The Treatory's (based in Ponsonby Central) scoopable cookie dough, served with ice cream and chocolate sauce is available now at selected Four Square Scooptopia stores in the North Island. New Zealand tops the world for ice cream consumption1 and Four Square is giving customers another reason to indulge this winter.
Four Square is bringing a New Zealand-first dessert to selected North Island stores this winter, partnering with Auckland cookie maker The Treatory to launch an exclusive scoopable, par-baked cookie dough developed especially for its Winter Scooptopia range.
The winter Scooptopia menu has been designed to offer customers warm dessert options during the colder months. Scoopable cookie dough joins a range of warm desserts including gluten free brownie, Belgian waffles and lava mudcake - all topped with ice cream.
The scoopable cookie dough is vegan, served warm and gooey, with vanilla ice cream and a choice of chocolate or caramel drizzle. It is made in New Zealand by Auckland-based cookie business The Treatory.
Founded by Stephanie van der Merwe in 2019, The Treatory has come a long way from its beginnings in her small home kitchen, now selling over 2000 cookies a week. What started as a passion project has grown into an award-winning cookie business, with a 'cookie crew' of 12 staff, a cookie factory and a Ponsonby Central store that opened in 2024.
When Four Square was looking for a partner to help bring the cookie dough concept to life, Stephanie worked closely with the team to develop a product exclusively for the Winter Scooptopia campaign.
"We'd never made a product like this before, but where there's a will, there's a way," says Stephanie. "A bit of tweaking of our hero recipe and here we are - par-baked cookie dough that's crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside!"
To celebrate the launch last week, the first 150 customers at participating stores, Four Square Onehunga, Four Square Papamoa and Four Square Ōtaika received a free scoopable cookie dough and ice cream dessert.
Alex Gagebrown, owner operator of Four Square Onehunga, says it's the kind of launch that's hard not to get excited about.
"When the weather's cold like this, who wouldn't want warm cookie dough and ice cream? It's a fun wee treat, and we think it's going to put a smile on a few faces around Onehunga."
For Four Square, the collaboration is also about more than a winter dessert; it's an opportunity to support a fellow New Zealand business while giving customers something new to enjoy.
Ben Waru, acting Head of Four Square North Island, says the collaboration is a great example of local businesses coming together to create something new.
"We're always looking for ways to bring fresh ideas into our stores, and partnering with The Treatory felt like a natural fit. We know customers enjoy discovering new treats alongside their everyday shop, and this partnership helps us do that."
Stephanie says seeing the product launch in Four Square stores is a proud milestone.
"When I started The Treatory in my home kitchen in 2019, I never imagined we'd one day be creating a product for a national retailer. Working with Four Square on Scooptopia has been an incredible opportunity for our team, and we're proud to show that small Kiwi businesses can deliver innovative products that customers love."
The launch also marks a New Zealand first, with Four Square becoming the first retailer to roll out scoopable, par-baked cookie dough at scale across multiple sites in the North Island. While all Four Square North Island Scooptopia stores are serving up at least one warm dessert option paired with ice cream this winter, the scoopable cookie dough offer is available for a limited time at 13 selected stores:
Pictured above: Stephanie and Alex at the Winter Scooptopia launch at Four Square Onehunga.
