Home > Podcasts > The Digital Roast Epi 10: Sweet Resilience: How Remarkable Sweet Shop Bounced Back Against Ransomware

Sweet Resilience: How Queenstown’s Remarkable Sweet Shop Bounced Back Against Ransomware

Cybersecurity might not always grab the headlines — but when it hits, it hits hard. In this episode, Brendon sits down with Dan and Lucy from Remarkable Sweet Shop to unpack their real-life experience with a ransomware attack. It’s a candid conversation about fear, resilience, and what it takes to bounce back. Clear, honest, and relatable — this is cybersecurity, minus the jargon.

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Introduction

In October 2024, Remarkable Sweet Shop – a Queenstown icon – faced a serious threat: a ransomware attack that compromised their internal systems and halted parts of their operations. But with quick thinking, the right support, and a lot of teamwork, they pulled through.

In this episode of The Digital Roast, Focus CEO Brendon McDermott sits down with Lucy Hunt, Managing Director of Remarkable Sweet Shop, and Dan Messingham, Branch Manager at Focus Queenstown, for a powerful conversation on resilience, response, and recovery.

When Cybercrime Hits Close to Home

What started as an ordinary morning quickly turned into a crisis. Warehouse computers displayed ominous warnings, systems were down, and a message from a known Russian hacking group confirmed their worst fears: this was real. But thanks to early detection and cloud backups, critical data remained protected and customer-facing operations stayed open.

Lucy shares how the team remained calm, followed guidance from their IT partner and cyber insurer, and kept their business running — from handwritten orders to borrowed label printers. Remarkable Sweet Shop’s quick response helped avoid major disruption.The Chief

Multitasking Officer of Remarkable Sweet Shop shares more about the cyber attack in our latest Coffee Break story.

Key Takeaways for Business Owners

Here are some critical lessons from a real cyber-attack:

  • Cybercrime is organised, sophisticated, and indiscriminate — any business can be a target.

  • Preparedness matters. Cyber insurance, cloud backups, and multi-factor authentication were key to their recovery.

  • Strong partnerships make a difference. The combined effort of Focus, cyber specialists, and an engaged internal team led to a fast and effective response.

  • Staff awareness and communication are essential. From reporting suspicious emails to adapting workflows, their people played a vital role.

What Businesses Can Learn

Lucy and Dan reflect on how businesses can better prepare:

  • Regular security reviews and audits

  • Modern endpoint protection — not just old-school antivirus

  • Incident response planning

  • Basic policies to regulate staff downloads and AI use

  • Layered defences, including firewalls, backups, and password protocols

Final Thoughts

  • Cyber incidents can happen to anyone.

  • A strong response starts with preparation — cyber insurance, a trusted IT partner, and internal awareness.

  • Backups, response plans, and layered security can limit damage and speed recovery.

  • It’s not about fear — it’s about resilience.

References:

Cyber Security – Focus Technology

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