By Powergirl Em, Nutritionist, Creator of Em’s Power Cookies, 3x Coast to Coast Champion

I’ve been running Em’s Power Cookies since early 2004 when I first landed in NZ to race the Coast to Coast. It has certainly been an incredible journey with plenty of ups and downs, and a pile of learning.

Traveling before moving to NZ in 2004

Earlier this year at the Food Show I was chatting with the GM of Cookie Time. It can be daunting when facing competitors, especially one of the calibre of Cookie Time who are a real powerhouse in the snack market space. Cookie Time has always been a competitor of Em’s Power Cookies. And just like my experience with racing, I respect the competition thinking of them as a necessary challenge to rise up to, rather than a threat to be intimidated by.

Without competitors, we wouldn’t have races, or in this case, a market. Cookie Time has been a driving force in the snack market space that Em’s Power Cookies also exists in, which has enabled Em’s (and others) to play in that space and carve out a presence. 

Through our conversation, I was pleasantly humbled to learn that we shared the same mutual respect for each other as competitors and I took that as a real compliment. I mentioned that I was feeling like I had done all I could to grow the Em’s brand and had been considering an exit strategy. 

When timing and fate align, the magic shines through. Cookie Time was interested in collaborating with me to take over the Em’s brand and so we took the conversation beyond a casual chat at a food show.

Cookie Time are the perfect company to pass the baton to because they have the people, the infrastructure, capability, and networks that I simply do not. This is a move that is in step with acting in the best interest of the Em’s brand. As the creator of Em’s it is my responsibility to take myself out of it and give Em’s the best opportunity to fly. I feel this might be a bit like being a proud mum.    

It’s a competitive market!

Upon working together with Cookie Time, it became apparent that we had a lot of similarities and a good working synergy. The main hurdle to overcome was to ensure that Cookie Time could manufacture the Em’s product range. We rolled up sleeves and got into the kitchen which is always fun! Cookie Time have a fantastic team of professionals and their facility is top-notch. After some trial and error, we found that things were working well and the possibility of them taking over Em’s became real.

I am very proud of what I have achieved with Em’s Power Cookies. My cookies, bars, and power bites are used and loved by many people in NZ from recreational “power mums” to top-tier elite athletes, including NZ Olympians and our world-dominating sports teams!

Em’s athlete Simone Maier, winning C2C

When asked what is the top highlight over the past 17+ years, my answer is my customers. When I get that email or phone call from an Em’s fan sharing their story, or bump into people in back country huts proudly using my products, I know that I created something special. And that, for me is the definition of success.

So what next for me? I will still be involved with Em’s Power Cookies by helping Cookie Time at events and with promotional activities as Em’s brand ambassador. And the next chapter for me professionally will involve nutrition consulting, athlete mentoring, and public speaking engagements. I am also interested in gaining more experience in the strategic business space, particularly with female leadership roles.

Signing over, but not out!

Cheers, Powergirl Em

Lake Hauroko kayak to South Coast packrafting and Humpridge loop