Doors close at another branch of the Mad Butcher

Mad Butcher Albany in Auckland has closed its doors for good.

The butcher business, operated by Soncam Limited, closed on Wednesday and was placed into liquidation. Notices have since been put up on the doors of the store.

Peter Jollands of Jollands Callander, who is also the liquidator for other dissolved companies formerly trading under the Mad Butcher brand, has been appointed liquidator.

The Herald has contacted Jollands for comment.

Mad Butcher Albany joins a long list of failed Mad Butcher businesses across the country, including the Glen Innes branch which was placed into liquidation at the beginning of the month. Jollands would not answer questions about the liquidated business when contacted earlier in the month.

The liquidator’s first report for both the companies, outlining what creditors are owed, will be released to the Companies Office in six months.

The Mad Butcher franchise, which was previously owned by NZX-listed Veritas, is co-owned by Michael Morton and partner Julie Leitch, the daughter of founder Sir Peter Leitch.

The pair bought back the business from Veritas for $8 million in July last year, compared with the $40m the company purchased it for in 2013.

Mad Butcher store numbers have dramatically decreased, with around

16 store closures in the past few years. In its heyday, the butcher chain had

40 stores throughout the country. Today, about 23 stores make up the Mad Butcher chain.

The only Mad Butcher store in Whanga¯rei closed its doors in January and last month the former owner was in the High Court at Auckland defending an injunction order by Mad Butcher Holdings following the end of his franchise agreement.

Mad Butcher claimed Robert Wightman breached the conditions of his restraint of trade after he opened his own independent butcher shop called The Meat Man in the same site as the previous branded store.

The meat franchise won an interim injunction against the former franchisee and is entitled to costs and reasonable disbursements, conditional on it providing security.

During the trial, Judge Gault heard Wightman had concerns about the financial performance of the Mad Butcher store and that Wightman had asked for help but received no assistance from Mad Butcher.

Wightman had said an injunction would “kill” his business. He seeks leave to appeal the High Court decision.