Like our much-loved Gourmate dog treats, our newest products are bursting with all-natural goodness. They are proudly made in New Zealand, B Corp Certified for sustainability, and of course made from human-grade ingredients.
We've heard your pleas, cat lovers, and we've answered. No more settling for treats packed with questionable ingredients. Gurnard Fish Bites are the crispy, freeze-dried bites of goodness your cat won't be able to resist with omega-3s galore for healthy joints and a shiny coat.
Then there’s Wagyu Beef Liver, only the very finest meat in the world for cats that are “just a little bit fussy” 😂. Freeze drying locks in massive flavour and essential vitamins and minerals including taurine.
And of course, we couldn’t leave out our superfood favourite. Mini Mussels for cats are here to save the day! These bite-sized wonders are loaded with omega-3s, chondroitin and glucosamine to keep those kitty joints purring with delight.
Pikelet interrupts a photoshoot at Gourmate HQ
Here at Gourmate we are all about natural superfoods that are nutritious and delicious, and we are so excited to be launching these three amazing supplements to help your doggos live their best lives, literally.
Bounce with Green Lipped Mussel Oil For Healthy Joints is the secret sauce for both active pooches and ageing mates. Say goodbye to joint woes and inflammation concerns, thanks to 100% EPA and DHA-packed marine oils—no cheap plant oil fillers here!
Hoomans are all about collagen for elasticity and overall health. Well, now it's your pet's turn to shine! Introducing Shine Marine Collagen for Inner and Outer Health, 100% hydrolyzed (that’s the good stuff) marine collagen made right here in Aotearoa with New Zealand fish. It's the ultimate pet spa treatment from the inside out, nourishing their skin, coat, and nails.
And we can’t forget our anxious mates - Chill with L-Tryptophan For Natural Mood Support is the supermood superfood your pet didn't know they needed. Packed with gut-loving prebiotics and that magical amino acid L-Tryptophan, it's the key to unlocking that serotonin goodness—perfect for those days when your pet needs a little extra zen.
You’ll start to see Gourmate Cat Treats and Nutritional Supplements in store across New Zealand before Christmas. Drop us a note to find a stockist near you or ask your local to order it in for you. We’ll have them for sale here at gourmate.co.nz in the new year.
So, say see ya later to products with questionable ingredients and say kia ora to Gourmate. As always, drop us a note with any questions!
]]>Not your average dog treat, Gourmate’s bright crackers are stylish enough to adorn your table or tree (so long as they’re out of reach).
Each cracker is filled with our much loved New Zealand made natural dog treats and a doggy joke. Because they are specially designed for canines there is no loud popper.
Made with restaurant quality meat and seafood freeze-dried to human food grade standards, Gourmate’s single ingredient treats would not be out of place at a Kiwi Christmas lunch.
In 2023 crackers are available in Angus Beef Liver and South Pacific Hoki - a surf n' turf combo perfect for a down under Christmas!
We know that these crackers look good enough to eat, but please make sure your guests know that they are not for human consumption - sorry.
Gourmate Christmas crackers for dogs will be available in store and online from your favourite Gourmate retailers from early November.
We are not selling crackers directly from www.gourmate.co.nz in 2023 - we'd love to see you supporting local businesses this year.
Find your local stockist here.
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Here at Gourmate Pet Treat Co., we're a bit obsessed with the quality of food we provide for our pets. When I started hearing about ultra-processed foods in the context of humans, I wanted to learn more about what this means for our pets too.
The term ultra-processed food (aka UPFs) originated from the NOVA food classification system, which ranks foods from one (unprocessed/raw foods) to four (ultra-processed). UPFs are similar in both pet and human foods - formulations made with numerous industrial processes, involving high heat, additives, preservatives, and flavour enhancers.
Check out some ingredients next time you're in the pet store; if you don't recognise some words, then you're likely looking at highly processed food.
While UPFs can make foods cheap and convenient, there is an increasing concern that they pose health risks to pets, much like in humans. Diets rich in processed ingredients may lead to obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses.
