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We’re based in New Zealand, and have been distilling our wonderful, beneficial and powerful organic Mānuka oil for more than 25 years in The Coromandel, an unspoilt, stunning area of NZ. My father first bought Moewai Farm in Whitianga in 1983, when it was it was operating as a sheep and cattle farm. It was hard work and the farm wasn’t able to sustain this kind of intense use of the land.

The ground was eroding, and cricket infestations were a common occurrence. So, after about eight years, my father decided to make a change, preserving the farmland while still being able to make a living from it. That is where an idea sparked to distil Mānuka and Kānuka oils – the plants were already growing wild across the farm and spread quickly.

My father was no stranger to farms, having previously owned a farm in regional New South Wales, Australia. It was here that his passion for organic farming processes ignited. This continued in New Zealand, ensuring he avoided sprays and pesticides whenever he could.

Back then, many of the locals thought his organic farming practices were unusual, but he had always felt passionately about the use of pesticides and the impact on human health as they entered the food chain, so stuck to his guns, and so have we.

My father had always known a bit about Mānuka and Kanuka Oil (commonly known as New Zealand Tea Tree Oil) as it had long been used by the Māori people to help with common ailments. Despite extensive research to see what might be done with the hundreds of acres of this plant growing across our land, which is commonly considered a weed, he needed help.

He turned to two experts, Professor Merz and Professor Haskell, both of whom would later become good friends, who also helped build a basic and rustic distillation system to extract the Mānuka and Kānuka Oils from the plants.

My father and stepmother came up with the idea of selling the oil in small 10ml bottles. In the early days, they would sit there at night with an old ceramic teapot and pour oil into the bottles – trying to spill as little as they could. The oil was used to make soap which was the first product we made and still sell to this day (under the original brand Coromandel Mountains Tea Tree Oil Company).

Having run the family business for a few years, I saw the amazing potential that both Mānuka and Kānuka Oils had. We used to get so much great feedback from people that I knew that there was a lot of potential to make more products that would be able to help people.

I wanted to thank all the people who helped over the years, who have made the brand what it is today. To those that helped harvest the Mānuka and Kānuka Oils, Ray Newton and Dale Peachey for helping Dad from the beginning and Peter Churton for helping me hold the company and farm together.

To the local community who have shown immense support and the neighbours that came rushing to our door with a water tanker the day our sheds burnt down. It’s so nice to know that in times of crisis, New Zealand people come together to help one another when it’s needed.

A big thank you to Mr Craig and his team for giving us a chance by purchasing our original soap and oil in Bin Inn stores, which is still available to this day in all stores. I would also like to thank our manufacturer Pauling Industries. I can’t thank them enough for all the assistance and support they have given me over the years.