant amount of food waste. Despite donating this to OzHarvest, this situation was far from our values of excellence and sustainability.
These challenges with our cookies, compounded with other operational pressures and increasing inefficiencies, began to take a toll. I found myself reacting to pressures rather than making strategic decisions. The joy that Butterbing once brought me faded, and I contemplated resigning from my own company. I was dealing with quite severe burnout and my mental and physical health had reached a breaking point.
This realisation was jarring. To think of walking away from a decade of dedication seemed almost surreal. But it sparked a necessary epiphany. I could take control of my future and the future of Butterbing.
I chose to close Butterbing's doors temporarily. It was a tough decision to step back, reassess Butterbing's direction, and prioritise myself. As you can imagine, the closure impacted many people and was an unpleasent but necessary step to take.
Once this decision was made, I enacted the change swiftly and shut down all facets of the company, as my health situation had become an urgent matter that required my entire focus. This also meant that for many customers, Butterbing simply dissapeared and was uncontactable until recently. So whilst I'm sure you understand, I do apologise for the zero communications to those customers who I've worked with for years. I'd prefer this wasn't the case and I've appreciated those who have since connected with me and shared with me they understand the pressures all too well.
So enough of the dreary past, let me share with you the bright future I see ahead!
Today, I'm excited to share that we're making strides in our comeback. I have a new business partner, Sophie, who I've had the pleasure of working with for over 6 years. We're working with experts and testing new machines to refine our production process. We aim to ensure that our cookies return to you, not just as you remember them, but better, with consistent quality and sustainable practices.
In the meantime, I'm thrilled to introduce our new snack cake range, the first of many exciting new ranges to come. Just as delicious, crafted with love as our cookies, these snack cakes are a testament to Butterbing's commitment to continual innovation and delight.
Butterbing is back, revitalised, and more vibrant than ever, on a mission to create a phenomenal brand that's incredibly fun, incredibly delicious, and enjoyed by everyone.
I promise you that our beloved Butterbing cookies will return. It may take some time, but when they do, they'll meet the high standards you've come to expect from us.
We're grateful for your continued support and patience as we write this new chapter of our journey. We can't wait to share more updates and exciting news with you.
Here's to the exciting journey ahead and a delicious new beginning!
Warm Regards,
Simone Clark Founder, Butterbing
17 comments
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I love that you took that time to weigh it all up and prioritise yourself. I love that you’re inspired again and well enough to move forward. I love that soon I’ll be able to find those fabulous butterbings that I came to know and love many years ago in Brunswick – and that so many of us can support an ethical fabulous local business!
Donna on
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Good to see you back Simone. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Nothing but well wishes
Ahmet on
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Hi there. Congratulations on the re opening of your business.
Will you be delivering your products to non business people in Adelaide as you did previously? LOVE your biscuits 👍Lorraine on
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Have loved your cookies for a long time now and so glad you did what was best for you and now we can look forward to exciting new things! (Although as a kiwi fan who has now moved home, I’ll be waiting longer than most! 😋)
Emma on
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Congratulations on being so brave Simone! Recognising that change was needed, and that your health needed to be your focus first, is a courageous thing to do, and I’m confident Butterbing will be bigger and better because of this journey! We love Butterbing, we thank you for sharing your story ad we wish you all the best as you nagivate the new and improved Butterbing of the future!
Deborah Peppard on
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Congratulations to you for the come back, but more importantly for taking a needed step back even though it was tough. Scaling a business is incredibly difficult & thank you for openly sharing your story, it is sure to help others out there as well. Can’t wait to see what you cook up next, I’ve been a fan since 2018 and am so glad your delish treats are back in any shape or form :-)
Lauren on