One of the most concerning processes in pet foods is the use of gamma radiation, which is linked to kidney damage. Some New Zealand vets have advised against feeding jerky treats made overseas because of this risk.
Under pet food manufacturing standards there is no limit to irradiation treatment, which is just another reason that we maintain human food-grade standards here at Gourmate.
You know that we love the freeze dryer here at Gourmate HQ, and while it is an industrial process, it mimics a natural process.
Freeze-drying is a unique method that preserves food by removing moisture through sublimation, keeping it close to its natural state without any kind of added preservative. While it's not explicitly mentioned in the NOVA system, freeze-dried pet treats likely fall into categories one or two due to their nutrient-rich, additive-free nature.
The beauty of freeze-dried food and treats is that they offer the convenience of kibble with the nutritional benefits of raw or whole foods and no added nasties.
Freeze-dried whole proteins are a healthy and natural addition to your dog or cat’s diet, and the super-concentrated taste makes for high-reward training treats too - no UPFs in sight.
]]>We are also Aotearoa's first pet business to receive this global accreditation for responsible and ethical business.
To become a B Corp is a long (looong) and rigorous process that looks at the organisation's social and environmental impact, accountability, and transparency.
We had to investigate, check, and prove everything from our Mussel's organic status to how much our contractors pay themselves (to ensure they receive a living wage).
We are very proud to have achieved this milestone and joined the ranks of some of our favourite Kiwi B Corps such as Ethique and Allbirds, as well as amazing global pet businesses like West Paw.
For us (Co-founders Laura and Steph) B Corp certification is recognition of our commitment to the welfare of people, the planet, and our pets.
Since Gourmate's launch in 2020 our focus has been on making dog treats from locally and fairly sourced ingredients to the highest standard possible - human food grade standard.
As pet parents ourselves we want to feed our pets the kind of food we like to eat - natural, healthy and honest. Our treats are made from restaurant-grade meat and seafood that looks and smells like real food - because it is!
We donate a portion of our annual profit to local animal welfare charities through Gourmate Giving and are advocates for better standards within New Zealand's companion animal sector.
As a women owned and run pet business we are also not afraid to call ourselves feminists!
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To gain B Corp Certification a business must score at least 80 points out of 200 across a range of categories that identify high social and environmental performance.
The median score for companies that complete the assessment tool is 51. Gourmate Pet Treat's B Corp assessment score is 88.9.
The last thing we'd like to say here is that we know that our business is not perfect, and the great thing about the B Corp framework is that it provides guidance on how to continue to improve.
Gourmate has always been a values-driven business that strives to provide better treat options for pet parents, and that's what we'll continue to do.
B Corp certification is a great way to prove that we really are walking the talk when it comes to better business. And we know the dogs of the world love a walk.
On 15 January 2022 the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean experienced a huge volcanic eruption and tsunami. The tsunami caused widespread damage and ash covered the Islands, it was one of the largest eruptions in decades.
The amazing charity South Pacific Animal Welfare (SPAW) was already active in Tonga, and they quickly got to work assessing what was needed to support the people and their animals.
SPAW's goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of South Pacific Island animals through the provision of quality veterinary care, education and rewarding volunteer experiences.
A SPAW Clinic in Tonga before the eruption
A large part of what SPAW does is basic care not otherwise available to pets and homeless animals - desexing, vaccinations, parasite control, and health checks as well as treating ailments.
Four months on, SPAW's Tongan Tsunami Relief fundraiser has allowed the team to continue this essential work despite difficult conditions.
SPAW's focus for 2022 has been on providing much needed medical supplies to Tonga - equipment and medicine for wound management, first aid, disease prevention, orphan fostering, pain relief and parasite care.
Essential supplies like flea and worm treatment are distributed in Tonga
When it came time to chose a charitable cause for Gourmate Giving, we felt very fortunate to be able to connect with the SPAW team including founder Karen Schade.
When we spoke with Karen it became clear that what SPAW needed at the moment was cold hard cash - and we were happy to help.
