It’s Our Business to Keep Cats Purring
Chef is an iconic New Zealand brand that has spent over 45 years developing great cat food with a commitment to excellence and expert nutrition. Our top-notch pouches and cans have been keeping cats happy for 45 years. It's all made right here from local meat, so it's no wonder we're New Zealand's most popular brand of wet cat food, meow!
It Began in Gisborne
Although Chef pet food was launched over 40 years ago, Wattie’s had actually been developing pet foods at Gisborne since 1955.
The First Product
Wattie’s first produced Chef pet food in 1969 offering a single product, Chef Jellimeat, for both dogs and cats.
Like Cat & Dog
In 1985, Wattie’s took a massive risk by withdrawing from market the grocery industry’s biggest-selling product at the time, Chef Jellimeat, replacing it with Chef for Cats, with three varieties, and Champ for Dogs, also with three great varieties. At the same time, the business was renamed ‘Best Friend Pet Food’.
Commitment
The move represented Wattie’s commitment to creating a market-leading range of products designed specifically for the different nutritional needs of cats and dogs, using rigorous, globally recognised feline and canine nutrition criteria. A commitment to excellence and expert nutrition, upheld to this today.
Cats Prefer Chef
Chef was also the first to bring NZ cats the delights of casserole-style meals. For decades the brand was also recognised for its signature song, ‘Cats Prefer Chef... Meow!’ which lingers on in the memory of Kiwis who grew up with the iconic New Zealand brand. Today Chef continues to make cats purr with satisfaction, and still enjoys being the market-leading Ambient Catfood... Meow!