Wellington small businesses: French Kiss Welly

With our Wellington business spotlight series we want to highlight small businesses of the Wellington region and tell their stories. And since our office is located in Lower Hutt (67 Dudley Street if you want to come and say hi) and just one minute walking from the Queensgate Shopping Centre, we're starting out with a sweet spot that finds its home inside the shopping hub.

Keep reading to discover a glimpse of France right in the heart of Lower Hutt with Pierre from French Kiss Welly.

You're offering something unique inside the Queensgate Mall. Tell us how your creperie idea came up and how you decided to take a taste of France in New Zealand.

The idea of this business is a long story but to make it short I met a French guy who has developed in Australia this design of kiosks in the malls selling our typical French crepes and it was working well so I was like if Aussies like them why not trying with Kiwis...

Then I had to find a mall that was interested in our story and that could offer us an affordable rent to start the business. That's how I started to trade in June 2019 in Queensgate.

I'm personally based in Auckland and own the business but my Manager Ilan is working hard down there to run it and he's doing really well.

Whipped cream, caramel, banana and ice cream

What are the most popular products amongst your customers? We're suspecting that Nutella is involved...

Yes, you're right - the best seller from the beginning is the banana nutella crêpe. But we are trying to convince our customers to try the homemade salted caramel and our savory range, which is very popular in France but Kiwis are still shy to try it.

We printed some loyalty cards for you and we think it's a great way to create a long-lasting relationship with customers, especially for food businesses. Do you have other marketing strategies that are working or have been working in the past?

We are trying to promote as much as possible our local suppliers: honey, eggs, fruit, vegetables, meat and packaging from Lower Hutt; also buckwheat flour grounded in Foxton.

At the moment I don't have a big marketing budget so we stay focused on our social media channels. However, we are open to any new communication tool.

TIPS FOR FOOD BUSINESSES FROM VERTIA
Loyalty cards are an effective way to create long-lasting relationships with your clients. Try to offer a discount or a free product (can be as simple as a coffee) every 10 or more purchases. Keeping your existing clients is easier than finding new ones!

French Kiss Creperie is located inside the Queensgate Shopping Centre and is open Monday-Saturday 9 AM-6 PM and on Sundays 10 AM-5:30 PM. You can check them out on Instagram.