WEARING THE FERN– MONIQUE HATFULL
Matakana physiotherapist and lifelong hockey player Monique Hatfull is living proof that it's never too late to chase a childhood dream.
There is a particular kind of frustration that comes from being told your symptoms are just part of pregnancy, or that the only options on the shelf are products formulated decades ago, with little thought for how women actually experience their bodies. For Aggie co-founders and cousins, Emma and Grace Michelsen, that frustration became a catalyst.
What followed was two years of research and development, a partnership with PhD nutritionists at Massey University, and the creation of a supplement brand built to close the gap between clinical evidence and what women can access over the counter. As a family-founded business led by two mothers and headquartered in Matakana, the brand has grown organically through word of mouth, healthcare professionals, and shared experiences.
Aggie launched its hero product, Morning Relief, under the name Daisy at the 2023 New Zealand Midwives Conference. Within sixteen months it sold out three times, with its first release in the new tub format also selling out – meaningful proof the demand was real.
Now rebranded as Aggie, a name that nods to resilience and references the Agapanthus from the co-founders’ late grandmother’s garden, the company has stepped into something bigger, developing a full suite of over-the-counter supplements designed to support women from menstruation through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond.
Morning Relief was formulated to address nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, affecting up to 90 percent of women, yet still underserved by effective over-the-counter solutions. Its hero ingredient, Ginfort, a patented ginger extract, delivers approximately twelve times more active 6-gingerol than standard ginger powders – compounds clinically shown to act on serotonin receptors in the gut. It is paired with vitamin B6 Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate, the bioactive, pre-converted form of vitamin B6, and essential electrolytes to support maternal depletion – an area often overlooked in standard pregnancy supplements.
Cycle Relief applies the same science-led approach, pairing Ginfort with magnesium bisglycinate, a highly absorbable and gut-friendly form, alongside vitamin B6 P5P and electrolytes to ease cramping, tension and nausea.
Daily Regular addresses the less-discussed issue of bowel regularity during pregnancy, postpartum and hormonal change. Built around Actazin, a clinically studied proprietary green kiwifruit extract, trials show improved stool consistency and relief from occasional constipation, without stimulant laxatives.
Ingredients are sourced globally for maximum efficacy with full traceability, and manufactured locally under strict MPI-certified standards. Already stocked in over 60 retailers nationwide, including Matakana Pharmacy, and featured in Viva, the New Zealand Herald, Woman’s Day, and NutraIngredients, with major pharmacy partnerships underway, Aggie is moving quickly.
For two cousins working out of a small New Zealand town, it is a remarkable trajectory – but so is building something that fills a gap women have been quietly asking someone to address for a long time.