Hawke’s Bay’s record Christmas Cookie Time seller faces a challenge for the title - from his brother

Two Hawke’s Bay brothers are fighting for a Christmas Cookie Time selling record.

Jeremy Gaffaney is taking on current record-holding older brother Louis Gaffaney and claims he is well on track to beat Louis’ first-year selling record.

Hawke's Bay brothers Jeremy Gaffaney and Louis Gaffaney are battling to beat Christmas cookie selling records.

Since starting on November 1, the 19-year-old has sold about 6700 buckets of his goal of 8272 buckets.

Jeremy joined his brother three years ago to help out with sales, and it wasn’t until this year that he took on the sole responsibility as the Christmas cookie seller for the Hastings and Taradale areas.

On Tuesday, Jeremy planned to deliver 500 buckets, a change from his usual quick-selling spot at the Hastings Woolworths.

“I need to be absolutely smashing it out because I want to finish as soon as possible so I can take on as many more buckets as possible.”

Through his experience with Louis, Jeremy said he had learned to be cheeky and charismatic with the customers.

“Being able to have a good yarn and banter with the customer is a really good way and also putting in hours of work.”

Jeremy said he hoped to make the top five cookie sellers in the country.

“I knew from the start I wouldn’t beat Louis because he is going for an extraordinary amount of buckets.”

Meanwhile, Louis is once again selling Christmas cookies to the crowds based out at the Napier Kmart.

In 2023, in the name of Christmas Cheer, he was able to break the official national record, selling almost 11,700 buckets and beating the record by 1611.

A battle between the brothers: Jeremy Gaffaney, left, and Louis Gaffaney are breaking cookie-selling records in an intense competition.

This year the 21-year-old has set himself a goal of selling 13,000 in the Napier area, having already sold 8800 buckets.

He said the “pressure was on at the moment” to sell the last 4500 buckets before Christmas.

He said “sales have been strong this year,” and the brownies that weren’t even a cookie option had the most repeat customers.

Louis said he was committed to the work, having meal-prepped dinners for two months in advance for the busy time.

He said his brother was smashing the goals and said he had learnt from his mistakes.

“He has gone from my employee to my rival and competitor.”

The brothers aim to donate 600 buckets to the Napier and Hastings Christmas Cheer appeals.

Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.