Rosie, our Border Collie, quietly snuck off with a small piece of Mānuka and started chewing in her favorite corner. We expected it to be unsafe, but to our surprise, she was happily gnawing away without any issues. The ends of the wood had softened and frayed into gentle bristles, almost like a natural toothbrush, and Rosie seemed to love every minute of it.
Inspired by Rosie and her love of that piece of Mānuka, and seeing wooden chewing toys of varying quality everywhere, we set out to create a Mānuka dog chew. And now here we are: Bonno - The Mānuka Chew for Dogs, made with love by our family business in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.
Not much more to add. She keeps an eye on production but prefers to supervise the control centre, often with one or two eyes closed. Her favourite (after chewing) is to grab a Bonno when she's all excited to go for a walk or practise her agility skills.
Troubles. Jack of all trades, Tausendsassa. She loves working with Tony and takes every opportunity to take random chew samples from the production line.
Our latest addition to the family. In Training. Has preferred Bonno chews over any piece of furniture since day one.
Stef with f. Passionate dog-mum and Dog Agility competitor with Rosie & Bubbles. Stepping up to start the entrepreneurial journey for Bonno was out of question - a challenging journey. Many people call her organised - her response would just be a smile, 'Thank you'.
Passionate fisherman, and loves smoking his fresh catch. Never happier than when he is working away with his tools producing Bonno.
We’re passionate about our dogs—they’re truly part of our family, and we always want the best for them. The discovery that led to Bonno has given us the chance to share something special that reflects our values. We’re committed to these values and always looking for ways to improve, working towards achieving independent sustainability certification.
Bonno is crafted using only natural ingredients. Each Mānuka chew is naturally seasoned, carefully handcrafted, and finished with New Zealand Flaxseed Oil. There are no artificial additives, plastics, or nylon—just an all-natural product that's simple and pure.
All our claims are genuine and supported by customers, clients or science. Bonno is the favourite chew toy of our dogs. Testers were part of our journey from the start, and their feedback was and is overwhelmingly positive. Our Mānuka wood has been scientifically tested to be free from essential oils.
The Mānuka used for Bonno is sourced as a byproduct from local industries, repurposing what would otherwise go to waste. By doing this, we're not only creating high-value products and jobs but also giving back to nature by supporting planting projects in the Bay of Islands, helping to restore New Zealand's native bush.
We’re proud to support projects in the Kerikeri area through Trees That Count, with ongoing donations based on every Bonno chew sold. Over time, you’ll be able to see the impact we’re making together, as we’ll share an overview from Trees That Count showing our contributions and the projects we’ve supported. Managed by the Project Crimson Trust, a charity that’s been leading community restoration in New Zealand since 1990, Trees That Count is helping us give back to our beautiful environment.
Woofing for welfare – SPCA Kerikeri discovered Bonno in its early days, and we've been proud to support them since. We donate chews for their shelter dogs to enjoy and support SPCA to sell them to visitors and new dog parents, with all profits going back to the SPCA. It's our way of helping the dogs feel more at home while supporting a great cause.
We are looking for partners in Retail and Wholesale who share our values and what we stand for. Together we can work to make the goodness of our product available around the world.
