In a LinkedIn post, Catherine Parlane, GM Sales and Marketing at ABE'S Bagels, shared that George Weston Foods has acquired ABE’S Bagels.
She said this moment made her feel incredibly proud to reflect on what the team has achieved together over the past few years.
When Parlane joined ABE’S Bagels almost four years ago, the business was generating approximately NZD 32 million in revenue.
Today, it has grown to more than NZD 50 million, achieving 56 percent growth for a 30-year-old brand, which she said was an amazing testament to the brand and team strength.
Over this period, ABE’S has cemented its position as the clear market leader in bagels across Australia and New Zealand, with 75 percent market share, while growing the total category.
One achievement Parlane highlighted in the post that she was most proud of was the launch of THIIINS, now a NZD 9 million range and one that has been almost entirely incremental to the business.
Launching from concept to shelf in six months, including sourcing a new production line, and observing that innovation genuinely attracts new consumers to the category has been incredibly rewarding.
“What makes these achievements even more special is how they were achieved. None of this would have been possible without the passion, resilience and belief of the ABE’S team,” said Parlane.
“Our focus, speed of thinking, speed of decision making and growth mindset consistently set us apart. We moved quickly, backed ourselves and stayed relentlessly focused on building both the brand and the category for the long term.”
She added that the team's energy, ambition, and commitment were what truly set the business apart.
Parlane will support the business through the transition period to help position it strongly for its next chapter under George Weston Foods' ownership.
Beyond that, she was excited for what would come next and looked forward to finding another opportunity to help drive transformational growth with ambitious brands and teams.
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