ZIWI
{{Infobox company
| name = ZIWI
| type = Subsidiary
| founder = 2002
| hq_location = Awatoto, New Zealand
| area_served = Worldwide
| products = Premium pet food
| owner = FountainVest Partners
| website = {{url|https://ziwipets.com/}}
}}
ZIWI Limited, marketed as ZIWI Pets, is a ultra-premium pet food brand from New Zealand.
Owned by FountainVest Partners, ZIWI is New Zealand's largest pet food exporter, representing over 50 percent of all pet food exports across 35 markets including the USA, China, Korea, Japan, Australia and Europe.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-05 |title=ZIWI remains top manufacturer/exporter with new facilities and innovations |url=https://www.waterfordpress.co.nz/ziwi-remains-top-manufacturer-exporter-with-new-facilities-and-innovations/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Waterford Press |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |last=Team |first=Exporter Today Editorial |date=2024-08-01 |title=ZIWI crowned Hawke's Bay ASB Exporter of the Year 2024 |url=https://exportertoday.co.nz/awards/ziwi-crowned-hawkes-bay-asb-exporter-of-the-year-2024 |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Exporter Today |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2024-10-16 |title='Global success story': Pet food giant Ziwi crowned Hawke's Bay Exporter of The Year |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/pet-food-giant-ziwi-crowned-hawkes-bay-asb-exporter-of-the-year/6QZVTGXTENDWFP7PDMMQ4ATI6Y/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}
The "alternative to raw" pet food is made with ethically sourced New Zealand ingredients, guided by New Zealand's Freedom Principles, that include grass-fed beef, lamb and venison, free-range chicken and sustainably sourced seafood.{{Cite web |title=Farms, Farmers, And Fisheries {{!}} ZIWI® |url=https://ziwipets.com/pages/farms-farmers-and-fisheries |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=ZIWI® Global |language=en}} To preserve raw nutrition within its range of dry products, ZIWI pioneered Z-TWINTECH, the world's first gentle air-drying technology.{{Cite web |title=Discover Z-TWINTECH Air-Dried Technology: Ziwi's Innovative & Nutritious Pet Food Solution |url=https://www.peekapaw.com.au/blogs/news/discover-z-twintech-air-dried-technology-ziwis-innovative-and-nutritious-pet-food-solution?srsltid=AfmBOoo-JmcZ_p7hNOQSF92EdCjUh7jxAK-n6mh6Ru_lro1w7R9TlXTL |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=PeekAPaw Pet Supplies |language=en}} Z-MicroSteam is its latest innovation, producing a lighter texture, while freeze-dried processes are also used.{{Cite web |title=The cutting-edge process behind ZIWI's new Steam & Dried pet food {{!}} Pet Food Processing |url=https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/18145-the-cutting-edge-process-behind-ziwis-new-steam-and-dried-pet-food |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=www.petfoodprocessing.net |language=en}}
ZIWI manufactures in Awatoto, Hawke's Bay, a region famous for export quality agriculture and produce.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-16 |title=New $70m pet food factory coming to Napier, 125 new jobs once complete |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/new-ziwi-pet-food-factory-coming-to-napier-125-new-jobs-once-complete/HSV5CBFCXCUHNIUSE762CLCNMM/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-19 |title=Hawke's Bay / Te Matau-a-Māui |url=https://www.growregions.govt.nz/regions/in-your-region/hawkes-bay |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Grow Regions |language=en}} The brand new, USD 52 million (NZD 85 million) 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility is home to the ZIWI's Super Kitchen, cannery and trademarked technology.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-16 |title='Extensive rebuild' begins at $85m super-kitchen in Awatoto, months after opening |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/extensive-rebuild-awatotos-new-85m-super-kitchen-had-just-opened-prior-to-floods/KMEIGRRUP5BB7HAHIL7DGWKS5E/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web |date=2022-02-21 |title='Largest in New Zealand': $85m pet food super kitchen nearly complete in Awatoto |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/napier-85m-super-kitchen-for-pet-food-nearly-complete-at-awatoto/HSOMNPY6YZH7UME7HCMB7Y7CGQ/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} ZIWI has support operations and offices across New Zealand in Christchurch, Tauranga and Auckland, with global offices in Overland Park, Kansas and Shanghai.{{Cite web |title=Locations |url=https://careers.ziwipets.com/locations |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=ZIWI |language=en-GB}}
History
ZIWI was founded in Mount Manganui, Tauranga, New Zealand in 2002.{{Cite web |last=Polyn |first=Glenn |date=2017-05-02 |title=Ziwi Unleashed: New Look is Just the Beginning |url=https://www.petage.com/ziwi-unleashed-lew-look-is-just-the-beginning/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=www.petage.com |language=en-US}} It derived its name from a combination of "Kiwi," a common nickname for New Zealanders, and "Peak," symbolizing top-tier nutrition and referencing its Mount Maunganui origins.
