The Better Company, the Westport-based firm behind the award-winning West Coast Pie Company, has been placed into voluntary liquidation amid outstanding tax liabilities exceeding $500,000. A liquidator overseeing the case has estimated the company’s total debts may exceed $1.4 million.
The Better Company, known for its wild game meat pies, is principally owned by local businesswoman Emily Lucas, who also controls Waikari Outpost Ltd and BPC Cafe Group. The latter operates cafes in Westport’s Palmerston Street and in Waikari, North Canterbury, with the Waikari location closing on the morning of June 24.
The decision to enter liquidation was made on June 16 at the shareholders’ request, with the business subsequently placed under the control of a liquidator. On the same day, Lucas established a new company, The Wild Food Co Ltd, where she is the sole shareholder.
In a statement released on the business’s website, Lucas attributed the liquidation to a protracted negotiation process with Inland Revenue. She described the directors’ choice to liquidate as a difficult but necessary step and confirmed the company's full cooperation with the process.
Despite financial challenges, Lucas highlighted that the business had experienced strong growth, noting successful summer trading and efforts to expand production capacity in 2022. The prior year saw significant investment in manufacturing equipment, increased staffing, and a new production lease to enable larger-scale pie production.
Lucas emphasized the company is undergoing a planned restructuring with a goal to protect jobs where possible, uphold key supplier relationships, and maintain service continuity for customers and stockists. There remains hope that the pie business may be salvaged and sold as a going concern.
The West Coast Pie Company had previously received national recognition, winning both gold and silver medals at the 2022 Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards. Lucas’s background includes operating two Westport restaurants—the Bay House at Cape Foulwind and the Town House—and hosting events at the luxury Hurakia Lodge on Rakino Island. She also supplied food for the Ngāti Waewae-owned café at the $41 million Punangairi visitor centre in Punakaiki.
When approached, Lucas declined to comment on the operation of the new company, the role of Development West Coast, or management of the business during the liquidation, citing commercial sensitivity. She stated that protecting staff was her primary concern throughout the process.