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

  • Hi there,
    I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been under so much pressure…and very glad you realised you needed a complete break, and acted.
    Our health is paramount, and if unwell, for any reason, it’s really important to take action, and the time necessary to heal fully.
    Thank you for letting your fans know, we appreciate that…and it’s fantastic to know you’re recovered, and are planning to again make those yummy delights known as ButterBings!
    Take care…

    Jill on

  • Congrats on finding a way back to loving what you do! There’s so much pressure to deal with all the problems of scaling a business while making it look seamless, effortless and thriving. For most of us business owners that’s so far from reality! Thanks for sharing this- you’re awesome! X

    Sarah on

  • Can’t wait for you guys to come back. Your cookies were amazing! Hopefully you’ll deliver or have some availability in the GC!

    Jacinda on

  • Cake & cookies mostly come 1st – unless your sanity is at stake. We all miss the cookies but we’ll be ok. And hopefully you are ok now too. Onwards & upwards – looking forward to getting my hands on the snack cakes.

    Aiddy on

  • I’m so happy you have found a way to being the joy back to butterbing for you Simone! Krash and co loves your cookies and we can’t wait to try the cakes!

    Nicole on

  • Big love to you Sim and the rest of the Butter bing team ❤️ I’ve been a fan for so long and am so excited to try the snack cakes! Thank you for always trying to make the Butterbing brand the best it can possibly be!❤️ I hope that you are all feeling much better now post-break 😊❤️

    Eve on

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