The ‘social enterprise’ business helmed by a participant on the reality TV juggernaut Married at First Sight has debts of nearly half a million dollars, including unpaid superannuation to its employees.
Documents from the n Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) show Wild The Lifestyle Co Pty Ltd – directed by Katie Johnston – was placed into liquidation on June 28 last year.
Ms Johnston, 37, described her job on Tuesday night’s episode as being ‘CEO of a social enterprise group of restaurants – we split our profits helping others who are doing it tough and help them with emergency food and emergency housing’.
The group known as EATS has a number of restaurants in southeast Queensland and Wild the Lifestyle Co was the business responsible for two Sunshine Coast locations at Eumundi and Sunshine Plaza.
Ms Johnston is not accused of any wrongdoing and EATS, which stands for Empowering All Through Support, is still operating despite the collapse of Wild the Lifestyle Co business.
According to the liquidator’s report, the company owed $493,927 when it collapsed.
Unpaid superannuation accounted for $150,709, while $190,980 was owed to the tax office, and $141,174 was owed to Mercedes Benz Financial Services relating to loans for two cars – a 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE300D and a 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC200.
Following the liquidation EATS Eumundi was sold to the company EATS Nambour Pty Ltd, also owned by Ms Johnston, while EATS Sunshine Plaza closed its doors.
Ms Johnston said she intended to repay the money.
‘The repayment plan is in place and being maintained. Covid ruined a lot of businesses and continues to ruin people’s lives as we struggle with cost of living and mass business closures,’ Ms Johnston told The Sunshine Coast Daily.
The group still operates restaurants at Carindale, Kawana and Pacific Fair along with the Eumundi location.
Among the causes it donates money to are poverty stricken communities in Peru.
Ms Johnston was a finalist in the 2021 Young Business Woman of the Year Awards held by the Sunshine Coast Women’s Business Network.
A year earlier in 2020, Katie revealed her devastation after discovering her Sunshine Coast restaurant had been robbed during Covid lockdowns, with thieves making off with iPads and cash.
And two years prior, Katie bravely penned an open letter in the local newspaper about bullies on Noosa’s beaches, who had targeted her with hurtful comments, which received overwhelming public support.
She has been paired on MAFS this year with Tim Gromie.
He has been quick to establish himself as one of the shows ‘villains’ after a bizarre text he sent to a former MAFS participant was revealed.
He also complained to a producer he wanted to be matched with someone ‘petite and blonde’.
Daily Mail has contacted Ms Johnston’s PR for comment.