At Huds and Toke, we are proud to be recognised as one of Australia's leading pet-treat innovators. From humble beginnings on Queensland's Sunshine Coast in 2007, our family-owned business has earned multiple national and international awards celebrating our commitment to creativity, community and premium Australian-made pet products.
In 2023, our founder Emma Gibbons was named the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner for Queensland. A year earlier, in 2022, we won the award for the Best Small Budget Social Media Marketing Campaign. Along the way we have been featured across television, radio, podcasts and national press, partnered with Krispy Kreme in the USA, and taken our treats to pet lovers in seven countries. This page is your inside look at the media features, interviews and award highlights that help tell our story, and reflect our passion for delivering joy to pets and their people worldwide.
Huds and Toke. As Good As It Gets For You And Your Pets.
Award Highlights
Recognition from industry leaders, government and our local community, earned the hard way, from the ground up.
Best Small Budget Social Media Marketing Campaign
Huds and Toke, in partnership with Attention Experts, won the prize for the best small-budget social media marketing campaign and strategy of 2022. Our thanks to George and his team for everything they do with us, and for us.
Westpac Businesses of Tomorrow
In May 2017 the Huds and Toke team were honoured to be named one of the winners of the prestigious Businesses of Tomorrow Award, sponsored by Westpac.
Innovative Queensland Business
In April 2017 the Queensland Government recognised Huds and Toke as an Innovative Queensland Business, announced by the Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business, the Honourable Leeanne Enoch MP.
Sunshine Coast Business Woman of the Year
Emma Gibbons won the Sunshine Coast Business Woman of the Year Award for 2014 in the Small Business category, recognised through the Sunshine Coast Business Women's Network.
Sunshine Coast Business Awards
Recognised for innovative business on the Sunshine Coast. A wonderful early endorsement of the hard work going into our brand and products from the ground up, as the creators of the first and favourite Australian-made training horse treats.
Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast University Business Pitch
Co-founder Russell Gibbons won the 2013 business pitch, presenting our innovative ideas to a panel of ten judges and a broader audience. Watch the win on YouTube.
Also a finalist: Emma-Louise Gibbons was named one of four finalists in the Queensland Regional Women's Awards, representing women in manufacturing and the development of high-value products from alternative proteins such as insects and vegetables. Coverage courtesy of Queensland Country Life.
The Krispy Kreme USA Partnership
Huds and Toke partnered with Krispy Kreme in the USA to create Doggie Doughnuts, a Krispy Kreme-inspired treat range made by Huds and Toke for dogs. On International Dog Day, the entire North American network of Krispy Kreme stores stocked our Doggie Doughnuts. It was the result of a working partnership over roughly twelve months, and a proud moment for a small Queensland company to be exporting alongside one of the most iconic brands in the world.
"If your canine companion is acting a little friendlier than usual this morning, they may have heard about Krispy Kreme's promotion celebrating National Dog Day today."
USA Today. Read the story.
"Krispy Kreme's latest product isn't even for humans and we're still excited. Hello, Krispy Kreme dog treats!"
Taste of Home.
"Your pup deserves a special treat, and Krispy Kreme thinks so, too."
The Dodo. Read the story.
Delish covered the news of Krispy Kreme's drool-worthy Doggie Doughnuts, leading with our media image, and the story was picked up by Yahoo! Life and AOL. A McClatchy syndicated piece ran in 27 local US outlets, including Raleigh's The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer. Local US community sites under the Patch network also flagged the treats for National Dog Day in their daily updates.
The Krispy Kreme story was also picked up in Australia by Australian Dog Lover, the Krispy Kreme Australia blog, New Idea Magazine, and radio stations WSFM 101.7 and Nova 96.9, among others.
As Featured In
From American food media to Australian national press, television, radio and podcasts, Huds and Toke has been proud to share its story far and wide.
United States & International
- USA Today
- Delish
- Mental Floss
- The Dodo
- Food Beast
- ComicBook
- AOL
- Yahoo! Life
- The News & Observer
- The Charlotte Observer
- Bake
- Foodsided
- Krispy Kreme Australia · Australian Dog Lover
National Australian Press
- The Australian
- Courier Mail
- The Age
- Brisbane Times
- Sydney Morning Herald
- Smart Company
- Queensland Country Life
- Take 5 Magazine
- Country Style Magazine
- New Idea · Profile Mag · Business Matters
- My Weekly Preview · Sunshine Coast Daily & News
- Tech Street Journal
- Zookie · Throomers
TV, Radio & Podcasts
- ABC Rural News
- ABC Radio, Queensland Country Hour
- WIN News Sunshine Coast
- Nova 96.9 · WSFM 101.7
- Supply Chain Resilience podcast
- Postcards from the Bush podcast
- Featured on The Late Show with James Corden, Yahoo Finance and NBC News
Our expansion into Japan was also announced via a press release to Japanese media (atpress).
Milestones
A journey from a Sunshine Coast kitchen to seven countries, told in reverse order.
AgriFutures Rural Women's Award (Queensland)
Founder Emma-Louise Gibbons named the Queensland winner, then in contention for the National award.
Krispy Kreme USA launch and a marketing award
Doggie Doughnuts launched across the North American Krispy Kreme network on International Dog Day, and Huds and Toke won the Best Small Budget Social Media Marketing Campaign with Attention Experts.
US expansion and 100 Faces of Queensland Business
The brand expanded into the US pet market and was featured in Throomers. Co-founder Russell Gibbons shared the start-up journey as one of the Queensland Government's 100 Faces of Queensland Business.
A Japanese yen for pet treats
In February, the Courier Mail reported on the strong demand for our gourmet dog treats overseas, proof that these products are genuinely world-class, helped by our no-melt coating.
A breakthrough year
In September, The Australian ran "Luxury pet food puts Huds and Toke on the global map." In May we won the Westpac Businesses of Tomorrow Award, and in April we were recognised as an Innovative Queensland Business. In June we hosted a morning tea with Minister Leeanne Enoch MP and entered the Japanese market via Amazon and Rakuten. In January, our owner was featured in the national Take 5 Magazine.
National coverage and giving back
A national ABC Rural News feature, and a Tech Street Journal piece that likened us to the Heston Blumenthal of the dog world. We took part in the Innovation Demo Day, and in July donated to the University of the Sunshine Coast Detection Dogs to help protect koalas and native wildlife.
Sunshine Coast Business Woman of the Year
Emma Gibbons won in the Small Business category, with coverage in Profile Mag, Business Matters and My Weekly Preview.
Where it all started to be noticed
We won the Sunshine Coast Business Awards and the Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast University business pitch (watch on YouTube). Russell Gibbons also travelled to China with the local council delegation to research the market potential for our 100% Australian-made products.
Giving back to our wildlife. In July 2016, Huds and Toke donated to the University of the Sunshine Coast Detection Dogs programme, helping protect koalas and other native Australian wildlife. It is one of the achievements we are proudest of.
Naturally Australian, Loved Worldwide
Huds and Toke is a family-owned Australian premium pet-treats company, founded in 2007 on Queensland's Sunshine Coast by Emma and Russell Gibbons. Our treats are now stocked across seven countries: Australia, the UK, US, Ireland, Singapore, Germany and Japan.
Our story · Horse treats · Learn more on Wikipedia