Brandon Zavala had a cat and a dream when he launched Apollo Peak in 2015. Like many pet owners, he wondered what might happen if he poured a little wine out for his furry gray friend, Apollo. Still, he loved the cat too much to take a risk that might be bad for his health. That’s when the idea of cat wine came to mind, and after much testing and formulations, Apollo Peak pet wine was born.
Today, Apollo Peak features all-natural, no-alcohol wines for both cats and dogs. The “wine” features flavors including MosCATo, Pinot Meow and Meowmosa for cats. Thirsty pups can enjoy flavors like CharDOGnay, ZinfanTail and MalBark. Each product contains ingredients like 100% organic beets and herbs, mixed together to produce a beautiful mixed-drink dupe that’s absolutely safe for furbabies.
Apollo Peak has not just cashed in on a fun fad of letting pets participate in sipping on a slow glass of indulgent red (in a fancy glass pet wine dish, of course). Rather, the company is the original in the industry. Before Apollo Peak, pet wine was just a dream in the Western world. A Japanese company does deserve props for creating the very first wine for cats, but unfortunately the grape-crafted wine was toxic to cats. Because Apollo Peak brews with red or golden beets to get the desired color, it is 100% non-toxic.
Zavala’s background is in sales and marketing, previously for a human pharmaceuticals company, has helped Apollo Peak gain momentum since its first launch in October 2015. What started as sales emails and social media blasts has since turned into a sophisticated model of, mostly, word-of-mouth advertising. Since the company first hit the market, it has earned roughly $500,000 in revenue from dog and cat wine, and more fans appear everyday.
It’s pretty clear that the brand is doing big things—primarily for pet owners who want to share one of the most special times of the day with one of their best friends. Wine time is chill time, and what could be better than relaxing after a long day over a glass with your dog or cat? Zavala believes that one of the biggest advantages of the specialty cat and dog wine blends is that it helps to bring pets and their owners closer than ever before, and who wouldn’t like that?
Zavala’s own relationship with his cat has been inspiration for the way he runs his business as well. Apollo, the smoke-gray Chartreux for whom the business is named, was rescued off the street as a kitten in 2007. In 2009, the cat inexplicably went missing, not to return for a full two years. He finally returned home, just in time to begin his long-standing duty as CFO (Chief Feline Officer). With a stamp of feline approval, Apollo Peak continues to move forward, expanding its manufacturing capacities and launching new products in the fold.
With Apollo Peak, it’s never been more relaxing to enjoy time spent together. With this clever perspective kept top of mind, and more pet parents discovering the line each day, the brand is setup for the purr-fect opportunity for success.
Update: Apollo Peak is now called Pet Winery
