Guide biscuits a hit 60 years on
It’s that time of year again for the Girl Guides.
Groups of girls have been knocking on doors and setting up stalls in supermarket carparks to sell their signature biscuits.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the biscuits being sold in New Zealand.
Six-year-old Katherine Clover from Lower Hutt has been selling biscuits door-to-door for the Girl Guides and said the best way of selling them was by ‘‘using your manners’’.
A ‘‘please’’ and ‘‘thank you’’ went a long way in the biscuit business, she said.
To prepare for door knocking, the girls ran through some practice at their regular sessions during the week, by pretending to sell to one another.
Six-year-old Emma Johnston had a go at her session last week.
‘‘It was fun,’’ she said. ’’I went behind the desk, pretending and knocked on the table.’’
Earlier last week the girls were out at Countdown Petone with a stall set up.
They set up shop at 9am and while sales were slow in the morning, they picked up later in the day.
Boxes of biscuits had also been dropped off at community organisations like Rotary clubs, as well as the girls doing the door-knocking rounds.
Biscuit-selling season also gives the girls an opportunity to earn a biscuit badge. To get one, the groups made some simple snacks like biscuit balls using basic ingredients.
Lower Hutt local co-ordinator Michelle Cheeseman said the biscuits were great learning tools for the girls as they also learned about personal safety while out selling, money skills and personal confidence.
The biscuit recipe has remained unchanged since it was first developed and sold 60 years ago, Girl Guides chief executive Susan Coleman said.
Biscuit-selling was a great opportunity for the girls to learn about business as well.
‘‘Guide Biscuits are easily the largest girl-led business in New Zealand. The girls help decide where to sell them, manage the money and develop people skills and positive business ethics,’’ Coleman said.