La Maison du Pâtissier liquidation findings revealed

The company behind a popular Sunshine Coast French cafe, which abruptly closed its doors last year, may have made unfair preference payments before collapsing, the liquidator’s report has suggested.

La Maison du Patissier at Meridan Plains abruptly closed its doors late last year. Photo Lachie Millard

The company behind a popular Sunshine Coast French cafe, which abruptly closed its doors last year, may have made unfair preference payments before collapsing, the liquidator’s report has suggested.

The Meridan Plains venue, La Maison du Pâtissier, unexpectedly closed late last year, announcing the news on social media.

“Unfortunately we have to let you know some bad news, we have had to shut the shop effective immediately,” the post stated.

“We have been put in a very difficult situation which we are unable to disclose any information about, but has ultimately forced us into liquidation.

“We would like to thank everyone who has supported the business through the years and apologise to those we have let down. We didn’t want it to be this way but can’t fix the damage that has been done.”

Jade and Andrew Ackerman.

The business was operated by the company, AJCM Pty Ltd, which entered voluntary liquidation in December 2024.

The cafe was established by French couple Eric and Francoise Pernoud before it welcomed new owners, Andrew Ackerman and Jade Le Moeligou earlier this year.

Australian Security and Investments Commission documents list Mr Ackerman and Ms Le Moeligou as the current directors of AJCM Group Pty Ltd.

Liquidator Clifford Sanderson published his report to creditors on ASIC on Friday, February 28 revealing the latest debt figure owed to creditors was about $267,361.

Mr Sanderson said his investigations had shown there may have been unreasonable preferential payments made by the company.

“I have identified payments that have the ‘flavour’ of a preference action,” Mr Sanderson said.

La Maison du Patissier.

Mr Sanderson also told creditors a lack records had “frustrated” his attempts at determining whether the company had been trading insolvently.

“In this case, the incompleteness of the books and records has frustrated my ability to form a conclusive opinion in regard to whether or not the company traded while insolvent,” Mr Sanderson said.

Mr Sanderson said for him to complete any further investigations into AJCM Pty Ltd, creditors would need to pay about $20,000.

“In the absence of funding from creditors, I will resolve the above matters as I see fit which may include a settlement or even abandonment of the action,” Mr Sanderson said.

In a further ASIC document published to the corporate regulator on April 3, Mr Sanderson told creditors he did not expect there to be any dividends paid due to insufficient funds.

Ms Le Moeligou has been contacted for comment by this publication.

Originally published as La Maison du Pâtissier liquidation findings revealed