In addition to an initial donation, we created the Tongan Tsunami Relief Gift Pack for the month of April, with 100% of proceeds going to SPAW.
The Gourmate Giving Tongan Tsunami Relief Pack
At Gourmate HQ we were so pleased that so many SPAW and Gourmate supporters got behind this special Gift Pack.
The team at SPAW tell us that there's plenty of work to be done to support animals across the Tongan Archipelago, with ongoing challenges due to the natural disasters and impacts of COVID-19.
We are glad that we have been able to assist in a small way, and we look forward to following the great work of South Pacific Animal Welfare in not just Tonga but throughout our neighbouring nations.
Karen and the team do an amazing job with very limited resources. If you'd like to learn more about South Pacific Animal Welfare or donate yourself, you can do so at spaw.org.nz.
You can also learn more about Gourmate Giving and Our Values.
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In mid-2021 we started a big packaging review. We knew we were going to need to order more packaging soon, including for our new Salmon treat.
If you just want the facts, jump to our Recycling Guide.
At Gourmate we need packaging that does a few things - firstly, it must provide a good barrier against moisture and air, because these are the two things that can spoil freeze dried meat over time. It must also be tough enough to protect our treats during their lifetime - from the packing process, to getting shipped around the world, to being in stores and ultimately handled by dog parents of the world.
Another requirement for our packaging is that it has a resealable zip for freshness and to keep the rich and delicious seafood aroma in the pouch. We know our treats smell amazing, but not everyone wants their car, bag, or living room to smell like Hoki fresh from the Pacific Ocean.
You may know that we had previously used compostable packaging, and one of the reasons we had to make a change was that it wasn’t as reliable during shipping and handling, especially as we grew as a company and needed to export further away and under different situations (for example, we need packaging that is guaranteed to hold up if it got stuck on a container ship in a hot climate).
We were also learning more and more about how little compostable packaging actually ends up in the compost, and that it mucks up recycling schemes, most commercial composting operations don’t like it, and it releases about the same amount of greenhouse gases as plastic if it ends up in landfill.
In short, because recycling is more accessible than composting, it’s what consultants and jurisdictions recommend for a circular economy.
After talking to experts on four continents, doing a huge amount of our own research into packaging materials, and learning about packaging lifecycles around the world, we landed on getting a recyclable pouch made of layered plastic.
To get technical, our packaging is made of PET12/PA15/PE90 This means there are three layers of material: 12 microns of polyethylene terephthalate (polyester), 15 microns of polyamide (nylon), and 90 microns of polyethylene. It's made of 70% PE, which is important for recyclability.
We did try some unique packs that were 96% PE (the more homogenous the material, the easier it is to recycle) but it was really stretchy and impractical.
We also looked into bio-plastics, but it's still a new technology and we weren't happy with the information available to a small business like us.
In New Zealand and Australia our packaging fits the criteria for local flexible plastic recycling programs (that's the minimum 70% polyethelene thing).
The different programs for flexible food packaging recycling around the world can get pretty complicated, but we've tried to map it out for you.
Visit our Recycling Guide for more information about flexible plastic recycling in your area. If we need to update our info or add a location please drop us a note.
We will keep following innovations in both packaging and recycling management so that Gourmate can continue to improve. We know there’s lots of work being done to create a more sustainable future and we want to be a part of it.
There's a bit of info on our website about our values, how we like to do things differently, and how we give back to the community. Take a look around and please let us know what you think.
Ngā mihi
Laura & Steph
Gourmate is owned and run by two women who are not afraid of the word feminist.
Here are some words inspired by the IWD2021 United Nation theme “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.
]]>Laura and I (Steph) put together some words for social media today, 8 March 2021. Because our values are so central to what we do at Gourmate HQ, we wanted to add a little more detail here.
Gourmate is owned and run by two women who are not afraid of the word feminist.
Laura, in addition to being a pet treat entrepreneur (and Mum!), is a midwife and educator, and I wrote my masters on gender and media.
Since joining the pet industry we've met and worked with so many amazing women too - not to mention the many, many women customers who run their households and put so much love and care into feeding their pets.
