Dessert-loving locals were in for a treat when The Cheesecake Shop celebrated the grand opening of its new store at Hill Park, Auckland on Saturday 18 January 2025 with free cake and family activities.
The brand-new Hill Park store, which started trading in December 2024, reflects the exponential growth of the famous cake shop franchise as it expands its footprint across the country and responds to customer demand.
The Cheesecake Shop Hill Park gave away 500 free cheesecake cups, hosted free face painting and ran a ‘Spin The Wheel’ game where customers could win prizes including free slices, cake pops, quarters, midis and vouchers!
The opening is a new beginning for Franchise Partner Parveen Saheel who swapped her 23-year career in banking for desserts after her husband unexpectedly passed away in 2022.
This left her a single mum to three kids and in need of a career that allowed her to care for her family and reconnect with her community.
“Baking has always been a fantasy of mine and my late husband and I both absolutely loved cheesecake and desserts, so after doing my homework, partnering with The Cheesecake Shop seemed like the perfect opportunity,” Ms Saheel says.
“Getting to work within my community and create incredible cakes and desserts for my family and friends is
truly a ‘wow’ experience and has helped me to find my feet and remind me of my entrepreneurial spirit.
“From Punjabi celebrations, halal products and wedding cakes to everyday favourites, we create delicious
cakes that are incredible quality every time and keep my customers coming back again and again,” she said.
Ms Saheel and her daughter Sahib work full-time in the Hill Park shop but due to the huge demand, have employed seven staff, including an experienced baker and three full-time decorators; one of whom is a professional cake-maker whose show-stopping custom cakes account for more than 10 per cent of the store’s income.
The Cheesecake Shop Hill Park is the first New Zealand store to open with the company’s newly baked
rebrand and reimagined shop layout.
The refresh serves up a new look and feel with the brand’s iconic bold green signature colour now complemented with a fresh sage, a modernised storefront and fit-out, and an open kitchen so customers can see their favourite sweet treats and special occasion cakes come to life.
The Cheesecake Shop CEO Scott Bush says Auckland is a rapidly growing market and its Hill Park opening is an exciting next step in its expansion plans.
“FY24 has seen growth in both sales performance and transactions across The Cheesecake Shop’s Australian and New Zealand stores, which is an amazing result given the tough economic conditions across the world,” Mr Bush says.
“The Cheesecake Shop has been operating in New Zealand for 30 years and we now have 37 stores across the country with 21 in Auckland alone, and that’s just the start of our growth plans!
“We are excited to welcome Parveen Saheel to The Cheesecake Shop family as our newest Franchise Partner
whose entrepreneurial spirit and passion for community align perfectly with our brand values.”
The Cheesecake Shop empowers Franchise Partners to trade on its enviable brand recall and sets them up for success with baked-in national logistical, operational and marketing support.
Underlining the company’s commitment to franchise development, Mr Bush highlights the strong connection between small businesses and local communities and the importance of supporting Franchise Partners who in turn hire and inspire locals.
The local community can’t get enough of Parveen’s sweet creations with The Rainbow Cake, Wild
Strawberry Cheesecake and The Cheesecake Shop’s famous tortes top of the best-seller list.
The Cheesecake Shop Hill Park is open from 8am – 8pm daily and specialises in cakes, desserts, sweet treats, everyday indulgences and special occasions.
For more information, visit cheesecake.co.nz or follow thecheesecakeshophillpark on Instagram to check out its custom cakes.
About The Cheesecake Shop
The Cheesecake Shop brand started in Australia in 1991 and New Zealand in 1995 and has grown to be an international success with over 240 cake bakeries and more than 2,000 workers. Independently owned and operated by skilled Franchise Partners, the brand is synonymous with immaculately presented, hand- crafted, delicious cakes loved by generations of Australians and New Zealanders.