Family-run bakery finds recipe for 50 years of success

Saturday, 10 May 2025

Nada Bakery is celebrating 50 years as a family-owned business.

From savoury treats to a beloved Easter staple, this Wellington bakery has been serving locals delicious memories for the past 50 years.

Known for its award-winning hot cross buns and pies, Nada Bakery - which has stores in Tawa and Johnsonville - is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

The bakery is owned by the Gray family and, following founder Peter Gray’s death in 2005, it continues under the leadership of his wife, Judith, and his son and baker Michael Gray.

Judith said she felt proud that the business had reached this important mileston and that the business had stayed in the family,

A number of family relatives had all worked behind the scenes at one point, she said.

Nada Bakery head baker Michael Gray says after 50 years he is planning for what’s next for the bakery.

“We are known for our pies and our hot cross buns and our breads, and I think just the quality of our products sets us up. What we trade on is high quality for customer service as well.”

Michael said his father opened his first bakery, Nada Cakes in Hataitai, , when he was just 21.

Later the business was expanded to opening stores in Wellington, Island Bay, Berhampore, and Johnsonville, as well as operating two mobile food trucks.

Nada was a classic cake shop back then, Michael said, providing the scones, pies, rolls, sponges, and decorated cakes it is still known for today.

After his father’s death the family continued running the business, with Michael acting as head baker.

Judith Gray says she is proud that the business her late husband started has reached the milestone of 50 years.

The job had some early starts, he said, but involved the freedom to create something new and tasty for customers. .

“I always tell people that we're not selling a baked good, we're selling enjoyment. We're selling something that's going to be a memory for people.”

Nada still sells Peter’s classic tasty staples, Michael said, but now does twists on them - like a Thai Chicken pie - offering unique tastes for Kiwis to enjoy while still having that homestyle taste.

“We've seen food trends as people travel a lot more than they used to. They want the taste of their trip overseas … So it's a balance of doing something within it, but something tooled over local tastes.”

Coming off its Easter season, the bakery had produced about 190,000 hot cross buns. It also sells the buns wholesale to Moore Wilson’s and Farro Fresh in Auckland.

Michael saidafter 50 years it was a good chance to t reflect about that achievement and plan on what they were going to do next.

“We've got second generation, third generation customers … A huge thank you to Wellington and New Zealand for supporting us for over 50 years.”