This year's United Nations theme for #internationalwomensday is "gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow".
"Women bear a disproportionate burden of the impacts of the climate crisis, and they need to be central to the solutions for a sustainable planet"
- news.un.org
At Gourmate our social and environmental values are central to decision making, and intersectional feminism definitely has a role here.
To me, intersectionality* means that as a feminist I can't ignore the discrimination and oppression of people even if they have different experiences to my own. Today, of course, we reflect on the many women in the world suffering due to the climate crisis.
Laura and I appreciate what Aotearoa New Zealand provides us with in terms of natural resources and social opportunities, and do our best to make better choices in these realms.
For customers looking to source the most sustainable treats for their pets, our Organic Green Lipped Mussels and Grass Fed Beef Liver treats are about as good as you can get. Green Lipped Mussels are believed to be one of the most environmentally friendly animal proteins in the world as they actually clean the water they are grown in!
You can read more about our values here. Honestly, it can be a challenge to balance business and ethics, especially when you're in the business of feeding carnivores and omnivores, but we are proud of what we can offer pet parents.
Okay, so that went on a bit of a tangent, but today's International Women's Day theme is all about recognising the intersectionality of climate change and gender equality.
We love being a woman-owned and run New Zealand small business, and (as much as I think gender norms are totally overrated) I do think that our personal experiences as women have shaped Gourmate.
Laura and I lived and worked together in the UK when we were eighteen (still children!) and I know this has benefitted our working relationship due to the friendship, trust and understanding we forged at this time.
So while we might post a colourful image and some hashtags today, we hope that our values are always present.
Days of recognition are an opportunity to do more listening than speaking, so we'll both be doing some reading and reflecting and posting links we like over on social media.
Questions about Laura, myself, and our products are always welcome, you can contact Gourmate Pet Treat Co. here.
*(Intersectionality is an important concept I can't summarise here - it's worth googling!).
If you made it this far, thanks for reading.
Ngā mihi
Steph
]]>The Green Lipped Mussel, Perna canaliculus, was first known as Kuku (in te reo Maori) and is also sold under the trademarked name Greenshell Mussel. It doesn’t grow anywhere else in the world except the waters around New Zealand.
Green Lipped Mussels can be distinguished from other mussels by the green colouration of the shell near the lip, which gives the mussel its name.
Green Lipped Mussels continue to be a popular food for New Zealanders and are exported as a food and in health supplements (for humans).
As filter feeders Mussels have a low impact on their environment and are considered one of the most sustainable animal proteins in the world.
Because Mussels are filter feeders they’re always taking in the water around them and everything that’s in that water - which is why we love to give our dog Organic mussels from the clean waters of Stewart Island.
Short answer - They are a natural joint support
Tall answer - People around the world swear by Green Lipped Mussels as an anti-inflammatory superfood that noticeably supports the reduction of joint pain, whether in themselves or their dog or cat.
Since the 1970’s researchers have been investigating how and why these special Mussels from New Zealand seem to do so much for arthritis and joint pain - and to be honest, they still don’t exactly know.
What many vets, nutritionists, and researchers think is that the Green Lipped Mussel’s natural combination of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, chondroitin, glucosamine, plus super-important omega-3 encouraging phospholipids, come together to inhibit inflammation and support joint conditioning.
Green Lipped Mussels are of course valuable for older dogs showing stiffness and pain in their shoulders, hips and knees, but can be taken by dogs of all ages to support the maintenance of healthy joints.
In more recent times laboratories have been looking into how Green Lipped Mussels may support other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as in the gut and bowel.
On top of joint support, all the good stuff in a Green Lipped Mussel will also support your dog's eyes, coat and skin, cardiovascular health and immunity.
One last thing: Green Lipped Mussels have no known side effects. They can be treated like a food - a food with extra awesomeness.
Mussels don’t have any of the nasty stuff associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and it’s generally accepted that Mussels can be given as a dietary supplement alongside NSAIDs (but of course consult your vet if you have any questions).
