16 // ITS A LiFE OF LOLLiES [good magazine illustration] A magazine illustration created for GooD magazine, a magazine based around simple choices for a better life. The illustration created has been created to represent life. I used a circle of candy in order
Turn off the Main Highway and go hunting for all things sweet and delicious. Discover with John McCrystal how Kapiti Candies can meet everyone’s needs—Diabetic or not.
to represent both a circle of life that you are
Illustration Andrew Rae
constantly revolved around. The colour palette hat do you do to keep everyone happy when you are starting out
implemented was created to show how yummy sickly sweet candy is.
From where we are sitting in the little office, we can see through a window into
Besides the absolutely traditional lines —lollipops, candy canes, boiled lollies,
on a new life, mixed families and everything that encompasses? Buying
the shop with its shelves and jars and counter displays a riot of fantasy land
marshmallows, nougat, fudges, and the like. Kapiti Candies also stock more modern
a candy factory sounds like a pretty good place to start.
colour. And then there’s the aroma—rich, unmistakable and alluring—of candy of all
lines made by others, such as gummies of various descriptions. And they are among
That’s that Bruce and Helen Mackenzie did a couple of years ago. Bruce had given
descriptions. Last year, it drew my three
the few confectioners who make sugar and
away his job of 29 years in the finance area of NZ Post and was looking for a change of scene; Helen had been working four part time jobs around her responsibilities as a solo mum and had been keeping her eye out
Sweet Times at Kapiti Candies
Good Magazine 1-2
Sweet Times at Kapiti Candies
Good Magazine 1
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andrewthomasrae@gmail.com
/ / A N D R E W T H O M A S R A E / / w w w. b e h a n c e . n e t / a n d re w t h o m a s r a e
“Its incredibly hands on. When your pulling rock (stretching rock candy), or lifting the kettle…you don’t need a gym membership.”
for a business to buy for some time. A long time resident of the Kapiti Coast,
year old son to the shop from 100 paces, as unearring as a blood hound to a scent of a
gluten free candies thanks to Helen and Bruce, even diabetics can enjoy a sweet now
Helen was aware of Kapiti Candies, which was one of the foundation tenants of the
nervous man. And from here, you can see the reaction of customers as they enter. The
and again. Bruce is the factory manager and not
Lindale Centre just north of Raumati. When she read the description of the unnamed business for sale she thought she recognized
expressions of youth and old smooth out into pure, radiant delight—especially the young, who look like, well, kids in a candy
afraid to mix it with the product, while Helen looks after the administrative side with the orders, accounts and marketing
it. She approached the factories owner, Bill Anderson, and asked whether he was
store. Most of their walk in clientele are reasonably local, according to Helen, from a
they both work hard: the factory is on the go seven days a week.
selling. He was, and the rest is history. If it was a change of scene Bruce was seeking, that’s precisely what he got.
area ranging from Palmerston North down to Wellington. But Kapiti Candies go much further afield, with orders rolling in from
They brought the business right at the beginning of the recession, but have come through it - they’ve even expanded, opening
Whangarei to Invercargill and stock lists
another Kapiti Coast retail outlet this year
around the country, including gourmet food stores such as Nosh and Farro Fresh.
—and this is a source of considerable price.
“Its hands on. When your pulling rock (stretching rock candy), or lifting the kettle…you don’t need a gym membership.”
17/06/11 12:25 PM