National distribution deal for new petfood brand

Petfood brand WildHQ has secured national distribution with Fresh Choice supermarkets only one month after launching at the Nelson Saturday market.

The new brand is the brainchild of friends Blair Chapman and Pete Kinane who combined their backgrounds as a commercial helicopter operator and police dog trainer to launch their new WildHQ venture.

“When COVID-19 reared its ugly head and the world went into lockdown and tourism ground to a halt, Pete and I were chewing the fat over the phone and got talking about our dogs,” says Blair. “We have five dogs between us and we were talking about how much we missed being out in the bush. And then our wild idea was born.”

“We went from chatting about the quality of ‘premium’ pet food to how wild game populations are damaging our native flora and fauna,” says Pete. “We thought, how can we reduce the environmental impact of wild game and give our pets a good feed while we’re at it? And just like that, WildHQ was born.”

WildHQ produces a range of pet food and pet treats for dogs, with products for cats coming soon. WildHQ uses the finest raw wild game and the freshest New Zealand-grown produce plus essential vitamins and minerals to deliver complete and balanced recipes that meet and exceed global AAFCO standards.

“We want people to know exactly what they are feeding their pets,” says Blair. “Our labels are clear and honest and we’ve worked with leading animal nutritionists to create the best whole-prey recipes and so that we can truly demonstrate how premium our products are.”

As well as at Fresh Choice supermarkets, WildHQ can be found at the Nelson Saturday Market, the Sunday Motueka Market and is on sale at the WildHQ factory shop at 3 Kotua Place, Stoke (near Animates). It’s also available online at www.wildhq.nz with Blair and Pete currently offering free delivery for customers in the area from Atawhai to Hope to Mapua to Motueka. 

Customer feedback has been universally positive says Pete, which makes all the hard work worthwhile. “The bottom line is, we love our animals and we know how much other people love their animals. People who’ve fed WildHQ to their pets tell us that their dogs are going wild for it. That’s just the best feeling ever.”