The manufacturing arm of the Byron Bay Cookie Group has gone into voluntary administration.

Administrators John Vouris and Brad Tonks of the Business Recovery team at Lawler Partners were appointed to the Byron Bay Cookie Company Pty Ltd on 7 March 2013 after a resolution was passed by the company’s board of directors.

The administrators will continue to trade the business and will work closely with the company’s stakeholders before the first meeting of creditors set for Tuesday 19 March 2013.

In a statement, John Vouris said “We intend to trade the business and are working with the board, employees, customers and suppliers and are hopeful that a Deed of Company Arrangement proposal will be submitted that will maximise a return to creditors.”

Jacqueline Schurig, the director of the company, said “The board has exhausted all avenues prior to making the decision to appoint voluntary adminstrators.”

Schurig said the board is confident there is a future for the business with a restructure of the manufacturing division.

FRANCHISING

The Byron Bay Cookies company recently announced its intention to extend its retail presence from the current six franchised outlets.

Gordon Slater, chairman of Slater International, the parent company, said “After the success of our existing retail stores, we thought the timing was right to extend our retail footprint in Australian and abroad.”