Our Story
Wiseys Pies & Bakehouse essentially began some 38 years ago and 13 000 km away (13078.88 km to be exact) when back in his native New Zealand, 12 year old Gary Wise got an after school job at a local Home Cookery, cleaning trays and prepping for the bakers the next morning.
A quick learner and even harder worker, young Gary excelled and was soon promoted to the morning job of cooking donuts and buns, along with making sandwiches. Gaining further experience during the school holidays when the work became full time, Gary soon found himself making the same (products) as the senior bakers.
Very shortly after, having proven himself worthy, an apprenticeship was offered and since he’d always dreamed of becoming a chef, Gary thought: “Oh well, this is pretty close!!” and gamely accepted. After 4 years of passion and toil, he’d soon mastered the trade, and at the ripe young age of just 19, his boss offered him his other bakery - a huge opportunity and win for someone just starting out! Not financially flush as just a young man, luckily his Grandad stepped in and lent Gary the money to purchase the business. True to his track record of giving everything 110%, another 4 years saw him having “trebled” (that’s *tripled* for us Canadians) the original turnover and successfully selling his first bakery for 7 times its original worth.
Ironically and prophetically, part of the reason he’d decided to sell was Gary’s desire, at the age of 23, to travel to Canada. This first trip was to Saskatoon to watch the World Softball Series in which most of his friends and rivals were participating.
Fortunately for the future Wiseys, Gary fell in love with Canada and this passion for the country fueled his return several times over the next three decades (whether as a rugby referee or as a traveler) and cemented his aspiration to live here some day.
Now after selling this first bakery and appeasing some of his young man’s wanderlust, Gary found New Zealand and his passion for the bakery world, calling him home. Upon his return, he was recruited to become the foreman in the Pastry division with one of the country’s most decorated bakers, Graham Heaven of Heavens Bakery. At almost 46 years in operation, Heavens Bakery is now an institution and Graham, although semi retired, is the best known baker in New Zealand. He travels the world sharing his immense knowledge by training apprentices, like the then up and coming Wise. For the next 9 months, under Heavens' tutelage, his six bakeries and their huge roster of wholesale clients, he would learn how to bake for mass production by ensuring enough meat and pastry and other select ingredients were correctly prepped the day before and all orders of the orders were successfully filled. Quite a responsibility for such a young baker!
But as they do when we are still sorting our path, other interests and priorities saw Gary leaving the baking world behind to pursue a job as a Sales Manager for an Insurance and Financial Planning business, where the money was better and more predictable.
And as he was very sporty, this new role allowed him flexibility and the time to train. This change in industry and lifestyle suited him so well in fact that Gary dedicated the next 23 years to it and eventually ended up with his own very successful brokerage that employed 9 brokers.
Much happened in his personal life of course during these 2+ decades - all of which culminated in the final emigration to Canada, a blended family including 5 wonderful children (Brooke 23, Blake 20, Sydney 15, Kaylee 12 and finally wee Kendra at just 4) and his Canadian wife and Wiseys partner Karen. After meeting in Canada when Gary was over as a rugby referee, Gary wooed and convinced Karen and her young daughter Kaylee to join him back in New Zealand. For the next 7 years they lived in beautiful Napier and continued to run Gary's successful brokerage. They also welcomed the 5th child, Kendra to the Wise-Kriese clan. But sharing a dream to eventually move back to Canada and to allow Gary to return to his first love and bake roots, Gary and Karen, along with the youngest girls Kaylee and Kendra (oh and Harley - their beloved Golden Lab) began the arduous task of starting the emigration process. And as if that all wasn't enough, they also started to search for the perfect, future home of Wiseys - all from around the other side of the world!
Now as is true for most good stories there is usually a cast of interesting and key characters - stay tuned for the next Wiseys chapter....
