Two New Zealand brothers have turned a personal commitment to canine health into an expanding business with international ambitions. Dog Years, co-founded by Gus Silvester, offers a joint supplement designed to support dogs’ mobility and overall wellbeing using distinctly New Zealand ingredients.
The company’s origin stems from the brothers’ experience with their own dog, Mac, who lived nearly 17 years but began experiencing mobility problems around age 9. Rather than relying on conventional pain treatments that address symptoms rather than causes, they formulated a supplement aimed at filling nutrient gaps related to aging. The product combines deer velvet, green-lipped mussels, and grass-fed venison liver, all sourced from New Zealand. Deer velvet, harvested from annually regrowing antlers rich in nutrients, and green-lipped mussels, valued for their omega-3 fatty acids unique to New Zealand waters, form the core of the formula, while venison liver adds both flavor and nutritional density.
Operating with a commitment to maintaining New Zealand-made quality, Dog Years uses a third-party manufacturer in Canterbury and insists on sourcing all raw materials locally. Gus Silvester emphasized the importance of preserving the product’s integrity, ruling out manufacturing outside New Zealand, including in key export markets such as Australia and the United States, unless it aligns with the company’s standards and values.
Since launching, Dog Years has established a stable market presence within New Zealand and expanded into Australia in August last year. However, penetrating the Australian market has proved challenging, partly due to consumer preference for domestic products. Beyond Australia, the company’s products are available in Taiwan, a smaller but steady niche market where distribution was enabled through personal contacts. Additionally, Dog Years is supplying a different product via a distributor in Korea, a partnership initiated at a Florida trade event, with plans to introduce their core supplement later as operational systems are optimized.
Looking ahead, Gus Silvester identifies the United States as a major growth opportunity, citing its dog population as being roughly 60 times larger than New Zealand’s. Yet, the company is proceeding cautiously to ensure infrastructure and business processes are robust enough to support such expansion.
In terms of future production, the company is considering acquiring its own manufacturing facility or forming a strategic partnership to strengthen local production capabilities. While exploring product diversification remains a possibility, the founders remain focused on their existing supplement, adopting a measured approach to growth.
Silvester advises aspiring entrepreneurs to prioritize delivering genuine value and building trust with customers. He highlights the advantage of leveraging New Zealand’s unique natural resources, asserting that products rooted in the country’s distinct offerings can compete effectively in global markets. The Dog Years story illustrates how innovation founded on local strengths can translate into promising opportunities on an international stage.