Brighton.dog had the good fortune to meet the jovial founders of W'ZIS in The Hampton several years ago and they tested the soon-to-be-launched vegan dog treat sensation on the official brighton.dog dog, who woofed them down.
We thought we'd get back in touch to see how they've been doing since!
It's no surprise that a doggy treat made in Brighton is vegan! How have you made plant-based treats so attractive to dogs â what's your secret?
There is no secret! Tried and tested ingredients we know dogs like. Getting the smell right and trialling on dogs. Most dogs love raw carrots, sweet potatoes and even tomatoes.
Wolves are carnivores, and dogs have evolved to be omnivores. If they like plants, let them eat plants. There is plenty of goodness to be had.
You have your sights set on worldwide dog-treat domination, but how important has it been being based in Brighton?
Itâs our home town, but it has been the perfect location. Brighton is the UK's dog capital. We have more dogs per household in Brighton than in any other town or city.
Brighton is the UK's dog capital. We have more dogs per household in Brighton than in any other town or city.
Brighton is also small and densely populated, perfect for distributing and getting the word out.
Most importantly, weâre an open-minded receptive lot, just what you need when you introduce something different.
You're based in New England Street, but where can the dogs of Brighton try your treats?
You can buy us online at www.wzis.dog and over 30 locations across the city.
Weâre in pubs and gift shops, pet shops and groomers. Youâll find us in cafĂ©s, a plant shop, and even a barber.
Our concept was to design a dog treat for non-pet retail environments, we love the idea of going to your favourite pub or cafĂ© with your dog and having the opportunity to purchase WâZIS alongside your latte.
Where's your favourite place to take your dog in Brighton?
We like to mix it up. For walks, we love Hollingbury Hill Fort and down into Wild Park, Stanmer Woods and Preston Park. And weâre big fans of The Jolly Brewer, although they donât stock our treats yet.
There are so many great dog-friendly pubs in Brighton I could spend the whole morning on the subject!
Great to see W'ZIS become such a success since we met! How has the journey been, from concept to mass production?!
Mostly positive and upwards! It has been a huge learning curve for us, and we made plenty of mistakes. The mistakes have been invaluable.
We learnt to make decisions quickly but not to be overly reactive to everything we hear.
Understanding and prioritising whatâs most important and focussing on those decisions. Itâs not that we didnât know this already, but itâs revealing how quickly you get swept up when your attention is required in a hundred different places.
Huge thanks to W'ZIS for taking the time to answer our questions, and we hope you spread your treats to lucky dogs worldwide!
You can see our page for W'ZIS or check out their website at www.wzis.dog