1. Go freeze dried or go home
Let me blunt - if you’re buying Green Lipped Mussels that have been air dried, gently dried, slowly dried, lowly dried, or cooked in any way - you are not getting the full benefits of the mussels and you’re probably getting ripped off too.
We know that cooking can reduce key nutrients and bioactive components in food, and mussels are susceptible to this.
Freeze drying works because it preserves the mussel without heating, keeping it as close to raw as possible. All the research on the benefits of Green Lipped Mussels focuses on freeze dried mussels.
2. Ensure you're getting the good oil
"Defatted" mussel meat or powder has had the oil removed. The lipids (oil) is where much of the good stuff we listed above is found - so you want it!
There's no requirement to identify if a mussel has had it's oil removed... but if you see mussels for sale that are significantly cheaper than everyone else's, maybe ask yourself why.
Right: A customer posted this photo of a Gourmate mussel (the larger of the two of course) next to another brand's Green Lipped Mussel!
3. Shell no
Some manufacturers of mussel powders add ground up shell and try to make it sound like it helps in some way. There’s no evidence for this. There is evidence that it saves the manufacturer money.
Whole Mussels and Green Lipped Mussel Powder are usually the same thing (look at the ingredients - you want 100% Green Lipped Mussel) so it’s up to you how you give it to your dog. Just don’t shell out for shells.
Aha, excellent. Laura’s got a blog on this coming up.
@roo.of.a.kind and our mussels needed no introduction (via instagram)
Some dogs do find Green Lipped Mussels a strange taste and texture in their first couple of experiences with the shellfish - but it’s worth trying to win them over as it is such an amazing treat.
In the meantime you can send us a message here or check us out on instagram for my easy tips for getting your dog to enjoy this super seafood.
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We have sourced the best New Zealand Hoki fillets from our human food grade seafood suppliers, sliced it into fishy delishy sticks, and freeze dried it. That's it. Look at the photos - yum!
It's definitely the Catch of the Day - New Zealand's favourite sweet, flaky, healthy fish is hitting shores from June 2021!
Fishy, tasty, omega-3 packed treats for your dog (and maybe even your very fussy cat!).
And we've kept the skin on, because that's one of the best parts! Super healthy and delicious.
Of course it's sourced from the deep Pacific Ocean around New Zealand and is 100% New Zealand made.
As you probably know, because you're here, at Gourmate Pet Treat Co. website we are big fans of seafood for dogs. One of the reasons is because Hoki is a great source of polyunsaturated omega-3 long-chain fatty acids.
Omega 3s are essential for heath and a great addition to a dogs diet. They can support the body's anti-inflammatory defences which makes them great for skin, joints and healing, as well as heart and eye health.
Another reason we love seafood is that it's low in fat and high in protein (well, it is when you don't batter it and deep fry it!) which makes it an excellent meal addition or healthy dog treat.
We make the kind of food we want to feed our fur babies - natural, healthy, and delicious. Dexter's treato eyes tell me we've nailed this one:
Gourmate Pet Treat Co. South Pacific Hoki will be available instore and online week commencing Monday 21st June 2021.
Check us out on social media to stay up to date.
]]>Being a socially responsible business underpins what we do - from more sustainable packaging to support of human rights.
It’s a given that here at Gourmate Pet Treat Co. we love dogs, and are passionate about all dogs having the best life humanly possible.
We wanted to give back to the animal community, ensuring that any success our business achieves is shared with animal charities and not-for-profit organisations - but where to start with so many worthy causes up and down Aotearoa?
So, we decided to launch Gourmate Giving. A commitment to share our support across worthy New Zealand animal causes. This way we get to share the love and support not-for-profits that are important to our customers.
This spring we are stoked to be supporting New Zealand Chihuahua Rescue! Whoof whoof!
After following their cute-as-a-button facebook page for some time, we saw their request for donations for their raffle at the upcoming Pet & Animal Expo. Their wittle faces are hard to say no to, and so of course we also wanted to make them the recipients of our first round of Gourmate Giving!
