Popular cafe chain Wishbone placed in liquidation

Wishbone founders Andrea Gibson Scarlett and her husband Shayne Scarlett. Photo / Supplied

Popular cafe chain Wishbone has been placed in liquidation, the Herald understands.

The cafe’s website is no longer working and a liquidator has been appointed to The Woodward Group, a holding company used to trade the business.

Mohammed Jan of insolvency firm Liquidation Management was appointed yesterday by special resolution of shareholders, according to the Companies Office website.

Unite Union national secretary John Crocker told NZME’s newsroom they had been contacted by a Wishbone worker’s family member saying the company had been placed in liquidation.

Wishbone was the brainchild of Wellington entrepreneurs Andrea Gibson Scarlett and Shayne Scarlett.

They started the business in Wellington in 1999 and expanded into Auckland in 2004. Wishbone was ranked number 35 in the Deloitte Fast 50 list of companies in 2003.

Newshub reported a source who worked at Wishbone’s food production plant in Wellington who said that liquidators arrived at the location and closed the business.

Wellington Airport has also confirmed its Wishbone store stopped trading on Tuesday.

Wishbone operated about 20 branded outlets around the country, and traded in both major supermarket chains while supplying to various other trade customers.

It employed around 110 staff spread between retail outlets, manufacturing facility, and HQ.