Libby and Julia Matthews have split and are rivals on the supplement scene. Photo / Herald on Sunday.
Libby and Julia Matthews have split and are rivals on the supplement scene. Photo / Herald on Sunday.
Kiwi sisters Julia and Libby Matthews were one of New Zealand’s most popular partnerships in the wellness scene.
Now the siblings have split and are rivals on the supplement scene.
In 2012 the pair started their popular Julia and Libby blog — which led to their best-selling cookbook, Nourished, anda prominent social media presence as well as creating the health brand Two Islands.
They both dated sports stars; Julia for a time was with former Kiwis league star Lewis Brown and Libby is now married to Kiwi football ace Michael Boxall, who plays for US team Minnesota United in the Major League Soccer competition.
Last week Libby was back in New Zealand to launch Dose & Co, her own range of clean, sustainable, powder supplements made in NZ that focus on gut health.
Sisters Julia Matthews and Libby Matthews. Photo / Herald on Sunday.
Libby says the first probiotic range of vegan protein powders, and NZ's first collagen creamer — a coconut-based powder that can be added to your coffee or used in baking.
Julia, meanwhile, unveiled some new sustainable packaging last week for Two Islands range of supplements, telling her followers it was a sneak peek at what will be rolled out in September. The range also has a collagen product with coconut.
With the sisters' Instagram Julia and Libby account, which has almost 70,000 followers still operational, we asked whether both supplements were under the same umbrella brand.
Libby revealed the pair had gone their "separate ways".
"In July last year Julia advised me she wanted to buy me out of Two Islands as she was bringing in investors to make the brand more profitable and mainstream," Libby tells Spy.
"Living in America, dealing with different timezones and lifestyles, it was becoming difficult for me to remain involved in Two Islands from a day-to-day perspective, and with Julia wanting to take it in a new direction, this felt like a good time for us to go our separate ways and explore our own business dreams.
Julia says her sisters recollection of their split is 100 per cent false. "No justification will ever be an excuse to start a brand in direct competition with me."
Dose & Co has allowed Libby Matthews to utilise her qualifications as a naturopath and holistic nutritionist. Photo / Instagram.
Libby is pleased in creating Dose & Co that she has been able to utilise her qualifications as a naturopath and holistic nutritionist.
"You can see this coming through in the premium nature of the ingredients and focus on gut-health — using probiotics and bovine collagen means both ranges help to improve this incredibly important aspect of health and nutrition, the gut," she says.
"Health experts now consider the gut as the 'second brain', as it affects mood, the immune system and effective digestion."
We wish both brands and both sisters every success.