Based in Christchurch, New Zealand Chihuahua Rescue (NZCR) is a registered charity that takes in Chihuahuas, Chihuahua-crossbreeds and various other small or toy breed dogs (usually under 5kg) from all around the country.
Chihuahuas and other toy breeds benefit from this small tight-knit team that have specialised knowledge of the breed and their care. Sadly these types of dogs seem to disproportionately suffer from backyard breeders and the puppy mill system.
The Rescue has a passionate and experienced team consisting of three Trustees, volunteers to assist with fundraising and events, a network of foster carers and dedicated veterinary staff who all volunteer or donate their time.
Aside from rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming, NZCR's aims also include educating the public about Chihuahuas with the aim of reducing re-homing, and their website has heeeeaps of helpful info under Breed Information.
With armfulls of success stories and regular social media heartbreakers, it’s obvious that this organisation is doing big things for small dogs.
Gourmate Pet Treat Co. is committed to supporting New Zealand Chihuahua Rescue for the entirety of spring 2020.
In addition to financial support, we have donated a swag of our human food grade gourmet treats for the Rescue’s raffle at the Pet & Animal Expo in Christchurch (19th & 20th September 2020 - check it out and buy heaps of raffle tickets!) and will be showcasing their fantastic work and lucky pups across our social media platforms.
Funds donated to the Trust are spent directly on dogs in the care of the Trust. If you can’t support the Trust financially you can still give them love on social media (which helps their message go further), learn more about toy breed dogs on their website, and share their story with any friends or family interested in dogs.
W: www.nzchihuahiarescue.co.nz
F: www.facebook.com/NZChihuahuaRescue
I: https://www.instagram.com/nzchihuahuarescue/
Thanks for reading, nga mihi niu,
Laura & Steph
If you have an organisation you’d like us to nominate for Gourmate Giving please let us know!
Jake was a retired police dog in his senior years. Dave and Jake were truly best friends so I was fortunate to be welcomed into the pack.
]]>When I first met my husband Dave he had his family dog, Jake. Jake was a retired police dog in his senior years. Dave and Jake were truly best friends so I was fortunate to be welcomed into the pack.
Like many larger breeds, German shepherds are prone to hip and back problems. Jake had already gone through back surgery to improve his mobility and was on regular anti-inflammatories, but these often gave him gastric issues. It was heartbreaking to witness the steady deterioration of Jake’s hind legs.
In 2006 my step father Joe, a fisherman from Stewart Island, got involved in the green lipped mussel industry and put us on to (human) products to settle inflammation and improve joint health. Dave and I jumped at the opportunity to supplement Jake with something natural and gentle on his gut. The improvement was incredible, we genuinely couldn’t believe how much more comfortable and bouncy he was.
Jake also loved the taste - so much so that one day while home alone he broke into the laundry, opened the sealed bucket and ate about 10L of mussel powder! Jake was fine, but we don’t endorse bingeing for humans or animals.
Fast forward the next decade, and we are now the proud fur parents to Archie and Margot, a pair of weimaraners. As puppies and through their training we went back to green lipped mussels as treats and training driver (Thanks Joe!).
We found that whole, freeze-dried mussels provide great motivation as they have a strong aroma and are super tasty (judging from the drool). Five years down the track our two dogs, who are not particularly food driven, will still do anything for a mussel.
The added bonus of using mussels as treats was that the dogs were getting something healthy and good for them (a so-called “functional treat”) along the way.
As we learnt with Jake, green-lipped mussels provide high amounts of omega 3 supporting joint health, ocular health, skin and coat.
With Archie and Margot also being big dogs it’s important to us to look after their joints early.
In 2017 we bred our first litter from Archie and Margot. Again, we used the mussels to help train the puppies before heading to their forever homes. We sent the puppies to their new families with about 500 grams of mussels each to continue their training.
We had so much positive feedback and enquiries about how to buy more that we decided to start a small cottage industry business and sell them on our kennel website.
Steph joined me in the mussel side hustle and here we are today with Gourmate Pet Treat Co. - a real business that would not be here without Jake, Margot, Archie, and the puppies.