Remarkable Sweet Shop is a beloved New Zealand confectionery brand known for its handcrafted fudge, nostalgic sweets, and unforgettable in-store experience. With a strong presence in Queenstown, Arrowtown and online, the business has become a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike.
Committed to quality, creativity, and customer delight, Remarkable Sweet Shop continues to grow its footprint while staying true to its charming, boutique roots.
Their Needs
On the morning of October 8, 2024, Queenstown’s iconic Remarkable Sweet Shop discovered they had fallen victim to a crypto-malware attack. What began as a normal workday quickly turned into a high-stakes situation, as systems were locked and access to vital business data was suddenly cut off.
Like many small businesses, cyber security wasn’t always front of mind. But this incident was a wake-up call: no business is too small to be targeted.
How We Helped
With the incident unfolding quickly, Focus Technology Group was called in to assess the situation and take immediate action.
“We asked help from Focus and Reynaldo the assigned Engineer was in our office right away to help as assess the situation”
– Gill Pringle, Remarkable Sweet Shop
Our local Queenstown Branch team, led by Dan Messingham, along with our Customer Relations Manager, Karen Iremonger worked with Lucy Hunt Managing Director of Remarkable Sweet Shop along with and her team to:
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Contain the threat
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Assess the entry point and damage
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Begin secure data restoration
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Strengthen the environment against further risk
This wasn’t just about cleaning up — it was about creating a stronger, smarter path forward.
The Results
Within days, operations were back up and running. But more importantly, Remarkable Sweet Shop left the incident with a new sense of cyber awareness and a proactive plan to prevent future attacks.
Here’s what’s changed since the incident:
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Regular staff awareness training now in place
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Backups secured, tested, and monitored
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Ongoing cyber assessments with Focus
- Ensuring Cyber Insurance is up to date and renewed
Summary
Our partnership with Remarkable Sweet Shop helped them recover from a serious crypto-malware attack incident and emerge with a stronger, more resilient approach to cyber security.
What began as a business-critical crisis quickly became a turning point. With Focus by their side, the team worked through containment, recovery, and rebuilding — all while keeping their doors open and operations running manually. The experience prompted a deep reflection on internal processes, risk management, and the importance of proactive protection.
The journey not only restored their systems but also reshaped their mindset around preparedness. Cyber training, better backups, and upgraded systems are now part of their everyday operations.
Remarkable Sweet Shop is now more cyber-aware than ever, with stronger systems, a watchful team, and a trusted technology partner behind them.
The partnership with Focus continues to grow — built on shared values of trust, responsiveness, and long-term support.
From Gill Pringle of Remarkable Sweet Shop
On the experience:
“You hear about these things happening to other businesses — then suddenly, it’s happening to you. It was scary, but we didn’t have to face it alone.”
On the priority to keep trading:
“We had to move fast. Our goal was to keep our stores open — and we did. We ran offline and got through it thanks to the team around us.”
On what changed:
“We’re now far more vigilant. What happened to us changed how we operate — for the better.”
On the partnership:
“Our goal now is to move forward, strengthen our relationship with Focus, and keep improving our systems. We like to stay pretty cutting edge — and we trust Focus to help us do that.”
If your business is struggling to navigate today’s cyber risks, reach out. Our team at Focus is here — to listen, to guide, and to help protect what you’ve worked hard to build. Don’t hesitate to reach out. Call us today.
Get in touch with your local Focus team to find out how we can help your business
Whatever your needs are, we’re here to help.
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