Bocky Boo Gelato Rangiora, on the corner of High Street and Durham Street in Rangiora, is a fun, family-run gelato cafe serving house-made gelato, sorbets, desserts and coffee. It's the second store in the Bocky Boo group, opened in November 2022 in partnership with the local van Berkel family.
Bocky Boo started in Whangarei, founded by the De'Ath family fresh back into New Zealand after four years of mission and aid work overseas. It's very much a family affair, with Chris, Ruth and all four of their children involved in the business at various times, including their youngest as a shareholder at just 10 years old. The brand has since grown to include stores in Blenheim and Halswell as well as Rangiora and Whangarei.
Alongside scoops in-store, Bocky Boo Rangiora offers gelato cakes for birthdays and other celebrations, gelato carts and catering for events, and gelato scoops and tubs to take home. The team is known for creating a welcoming, fun, friendly atmosphere, reflecting the founding families' shared passion for building a fun place for friends and families while continuing to support mission and aid work overseas.
Bocky Boo Gelato Rangiora sits on the corner of High Street and Durham Street, serving house-made gelato, sorbets, desserts and coffee in a fun, family-friendly setting. It's the second store in the Bocky Boo group, and its story starts well before the doors opened in Rangiora.
Bocky Boo Gelato began in Whangarei, founded by the De'Ath family soon after they returned to New Zealand from four years of mission and aid work overseas. Struck by the potential of Whangarei's city centre and driven by a desire to keep supporting aid work abroad, they opened the original Bocky Boo store. It's stayed a genuine family business ever since, with Chris, Ruth and all four of their children involved in the business at various times — their youngest was even a shareholder at just 10 years old.
The business only knew three Covid-free months in its early years, so the first two years involved constantly re-inventing how the store operated at each alert level, just to keep the famous Bocky Boo licks available to customers. That resilience set the stage for growth once conditions settled.
In November 2022, the second Bocky Boo store opened in Rangiora, this time in partnership with the local van Berkel family — a family who shared the same ethos of building a family business, creating a fun place for friends and families, and supporting mission and aid work. For the De'Ath family, the Rangiora opening carried extra meaning, since it's a town where they'd lived for 25 years. Bocky Boo has since grown further, with stores also open in Blenheim and Halswell.
At the heart of the menu is Bocky Boo's house-made gelato, alongside sorbets, desserts and coffee, all served in the cafe's characteristically fun, welcoming atmosphere. Beyond the counter, Bocky Boo Rangiora also offers gelato cakes — a popular choice for birthdays — plus a gelato cart for catering events, and gelato scoops and tubs for anyone wanting to take a taste home.
Bocky Boo's staff are known for creating a welcoming, friendly atmosphere that reflects both founding families' shared values. Whether it's a quick scoop after dinner or a gelato cake for a celebration, the Rangiora store continues the same family-first approach that built the brand in Whangarei.
Bocky Boo Gelato Rangiora is open 7 days a week, from 10am to 10pm, making it an easy stop for an after-dinner treat or a daytime dessert run.