Owners of a Denheath business famous for their custard squares have decided to sell the family business after 24 years.
Denheath Desserts owner Lisa Templeton told Breakfast her mum fell "madly in love" with their custard squares and bought the Timaru business in 1996.
Templeton said continuing her family’s legacy with the dessert was important, particularly when her mum Carol Rutland was diagnosed with cancer at age 53.
"We were lucky because mum told us her dream with the custard squares, she wanted them to be national and international... she wanted them to be a household name," she said.
Rutland died in 2000, a year after Templeton took over, and she has spent the following 24 years working to achieve her mother’s dream.
She said she knows it’s the "right time" to sell.
"I think the other thing is that we’ve had a bit of a mission that mum put us on, and we’ve completed the mission now."
"It’s been really fun but it’s also been a lot of hard work.
"In the past we travelled a lot. Getting the brand out there around New Zealand took a bit of time but I think we’re really lucky that we have a lot of people who love and know the product and we’ve expanded to Australia now," she said.
Templeton said to take over the business, the main quality required was "ambition".
"They need to know they’ve got something really, really special," she said, "that they can take even further than we have."
She said the Covid pandemic was a very difficult period for their business, however she believes there is opportunity now to bounce back and expand delivery of custard squares around the world.
"The world is your custard square, go for it," she joked, "a world custard invasion."
Templeton held back tears as Seven Sharp presenter Hilary Barry shared a special message for her, even signing off with her trademark phrase "custardy hugs to all of you".
"You've done your mum proud; you’ve done your nana proud; you’ve done Denheath proud, so it’s time to put your feet up," Barry said.
Templeton was overcome with emotion, thanking Barry for her kind message.
"You’re pretty good at wrapping custard squares too so, if they need a packer, I’ll tell them to get in touch," Templeton laughed.
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