By Laura MCQuillan
Hell Pizza is apologising for its new "misfortune cookies", which sparked accusations the company is bigoted.
One misfortune, reading "you will marry a transgender", has led to a backlash against the company.
Hell Pizza customer Tamsyn Clemerson told NZ Newswire she was shocked when she opened a cookie and read the fortune on Friday.
"It's implying that to be associated with somebody who is trans is a misfortune, and that is so awful - trans people in New Zealand and worldwide have a really difficult time as it is."
The other cookies contained amusing messages, but this one missed the mark, she says.
Hell Pizza co-founder Stu McMullin apologised on Monday.
"We have caused offence, and contributed to the bigotry that hurts LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people all over the world every day, and we regret this," he said in a statement to NZ Newswire.
"We like to be irreverent and cheeky, and most of the time we think we get it right. On this occasion we experienced a sense of humour failure."
He said the misfortune would be removed from the company's next batch of cookies.
The company is no stranger to controversy.
Past stunts include a mailout of 170,000 branded condoms to promote its Lust pizza, a competition including a trip to Bali which was based on the plight of jailed Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby, and an animated skeleton of Sir Edmund Hillary dancing on a grave, 10 months after his death.
NZN