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Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Catnip wines designed for anxious cats and dogs
Muttley's Estate is named for director John Roberts' childhood dog, and offers a range of different strength pet wines made from catnip. The non-alcoholic beverages can be enjoyed by cats and dogs, and even people, though it is not recommended just yet. Roberts said the wines were inspired by ''dog beers'', which are usually made from bone broth. He wanted something felines could also enjoy. Cats prefer the lighter taste of whites such as Champawgne and Prosecatt while the deeper blends such as the Purrno Noir and Pawt are popular with dogs. ''With the growing international interest in catnip and the 'humanification' of pet diets, it was a natural extension to explore the development of a premium beverage for pet owners to celebrate with their pets.'' Roberts said the catnip wines also helped reduce stress in pets - catnip is a mood enhancer for cats and makes them more playful, while for dogs it helps them relax. ''We created the range to help alleviate some of the modern stressors on pets, but unlike conventional wines, our products contain zero alcohol.'' The range offers multiple varietals, each featuring a different concentration of catnip: lighter whites such as the Champawgne appeals more to cats, while the deeper blends such as the Purrno Noir and Pawt are popular with dogs, Mr Roberts said. Despite having launched less than a year ago, he was now looking to expand into the United States and was working with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to identify distributors in overseas markets. ''We believe the reputation of New Zealand's wine sector in North America will help us establish an entry into this market and we now actively looking for US distributors.'' Mr Roberts said catnip was a resilient crop which grew well in his part of East Auckland. He said the commercial-scale farming of catnip would further diversify New Zealand's horticultural sector. Global demand for catnip is rising, driven by pet product manufacturers and natural health industries. The catnip essential oil market is projected to grow by almost 6% each year by 2030 to reach $400 million. ''We'd love to see entire fields of catnip grown right here. The idea that we could turn a small backyard experiment into a nation-wide horticultural endeavour, and share it with pet lovers worldwide, is really exciting. It's a chance for New Zealand to do something fresh and unexpected - yet again.'' Muttley's Estate is also looking at developing a variety for human consumption. - RNZ
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Catnip wines designed for anxious cats and dogs
The non-alcoholic beverages can be enjoyed by cats and dogs, and even people, though it is not recommended just yet. Roberts said the wines were inspired by ''dog beers'', which are usually made from bone broth. He wanted something felines could also enjoy. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Cats prefer the lighter taste of whites such as Champawgne and Prosecatt while the deeper blends such as the Purrno Noir and Pawt are popular with dogs. ''With the growing international interest in catnip and the 'humanification' of pet diets, it was a natural extension to explore the development of a premium beverage for pet owners to celebrate with their pets.'' Roberts said the catnip wines also helped reduce stress in pets - catnip is a mood enhancer for cats and makes them more playful, while for dogs it helps them relax. ''We created the range to help alleviate some of the modern stressors on pets, but unlike conventional wines, our products contain zero alcohol.'' The range offers multiple varietals, each featuring a different concentration of catnip: lighter whites such as the Champawgne appeals more to cats, while the deeper blends such as the Purrno Noir and Pawt are popular with dogs, Mr Roberts said. Despite having launched less than a year ago, he was now looking to expand into the United States and was working with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to identify distributors in overseas markets. ''We believe the reputation of New Zealand's wine sector in North America will help us establish an entry into this market and we now actively looking for US distributors.'' PHOTO: SUPPLIED Mr Roberts said catnip was a resilient crop which grew well in his part of East Auckland. He said the commercial-scale farming of catnip would further diversify New Zealand's horticultural sector. Global demand for catnip is rising, driven by pet product manufacturers and natural health industries. The catnip essential oil market is projected to grow by almost 6% each year by 2030 to reach $400 million. ''We'd love to see entire fields of catnip grown right here. The idea that we could turn a small backyard experiment into a nation-wide horticultural endeavour, and share it with pet lovers worldwide, is really exciting. It's a chance for New Zealand to do something fresh and unexpected - yet again.'' Muttley's Estate is also looking at developing a variety for human consumption. - RNZ
NZ Herald
27-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Horticulture: Kiwi start-up's catnip wine ready for export
The breakthrough has made large-scale production and export more viable. John Roberts, director of Muttley's Estate, said catnip was a resilient crop that had adapted to grow well in New Zealand's temperate climate and well-drained soils since it was first introduced. He said the commercial-scale farming of catnip would further diversify New Zealand's horticultural sector. Roberts said, with a growing domestic footprint, the company had now set its sights on the lucrative US market, where pet owners sought premium, novelty products for their furry companions. 'One of the key advantages of catnip is that even a small crop yields enough to produce a batch of pet wine, allowing us to create a high-value product without requiring extensive land investment,' he said. 'With the growing international interest in catnip and the 'humanification' of pet diets, it was a natural extension to explore the development of a premium beverage for pet owners to celebrate with their pets.' Roberts said Muttley's Estate had already signed more than 40 retailers since launching the range in New Zealand less than a year ago. 'We believe the reputation of NZ's wine sector in North America will help us establish an entry into this market and we [are] now actively looking for US distributors.' Roberts said research showed the impact of chronic anxiety and stress among pets had become more prevalent due to a combination of urbanisation, multi-pet household dynamics, ongoing issues relating to the pandemic and shifting lifestyles. 'International studies have found almost a third of dogs showed high sensitivity to noise, with fireworks a particular problem, while 29% of dogs were said to be highly fearful, and 14% showed highly problematic aggression. 'Symptoms of anxiety in cats are often more subtle, yet owners reported signs of tail flicking, avoiding eye contact, and shifting head/body away repeatedly [every week or every other day] or more often than usual.' He said the range was created to help alleviate some of the modern stressors on pets, but unlike conventional wines, the products contained zero alcohol. 'The range offers multiple 'varietals,' each featuring a different concentration of catnip: lighter whites such as the Champawgne appeal more to cats, while the deeper blends such as the Purrno Noir and Pawt are popular with dogs,' he said. Muttley's Estate is already selling through veterinary clinics and pet retailers across New Zealand. It has also held tasting events at local dog parks. 'We were overrun by canines wanting to taste the pet wine, and it demonstrated the positive response across a wide variety of breeds,' Roberts said. The company was now working with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise to identify distributors in overseas markets. 'We'd love to see entire fields of catnip grown right here,' Roberts said. 'The idea that we could turn a small backyard experiment into a nationwide horticultural endeavour, and share it with pet lovers worldwide, is really exciting. 'It's a chance for New Zealand to do something fresh and unexpected - yet again.' The company is also investigating the potential of catnip for human consumption, with trials under way to determine its suitability for the human market. 'Catnip is related to the mint family, so it is safe for humans,' Roberts said. 'We're working with food technologists to explore the possibilities.'