Founded in New Zealand by Peter and Kimberley Mitchell, Peter Mitchell launched into a pet food venture after decades of working in the New Zealand meat industry. The entrepreneurs aimed to combine the nutrition of a raw, carnivorous diet with the convenience of ready-to-serve food. Their recipes featured highly digestible meat, organs, fish, green mussels, and bone, free from fillers and artificial binders.
After two years of research and development, ZIWI Peak® was born, manufactured from its original Mount Manganui, Tauranga site in 2004.{{Cite web |title=Our story and ethics {{!}} ZIWI® |url=https://ziwipets.com/pages/our-story-and-ethics |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=ZIWI® Global |language=en}}
ZIWI's ambition was to export 98% of its production and by 2007, was selling to the United States, establishing a US office by 2010. By 2011, ZIWI was exporting to 15 countries, entering China by 2016.{{Cite web |title=Food firms hungry for place at China's big table {{!}} investinchina.chinadaily.com.cn |url=https://investinchina.chinadaily.com.cn/s/202311/03/WS65448e02498ed2d7b7e9f197/food-firms-hungry-for-place-at-chinas-big-table.html |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=investinchina.chinadaily.com.cn}}{{Cite web |date=2010-10-12 |title=Being different pays dividends |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/economy/being-different-pays-dividends/ZWCH3UIUFNNKAZ4FQHTCORTJBM/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}
In 2020, ZIWI announced it would relocate manufacturing from Tauranga to a state-of-the-art site in Awatoto, Hawke's Bay.{{Cite web |title=New Zealand pet food brand to break ground on new $70 million facility in August {{!}} 2020-07-08 {{!}} Pet Food Processing |url=https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/13964-new-zealand-pet-food-brand-to-break-ground-on-new-70-million-facility-in-august |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=www.petfoodprocessing.net |language=en}}
In 2021, ZIWI was acquired by private equity firm, FountainVest Partners.{{Cite web |last=Coyne |first=Andy |date=2021-09-23 |title=NZ pet-food company Ziwi acquired by Hong Kong PE firm FountainVest |url=https://www.just-food.com/news/nz-pet-food-company-ziwi-acquired-by-hong-kong-pe-firm-fountainvest/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=Just Food |language=en-US}} At the time, Bloomberg reported the deal to be worth $1.5 billion and came as part of increased investor interest in the premium pet food sector.{{Cite web |title=Pet food is a 'hot' sector that's attracting investment |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/126454872/pet-food-is-a-hot-sector-thats-attracting-investment |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}} By this time, it was reported to export to more than 30 markets.
In 2022, ZIWI acquired Freeze Dried Foods NZ.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-07 |title=ZIWI Peak pet food maker buys freeze-dry company |url=https://www.petfoodindustry.com/pet-food-market/article/15469117/ziwi-peak-pet-food-maker-buys-freeze-dry-company |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=PetfoodIndustry |language=en-us}} In August of the same year, ZIWI opened the doors of its new Awatoto, Hawke's Bay Super Kitchen,{{Cite web |date=2024-10-17 |title=New $70m pet food factory coming to Napier, 125 new jobs once complete |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/new-ziwi-pet-food-factory-coming-to-napier-125-new-jobs-once-complete/HSV5CBFCXCUHNIUSE762CLCNMM/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} only to be hit by the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-17 |title='Extensive rebuild' begins at $85m super-kitchen in Awatoto, months after opening |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/extensive-rebuild-awatotos-new-85m-super-kitchen-had-just-opened-prior-to-floods/KMEIGRRUP5BB7HAHIL7DGWKS5E/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} Within five months, ZIWI's operations had recovered.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-17 |title=$100m pet-food factory reopens after floods |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/napiers-100m-pet-food-factory-reopens-after-floods-pushes-lofty-goal/BB23HD43GBH4FPKC35JGEWVHJM/#:~:text=Ziwi's%20$100%20million%20mega%20pet,food%20facility%20in%20the%20country. |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}
Today, ZIWI continues to expand its Awatoto site and today exports to 35 countries across the globe.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-17 |title='Global success story': Pet food giant Ziwi crowned Hawke's Bay Exporter of The Year |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/pet-food-giant-ziwi-crowned-hawkes-bay-asb-exporter-of-the-year/6QZVTGXTENDWFP7PDMMQ4ATI6Y/ |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}}