Pupils find recipe for success

Press, 20 August 1983, Page 1

Pupils find recipe for success

Providing a taste of New Zealand for tourists is not in the University Entrance examination curriculum at St Bede’s College, but five sixth form pupils have included it in theirs this year. They have formed their own company, Productron Ventures, to produce a book of New Zealand recipes. The company is run and owned by Sean Conroy, managing director, Kelvin McCartin, marketing and manufacturing director, Shane McCloy, chairman; Graeme Earl, secretary, and Michael Fitzsimons, finance director. It is part of the Chamber of Commerce’s “Young Enterprise” scheme, and was formed by the boys at the start of the school year. Productron Ventures has been registered with the Inland Revenue Department as a company — “a legal entity, rather than a theoretical company,” said Kelvin McCartin.

Throughout the year, meetings called iri lunchtime breaks or after school have been conducted formally. The company, under the scheme, has a parent company, Helene Curtis, Ltd, which has provided advice and support for the young directors. t

It has taken six months to get the final product on to the market — and it looks

as though it will be a success.

“A collection of New Zealand’s finest recipes” has been on sale for one week, and already half of the 724 copies have been sold. As well as restaurants, local retailers and tourist shops, the books have sold well to staff and boys at the

scnooi. “A lot of the guys have tried to beat us down, but they can’t," said Sean Conroy The book comprises 84 pages of New Zealand recipes, from appetisers to desserts, ana includes articles on the North Island and South Island and on the

history of the Maori culture, to add to the New Zealand flavour. It sells for $l2 to $l5, depending on the outlet. The recipes came from relations (many of their mothers’ and grandmothers’ favourite dishes), the Apple and Pear Board, the Pork Marketing Board, and the

Meat Board. Some of the names were changed to “keep it New Zealand” and a variety of dishes have been included.

Illustrations were done by two colleagues — Ted Metcalf and Craig Morgan — and the cover, which is in a ring-binder form, was illustrated by the school’s

art teacher, Mrs M. Richards.

The book was put in a ring-binder because it was cheaper than proper binding, it gave a better effect, and other recipes could be added to the collection.

The 84 pages were printed on the school’s machine. Finance came from an overdraft arranged with a bank. The book cost $5500 in total, but the directors are certain they will end up with a small het profit each.

No class time was put into the work — it was all done in the lunch hours, after school, and in the holidays. There was no teacher behind the company — self-motivation is one of the aims of the scheme. One of the most rewarding experiences for the boys was the respect they received as people, rather than “just school kids,” said Kelvin McCartin.

They had all had a taste of what business was like, and had gained a good general knowledge of retailing and books. There are six other schools with pupils involved in the “Young Enterprise” scheme: Riccarton High School, Xavier. College, Hornby High School, Bumside High School, Hillmorton High School, and Christchurch Boys’ High School. Other St Bede’s College pupils are running a business fattening cattle to sell.